PERSONNEL ASSISTANT

Honolulu; Honolulu (HI); Hybrid; USD 51,000 - 67,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Insurance plans

Paid time off

Holidays and leave

Retirement plan

Deferred compensation

Flexible spending accounts

Pre-tax transportation benefits

EAP and training opportunities

Job summary

Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation seeks a Personnel Assistant to support human resources operations, interpret policies, oversee recruitment, and ensure compliance with regulations. The role focuses on personnel transactions, benefits, and maintaining records, with on-site work in Honolulu.

The position requires knowledge of civil service laws and collective bargaining contracts, plus experience in personnel administration.

Qualifications

• Combination of education and experience substantially equivalent to graduation from high school and three years public personnel clerical experience.
• Knowledge of civil service laws, rules, regulations, and bargaining contracts.
• Ability to interpret policies, procedures, and contracts and to supervise subordinates.

Responsibilities

• Advise staff by interpreting employment policies and collective bargaining agreements.
• Oversee recruitment and onboarding, publish job openings, process applications, coordinate interviews, and orientation.
• Prepare and supervise personnel and payroll transactions, ensuring accuracy and compliance with laws and policies.
• Review and approve personnel transactions and coordinate with external agencies (DHR, BFS, ERS, EUTF).
• Recommend changes to personnel policies and improve efficiency and compliance.
• Maintain electronic and hard copy personnel records and manage security-related tasks, including badges and fobs.
• May supervise subordinates and perform other duties as required.

Skills

Policy interpretation

Recruitment

Personnel transactions

Civil service laws

Bargaining contracts

Supervision

Education

High school diploma or equivalent

Job description

$4,560.50 – $6,003.00/Month

Job Type: Full-Time Temporary

Location: 1099 Alakea Street, Honolulu, Hawaii 96813

Department: Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation

Apply Before: Continuous

The Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation (HART) is the public transit authority responsible for planning and constructing Skyline, Honolulu’s rail transit system. It is the first fully automated, driverless urban light metro system in the United States and represents the largest public infrastructure project in the history of Hawaii.

The Personnel Assistant plays a vital role in supporting HART’s human resources operations. This position focuses on interpreting policies, overseeing recruitment, processing personnel transactions, and ensuring compliance with regulations while fostering a productive and organized work environment.

Duties and Responsibilities

Advise administrative and supervisory staff, and other employees, by interpreting and explaining employment policies and collective bargaining agreements. Topics include recruitment, placement, transfer, training, promotion, classification, personal services contracts, leaves of absence (including family leave), health benefits, retirement, payroll, workers’ compensation, work hours, discipline, grievance procedures, and other personnel-related matters.

• Oversee the recruitment and onboarding process by publishing job openings, processing employment applications, conducting recruitment activities, assessing applicant qualifications, communicate hiring decisions to applicants, and coordinate interviews and new employee orientation, including the preparation of necessary documents.
• Prepare and/or supervise requests for personnel and payroll transactions such as appointments, transfers, promotions/demotions, reallocations, resignations, leaves of absences, etc., and ensure transactions are complete, accurate, and compliant with Civil Service laws, rules, regulations, policies, procedures, and bargaining unit agreements.
• Review and approve personnel transactions within HART and coordinate with external agencies such as the Department of Human Resources (DHR), Department of Budget and Fiscal Services (BFS), the Employer-Union Health Benefits Trust Fund (EUTF) and Employees’ Retirement System (ERS).
• Recommend changes to personnel policies and procedures to improve efficiency or compliance with applicable laws and quality assurance requirements.
• Maintain electronic and hard copy personnel records and manage security‑related tasks such preparing employee badges and key fobs.
• May supervise subordinates and perform other duties, as required.
• Training and Experience: A combination of education and experience substantially equivalent to graduation from high school and three years public personnel clerical experience.
• Knowledge of: Basic principles and practices of personnel administration, merit system philosophy; civil service laws, rules, and regulations; pertinent provisions of the various collective bargaining contracts; occupations common to government service; personnel transactions and methods of keeping personnel records; office practices and procedures; principles and practices of supervision.
• Ability to: Understand and interpret civil service laws, rules, regulations, policies and procedures, and pertinent provisions of various bargaining unit contracts; lay out work of subordinates; review and evaluate personnel programs and make recommendations for improvement; deal tactfully with employees and the public.

Physical Requirement

Persons seeking appointment to positions in this class must meet the health and physical condition standards deemed necessary and proper for performance of the duties.

• Medical, prescription drug, vision, dental, and life insurance plans
• Generous vacation and sick leave, earning up to 21 days per year
• 13 paid holidays annually (14 days during election year)
• Retirement plan contributions through the Employees’ Retirement System (ERS)
• Deferred compensation options to invest pre‑tax income for retirement
• Flexible spending accounts for health and dependent care expenses
• Pre‑tax transportation benefits, including TheBus and vanpool options
• Access to confidential counseling services through the Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
• Additional perks include training opportunities, parking benefits, and employer‑funded Holo Cards for eligible employees to use on public transit
• Eligibility for the public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program, supporting employees dedicated to public service

Work Schedule and Location

• Schedule: Monday – Friday, 8-hour shift.
• Location: The work for this position is conducted on‑site at the HART offices located in Honolulu, Hawaii 96813. Telecommuting is not currently available for this role.
• Relocation: HART does not cover relocation costs. Candidates must be able to reliably commute or relocate to Honolulu by first day of employment.