HUMAN RESOURCES SHARED SERVICES SPECIALIST

As a UW employee, you have a unique opportunity to change lives on our campuses, in our state and around the world. UW employees offer their boundless energy, creative problem solving skills and dedication to build stronger minds and a healthier world.

UW faculty and staff also enjoy outstanding benefits, professional growth opportunities and unique resources in an environment noted for diversity, intellectual excitement, artistic pursuits and natural beauty. 

The College of the Environment Dean’s Office is hiring a Human Resources Shared Services Specialist for the College’s new Shared Services Team, a resource for HR and fiscal work specific to the College of the Environment (EVN) community. ENV College Shared Services will eventually support both financial and HR operations, so will have staff dedicated to those separate functions. This is a new undertaking for the College, so we are looking for an HR professional who is interested in being part of a start-up operation, is willing to learn, adapt to change, and contribute positively as we implement shared services. We are also looking for a colleague who will champion the College’s commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion and help our units implement best HR practices to create, retain and support a diverse workforce.

The HR Shared Services Specialist will provide expert consultation and complex support to a mix of academic and non-academic clients in the College of the Environment. The position will handle HR and visa matters requiring independent judgment, analysis, and discretion in creating, implementing, and discharging personnel functions inside and outside of Workday, the UW’s human capital management system. Workday functions encompass the areas of hiring, classification, promotions, onboarding, compensation, benefits, leave management, and payroll for all faculty, staff, postdoctoral scholars, and student employees. This position will be responsible for ensuring that Workday activities are managed accurately and on time and follow compliance requirements per the state, federal, and University regulations. The HR Shared Services Specialist will also bring a diversity, equity, and inclusion lens to their consultation practice to help clients foster inclusive and equitable workplaces where all employees are valued and thrive. Additionally, this position has primary responsibility for managing all visa applications for the College’s eligible faculty and postdoctoral scholars, including providing expertise in interpreting and following University and Federal policies and procedures related to foreign scholars.

The College’s employee populations include both union and non-union covered employees in staff, student, academic personnel, and faculty populations. The variety of work performed in our units and across these employee populations means the HR Shared Services Specialist must be a creative problem solver who finds compliant solutions to unique situations. The HR Shared Services Specialist will work closely with the College’s HR Team and Shared Services Team, the Integrated Service Center, Total Talent Management, International Scholars Operations, and UW’s Compensation Office. The impact of the HR Shared Services Specialist’s work contributes directly to successful HR operations within client units and the College, as well as the careers and livelihoods of the employees in those units. It is critical that the HR Shared Services Specialist recognizes the importance of their work, strives for excellence in all they do, and values the people whose lives they affect through their work.

The College of the Environment is committed to protecting the rights and dignity of each individual in the university community. Diversity, in all its forms, is not only desirable, but also required, for advancing our understanding of the environment and arriving at solutions that allow science to more effectively serve all of humanity. The HR Shared Services Specialist is an essential contributor to our vision for making the College a welcoming and inclusive place to learn and work.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

The HR Shared Services Specialist’s responsibilities require significant organization, problem-solving, project management and communication skills with frequent and substantive interactions within and outside the College Shared Services Team and Dean’s Office. Individual initiative, solid judgement, discretion regarding sensitive and confidential matters and superior customer service skills are all necessary for the tasks assigned. This position requires accuracy, efficiency, flexibility, creativity, and a desire to serve multiple stakeholders, while working within UW regulations and established HR best practices.

Human Resource Management 
• Serve as day-to-day expert providing informal and formal first tier advice and guidance to client unit staff, faculty, and administrators regarding UW human resources policies and procedures.
• Provide College-wide HR and Workday business process consultation as a Workday technical expert.
• Use independent judgment, analysis, and discretion to complete HR functions in Workday on behalf of clients for faculty, staff, postdoctoral scholars, and student employees. Examples include Create Position, Job Requisition, Hire, Job Change, Academic Appointments, I-9s, Leaves of Absence, Compensation Changes, Terminations, etc. Act as a Named Support Contact to the ISC for clients served.
• Consult and advise clients on best practices for advancing diversity, equity and inclusion through various employment actions.
• Understand and be proficient in the complexities of both staff and academic personnel.
• Understand the organizational complexities of the academic and non-academic clients served, including job types, reporting relationships, and specific roles and responsibilities, and how those units fit within the broader College context.
• Attend and participate in College and campus-wide human resources meetings and committees.
• Attend and participate in all Shared Services Team and HR specific team meetings.
• Attend and participate in Workday trainings related to job functions. Complete all relevant Workday assessments successfully.

Visa Processing for Foreign Visitors
Prepare J-1 and H1-B visa applications for visiting scholars sponsored by College of the Environment academic clients. Work with visiting scholars, departmental administrators, the Dean’s office, and the International Scholars Operations (ISO) to collect information, analyze applications and recommend changes, gather signatures, and submit forms following a prescribed timeline and process.
• Use the College’s ticketing system and ISO online forms for each application.
• Communicate regularly with scholars and departments regarding application process and status.
• Serve as chief problem-solver for visa issues. Partner with College Dean's Office HR Manger and ISO as needed to assist clients with challenging issues and complex inquiries.
• Provide quality control to both the standard process and to documents.
• Recommend process improvements regarding the College’s Shared Services Visa processes, quality control, and ticketing system.
• Write, analyze, and revise College visa resources and guidelines.
• Write, analyze, and revise visa templates which serve to streamline processes and increase consistency.
• Assist with growth projects to take on additional types of visas as needed.

Special Projects
• Develop and implement recruiting strategies for Shared Services clients; develop job descriptions and best practices.
• Compile repository of job descriptions for College use.
• Manage all updates to the College Shared Services HR web site’s guidelines and online resources.
• Identify and recommend process improvements regarding the College’s Shared Services Team’s HR/P process, quality control, and ticketing system.
• Other duties as assigned.

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS:

• Bachelor's degree in a related field.
• Two years’ work experience in human resources at UW, including using Workday.
• Demonstrated knowledge of HR policies, procedures, and best practices, including advancing diversity, equity and inclusion across HR competencies, such as classification and compensation, staffing and recruitment, leave management, payroll, and/or visas.

Equivalent education/experience will substitute for all minimum qualifications except when there are legal requirements, such as a license/certification/registration.

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS:

• Proficiency in Microsoft Word, Excel, and Outlook and ability to learn new software as necessary to do the job.
• Strong research skills to gather information, communicate it effectively to others, and take appropriate action on behalf of clients.
• Demonstrated commitment to valuing diversity and contributing to an inclusive working and learning environment.
• Ability to communicate verbally and in writing in clear, diplomatic, and effective ways with a variety of clients, colleagues, and partners, and to maintain effective working relationships.
• Ability to analyze needs, assess potential avenues, and implement creative solutions to ensure the steady, high-quality delivery of HR and visa services.
• Highly organized, with a demonstrated ability to multitask in a consistently fast paced environment in an organized and efficient manner.
• Demonstrated attention to detail and passion for accuracy.

Application Process:

The application process for UW positions may include completion of a variety of online assessments to obtain additional information that will be used in the evaluation process.  These assessments may include Workforce Authorization, Cover Letter and/or others.  Any assessments that you need to complete will appear on your screen as soon as you select “Apply to this position”. Once you begin an assessment, it must be completed at that time; if you do not complete the assessment you will be prompted to do so the next time you access your “My Jobs” page. If you select to take it later, it will appear on your "My Jobs" page to take when you are ready. Please note that your application will not be reviewed, and you will not be considered for this position until all required assessments have been completed.