Human Resources Staff Assistant

13-May-2022

Harvard Divinity School

58242BR

Job Summary

We welcome you to join a dedicated and professional team of 3 HR professionals supporting Harvard Divinity School’s (HDS) staff, faculty and students. Founded in 1816, HDS is one of 12 graduate/professional schools at Harvard University and the most religiously diverse divinity school in the United States.  

Position Description

The HR staff assistant provides a high level of customer service to the HDS community, to support effective and efficient operations of the HDS Human Resources. The HR staff assistant performs a broad range of confidential administrative support for all aspects of a fast-paced Human Resources Office:  

• Provide front-line HR and administrative support: greets visitors, answers main HR phone line, and responds to a wide range of inquiries from applicants and employees relative to standard policies, benefits, hiring processes, etc., ensuring timely responses and follow-up. Refers more complex questions to colleagues in HR when needed. 
• Maintain integrity and confidentiality of human resources files and records: keeps accurate and up-to-date human resource files, records, and documentation and archives, both digitally and hard copy, filing and scanning as needed. 
• Purchase and maintain office supply inventory, act as liaison for office equipment issues. 
• Prepare materials for the employee recognition and reward, and milestone programs, including creating certificates and managing award selection and delivery. Maintain spreadsheet to track HDS appointments and provide anniversary dates to Dean of Administration. 
• Prepare all human resources employee data changes for approvals and perform other actions in PeopleSoft including position management and processing temp, student and staff new hires and changes.  
• Work with new employees, temporary employees, and students to complete I-9 work authorization. 
• Perform onboarding and off boarding activities, including assisting with scheduling new hire orientations and exit interviews, updating directories and HDS new employee guide, and sending new hire and end of employment information to managers, employees and others involved in onboarding and offboarding process.  
• Perform payroll functions, including processing, answering employee questions, fixing processing errors, assisting employees and managers with time reporting issues; maintain spreadsheet to track HDS term and interim appointments. 
• Coordinate logistics for all HDS HR events and trainings: prepare and coordinate meeting logistics and catering for HR events such as staff meetings, training sessions, employee recognition celebration and HDS picnic, including room reservation, tracking RSVPs, working with vendors, catering needs, and set up and breakdown; update HR team calendars for both HDS and University activities and timelines; for trainings, prepare course registration and evaluations in the Harvard Training Portal. Assist with HDS-wide events as needed. 
• Assist the HR Coordinator on staff recruitment process; post jobs in Harvard Careers, schedule interviews and prepare interview agendas and candidate evaluation surveys and arrange background checks and references.  
• In coordination with the HR Coordinator and HR Director, maintain HR SharePoint site- keeping job descriptions, offer letters, and personal action folders up to date and archiving documents when necessary.  
• Maintain the HDS HR intranet pages with accurate and up-to-date information and serves as the HR office’s web liaison. 
• Follow-up with all new hires (staff and academic appointments) on non-compliance with the PeopleSoft Massachusetts Paid Family Leave (MAPFL) acknowledgement and assist HR Director with reporting and tracking other required trainings and compliance actions. 
• Schedule meetings, room reservations and other meeting and calendaring tasks. 
• Assist the HR Coordinator and Director prepare the bi-weekly HR newsletter, creating templates and editing content. 
• Process payments and reimbursements, P-Card transactions, journal vouchers, and other financial documents for the HR office. 
• Performs other duties as assigned. 

Basic Qualifications

Minimum of two years of administrative experience, including experience with MS Office suite. Education beyond high school may count toward experience. 

Additional Qualifications and Skills

We are looking for people who: 

• Are interested and/or experienced in Human Resources.  
• Committed to providing the highest level of customer service and responsiveness. 
• Flexible and able to maintain confidentiality, with discretion and sensitivity, and maintain professionalism even when working with challenging situations. 
• Are highly organized with great attention to detail. 
• Can exercise good judgment, select, and apply established procedures correctly, and appropriately determine when to refer HR matters to other members of the HR team. 
• Are eager and willing to learn new systems, previous experience with HRIS system such as PeopleSoft preferred. 
• Able to work independently and as part of a team.  
• Prior Harvard experience a plus. 

IMPORTANT NOTE: Your cover letter and resume should be combined into a SINGLE DOCUMENT under the resume tab. Cover letters are required for every position at Harvard Divinity School.  

We regret that the Harvard Divinity School does not provide Visa sponsorship. 

Working Conditions

This position is based in Cambridge, MA and requires an on-campus presence for the first six months. After the first six months, a two-days remote, three-days in office hybrid work arrangement may be arranged, subject to business needs and manager review/approval. 

Please Note: During the current period of COVID-19 related restrictions, we will be conducting interviews virtually for selected candidates until further notice. We continue to monitor the evolving COVID-19 and lifting of restrictions. We appreciate your understanding and flexibility with our interview process. 

Harvard requires COVID vaccination for all Harvard community members. Individuals may claim exemption from the vaccine requirement for medical or religious reasons. More information regarding the University’s COVID vaccination requirement and exceptions may be found at the University’s “COVID-19 Vaccine Information” webpage: http://www.harvard.edu/coronavirus/covid-19-vaccine-information/ .   

Harvard is a special place to work, filled with diverse and talented people who are driven to grow and succeed. By working here, you join a vibrant community that advances Harvard’s world-changing mission in meaningful ways, inspires innovation and collaboration, and builds skills and expertise. 

We invite you to explore the many reasons to work for Harvard and Harvard Divinity School: 

• Opportunities for internal advancement 
• A creative and collaborative environment  
• Flex-work options, including an optional summer compressed workweek (end of May through mid-August) 
• Generous Vacation, Sick, Personal, and Holiday pay 
• Medical, Dental and Vision benefits starting on your first day 
• University-funded retirement plans 
• Tuition Assistance Program 
• Transportation benefits to help with your daily commute 
• Health and wellness discounts, memberships and programs 

Additional Information

Harvard Divinity School seeks to respect, understand, and learn from all cultures, beliefs, and faith backgrounds, including those who are unaffiliated with a traditional denomination, of the members of our diverse community. HDS actively seeks and welcomes people of color, women, the LGBTQIA+ community, persons with disabilities, and people at intersections of these identities. 

Founded in 1816, Harvard Divinity School is most religiously diverse divinity school in the United States and is one of 12 graduate/professional schools at Harvard University. HDS is grounded in pluralism and fosters the kind of thoughtful, respectful exchange of ideas that is vital for human flourishing. The School’s degree programs prepare students for careers in academia, ministry, and a wide range of roles across the nonprofit, private, and public sectors. 

Job Function

General Administration

Location

USA - MA - Harvard

Job Code

403033 Staff Assistant III

Department

Human Resources

Union

55 - Hvd Union Cler & Tech Workers

Pre-Employment Screening

Education, Identity

Schedule

Mondays to Fridays, 9-5pm.

Commitment to Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging

Harvard University views equity, diversity, inclusion, and belonging as the pathway to achieving inclusive excellence and fostering a campus culture where everyone can thrive. We strive to create a community that draws upon the widest possible pool of talent to unify excellence and diversity while fully embracing individuals from varied backgrounds, cultures, races, identities, life experiences, perspectives, beliefs, and values.

EEO Statement

We are an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, gender identity, sexual orientation, pregnancy and pregnancy-related conditions, or any other characteristic protected by law.