Human Resources Specialist I

City of Ocala, FL; Ocala (FL); On-site; USD 21,000 - 30,000; Full time

Job summary

City of Ocala, FL is seeking a varied and responsible HR administrative position within the Human Resources Department. You will manage public and employee inquiries, postings, onboarding, and HRIS data entry, under the HR Manager's supervision.

Responsibilities include maintaining records, handling verifications, processing HR communications, and supporting committees and projects as needed. Strong office software skills required.

Qualifications

• High school diploma or GED required; plus advanced coursework in business practices or secretarial studies.
• Minimum of one year in secretarial or administrative work.
• An equivalent combination of education, training, and experience may be considered.

Responsibilities

• Public & Employee Assistance: respond to inquiries from the public and City employees regarding employment opportunities and HR issues.
• Recruitment & Applicant Tracking: build and manage job postings, handle applicant tracking, support recruitment tasks.
• Onboarding & Pre-Employment: facilitate onboarding, prepare paperwork, schedule fingerprinting and appointments, complete I-9s and W-4s, verify CDL/permits, enter new hire data in HRIS.

Skills

Office equipment

MS Word

MS Excel

Outlook

PowerPoint

Typing

Business English

Math basics

Communication

Interpersonal skills

Education

High school diploma or GED

Advanced coursework in business practices or secretarial studies

Tools

10-Key

Alphanumeric Data Entry

Database

Human Resources Systems

Word Processing/Typing

Payroll Systems

Spreadsheet

Job description

This is a varied and responsible technical position with personnel and administrative duties for the Human Resources Department, with emphasis on public personnel administration. The position reports directly to the Human Resources Manager.

1. Public & Employee Assistance: Responds to inquiries from the public and City employees regarding employment opportunities and other HR-related issues. Provides courteous and professional customer service by phone, in person, and in writing.
2. Recruitment & Applicant Tracking: Builds and manages job postings, handles applicant tracking, and supports recruitment tasks. Reviews applications for minimum qualifications, processes veteran’s preference requests, and coordinates and sends applicant testing as applicable.
3. Onboarding & Pre-Employment: Facilitates the onboarding process by preparing and sending pre-employment paperwork, scheduling fingerprinting and physical appointments, completing I-9s, W-4s, and other required documentation. Verifies new hires requiring a CDL or permit through the FMCSA Drug & Alcohol Clearinghouse. For employees working with youth, vulnerable populations, or similar programs, enters required information into the DCF Clearinghouse. Establishes personnel files, enters data into the HRIS system, monitors background checks, and facilitates the employee’s first-day onboarding.

1. Employee Records & Compliance: Maintains accurate and up-to-date personnel files in compliance with legal and policy requirements. Processes duty status notes, completes both verbal and written verifications of employment, and ensures adherence to HR policies, procedures, and applicable laws.
2. HR Data Management: Enters and maintains employee information in the HRIS system (e.g., direct deposit forms, address changes). Enters hiring metrics.
3. Identification & Access: Creates and issues new employee ID badges, processes replacement badges, and maintains related records.
4. Inbox & Communication Management: Monitors and manage shared inboxes, including the HR/Risk Inbox and HR Recruitment Inbox, ensuring timely and professional responses.
5. Administrative Support: Provides general administrative assistance, including data entry, scheduling appointments, meetings, and training. Communicates City policies and procedures to staff, supports HR programs and initiatives, participates in departmental and City committees, assists with major projects, and conducts research as assigned.
6. Correspondence: Prepares memos, letters, forms, statements, reports, and other correspondence, including confidential and technical matters.
7. Clerical Support: Provides clerical and secretarial support as needed.
8. Other Duties: Performs related tasks as required or assigned.

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty mentioned satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required.

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE

• High school diploma or GED required, supplemented by advanced coursework in business practices or secretarial studies.
• Minimum of one (1) year of experience in secretarial or administrative work.
• An equivalent combination of education, training, and experience may be considered.

REQUIRED CERTIFICATES, LICENSES, REGISTRATIONS

• Must possess and maintain a valid Florida Operators Driver's License with an acceptable driving record.

RESPONSIBILITY FOR FUNDS, PROPERTY and EQUIPMENT

None.

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES

None.

COMMUNICATION SKILLS

Ability to effectively communicate information and respond to questions in person-to-person and small group situations with customers, clients, general public and other employees of the organization.

MATHEMATICAL SKILLS

Ability to calculate figures and amounts such as discounts, interest, commissions, proportions, percentages, area, circumference, and volume. Ability to apply concepts such as fractions, ratios, and proportions to practical situations.

CRITICAL THINKING SKILLS

Ability to utilize common sense understanding in order to carry out written, oral or diagrammed instructions. Ability to deal with problems involving several known variables in situations of a routine nature.

SUPERVISION RECEIVED

Under general supervision where standard practice enables the employee to proceed alone on routine work, referring all questionable cases to supervisor.

PLANNING

Considerable responsibility with regard to general assignments in planning time, method, manner, and/or sequence of performance of own work; may also occasionally assist in the planning of work assignments performed by others within a limited area of operation.

DECISION MAKING

Performs work operations which permit frequent opportunity for decision-making of minor importance and also frequent opportunity for decision-making of major importance; the latter of which would affect the work operations of other employees and/or clientele to a moderate degree.

MENTAL DEMAND

Close mental demand. Operations requiring close and continuous attention for control of operations. Operations requiring intermittent direct thinking to determine or select the most applicable way of handling situations regarding the organization's administration and operations; also to determine or select material and equipment where highly variable sequences are involved.

ANALYTICAL ABILITY / PROBLEM SOLVING

Moderately structured. Fairly broad activities using moderately structured procedures with only generally guided supervision. Interpolation of learned things in somewhat varied situations.

USE OF MACHINES, EQUIPMENT AND/OR COMPUTERS

Regular use of complex machines and equipment (desktop/laptop computer and software, road and production machines and equipment, etc.).

ACCURACY

Probable errors of internal and external scope would have a moderate effect on the operational efficiency of the organizational component concerned. Errors might possibly go undetected for a considerable period of time, thereby creating an inaccurate picture of an existing situation. Could cause further errors, losses, or embarrassment to the organization. The possibility for error is always present due to requirements of the job.

PUBLIC CONTACT

Frequent contacts with general public, patrons, or other outside representatives, wherein the manner of handling these contacts has a bearing on the organization's position and operation.

EMPLOYEE CONTACT

Contacts of considerable importance within the department or office, such as those required in coordination of effort, or frequent contacts with other departments or offices, generally in normal course of performing duties. Requires tact in discussing problems and presenting data and making recommendations, but responsibility for action and decision reverts to others.

PREFERRED CERTIFICATES, LICENSES, REGISTRATIONS

Not indicated.

SOFTWARE SKILLS REQUIRED

Intermediate: 10-Key, Alphanumeric Data Entry, Database, Human Resources Systems, Word Processing/Typing

Basic: Accounting, Payroll Systems, Spreadsheet

ADDITIONAL SOFTWARE SKILLS

Not indicated.

OTHER SKILLS

Not indicated.

PHYSICAL ACTIVITIES

The following physical activities described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions and expectations.

While performing the functions of this job, the employee is continuously required to talk or hear; regularly required to stand, walk, sit, use hands to finger, handle, or feel; occasionally required to reach with hands and arms, climb or balance, stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl.

The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds, regularly lift and/or move up to 10 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, and color vision.

ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS

There are no harmful environmental conditions that are present for this position.

The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Proficiency in the use of office equipment and advanced office/clerical practices.
• Strong computer skills, including advanced knowledge of Microsoft Word, Excel, Outlook, and PowerPoint.
• Ability to accurately type and prepare memos, complex documents, and business correspondence.
• Advanced knowledge of business English, spelling, grammar, and punctuation.
• Knowledge of basic and business math to process and maintain complex records.
• Familiarity with payroll, budgeting, accounting/recordkeeping, and records management functions.
• Strong organizational skills with the ability to maintain accurate records and well-structured files.
• Ability to compile, research, prioritize, and analyze data effectively.
• Capacity to interpret and apply rules, regulations, and policies.
• Ability to manage multiple deadlines, work under pressure, and remain calm in stressful situations.
• Demonstrated ability to work independently with minimal supervision while maintaining confidentiality.
• Clear and concise communication skills, both oral and written.
• Strong interpersonal skills to establish and maintain effective working relationships with employees and the public.

This is not necessarily an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, skills, duties, requirements, efforts, or working conditions associated with the job. While this is intended to be an accurate reflection of the current job, management reserves the right to revise the job or to require that other or different tasks be performed when circumstances change (e.g., emergencies, changes in personnel, workload, rush jobs, or technological developments).