Human Resources and Benefits Associate

Primary Position Objectives:

The UWC-USA program - a two-year experience that integrates our Academic, UWC CAS (Creativity, Activity and Service), and Residential curricula - prepares students to serve as catalysts for greater unity, peace and sustainability in the world. We support students in the practice of our mission during their two years on campus and challenge them to live our mission for a lifetime. The Human Resources Associate & Benefits Specialist performs under the supervision of the Director of Human Resources to accomplish human resource objectives by obtaining, recording, forwarding, and explaining human resource information and managing employee benefits. The Human Resources Associate/Benefits Specialist supports the Director of Human Resources by scheduling appointments, assisting in the coordination and implementation of orientation, employee support, and assisting in maintaining records and employee information in confidence. HR Associate will be the primary on-campus support in the office and may report to a remote off-site Director of Human Resources.

Position Responsibilities:

• Maintains confidentiality in all aspects of department information.
• Maintains human resources records by maintaining applications, resumes, and applicant logs for each vacant position.
• Drafts and prepares vacancy announcements as directed including entering information on various sites and payment for services.
• Coordinates candidate interviews with the Director of Human Resources, supervisor and necessary committees and maintains feedback forms.
• Verify candidates' background checks and contacts and verify references.
• Coordinates candidate travel and accommodation needs to campus when necessary.
• Creates and maintains employee profiles in the payroll system including demographics, salary, stipends, and benefit deduction enrollment/ terminations.
• Performs all employee profile changes each pay period so that payroll can process, and record in Database Sheet.
• Ensures employee new hire forms are filled out correctly and submitted in a timely fashion.
• Prepares monthly employee recognitions and birthdays for All Employee Meetings.
• Provides the director support by entering, formatting and printing information, organizing work, answering calls, relaying messages, maintaining equipment and supplies.
• Resolves or assists in the resolution of policy-related, process-related, or procedural problems and/or inquiries received from department representatives, employees and/or applicants.
• Prepares documents and composes routine correspondence, as required, on specific policy and procedural issues.
• Gathers information, conducts basic data analysis, and assists in the development of reports.
• Creates and or updates job descriptions as required.
• Assists with the development of new-hire training material.
• May be assigned to develop or coordinate special projects.
• Assists employees with general personnel matters.
• May attend and participate in a variety of meetings, workshops, and conferences to maintain current knowledge of laws, codes, rules and regulations related to assigned functions.
• Manages evaluation process for all employees inHucluding collection and filing.
• Assists the GAF program by coordinating background checks
• Performs other job-related duties as assigned.

Benefits

• Responsible for presenting and explaining employee benefits.
• Responsible for benefit program compliance under applicable federal and state regulations, benefit plan implementation and eligibility updates, direct carrier and vendor file feeds, auditing for data integrity, and year-end processing.
• Supports the implementation and administration of benefit plans (e.g. health, vision, dental, life insurance, voluntary worksite benefits, etc.); carrier/plan changes and troubleshooting; works with vendors on relevant issues during set-up, implementation and testing of benefit plans and programs.
• Enters all employee data for enrollment elections, updates, and terminations into the payroll system and into each of the specific portals along with hard copy files in PR/HR Drive.
• Reviews benefit enrollment forms for accuracy and coordinates enrollment and other processing requirements with third party administrators in a timely and efficient manner.
• Verifies employee benefit roster and reports to Accounts Payable.
• Assists Director of Human Resources to negotiate benefits on a yearly basis.
• Assists Director of Human Resources with Open Enrollment
• Serves as a point of contact to resolve benefit inquiries, issues, and problems.
• Consults with appropriate personnel (e.g. Payroll, IT, staff, departmental management, etc.) to address and resolve contractual, policy and technical matters related to the work.
• Monitors HR system performance and identifies processes that need improvement; outlines appropriate solutions and supports implementation of those solutions.

• Leadership: All UWC-USA employees are expected to provide varying levels of leadership in order to support the UWC mission. Examples include but are not limited to:
  • Actively participating and contributing to committee or task force assignments, providing leadership in campus-wide events or initiatives, strategic planning efforts, in the experiential education program, the dormitories, dining hall, and/or in physical plant initiatives.
  • Initiating strategic discussions and sharing thoughtful and innovative ideas with your co-workers for carrying out the UWC mission and successfully completing day to day work assignments.
  • Demonstrating a growth mindset by believing and acknowledging that intelligence, skills, learning and creativity can all grow with time and experience.
  • In all interactions, upholding the UWC mission and values, and creating an environment that promotes and values diversity, equity and inclusion.

Who should apply?

Required Qualifications

• High school diploma or equivalent
• Ability to create, compose, and edit written materials.
• Ability to gather data, compile information, and prepare reports.
• Ability to analyze and solve problems.
• Ability to work effectively in a diverse community.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills.
• Skill in use of personal computers and related software applications.
• Record maintenance skills.
• 2-4 years of human resources experience in processes, procedures, and documentation, as applicable to an educational institution.
• Familiarity with Medical, Dental, Life, LTD, STD, Cobra, Workers Compensation, and 403(b).

Desired Qualifications:

• Associate's or Bachelor's Degree
• 4 to 6 years' experience directly related to the duties and responsibilities specified.
• Ability to interpret and analyze informational needs, and provide general technical advice and guidance in area of specialty.
• Ability to work independently with a strong attention to detail.

Required License

• Valid Driver's License, and must be insurable by the schools insurance carrier.