Human Resources Assistant

Come join one of the nation’s highest ranked housing agencies. Be a part of an innovative and creative team of individuals committed to serving the community by providing affordable, quality housing. The St. Paul Public Housing Agency (PHA) has been serving the community for over 45 years. St. Paul PHA is an independent agency that owns and operates affordable rental housing for low-income families and individuals throughout the City, with subsidies from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). The PHA provides approximately 4,273 affordable rental units in hi-rise buildings, townhomes, and scattered site single family and duplex homes. The PHA administers 5,242 Housing Choice Vouchers, paying over 45 million annually in federal rent subsidies to private owners who rent units to eligible families and individuals with very low incomes.

About the role

This is a broad senior level administrative support classification where incumbents perform duties of a specialized nature requiring both knowledge and experience in the area assigned. The Administrative Support Professional is the third level in a four level administrative support series and is distinguished by its responsibility for performing duties of a specialized nature requiring both knowledge and experience in human resources.

Incumbent performs a wide variety of human resources support activities including answering basic human resources questions from employees and applicants, responding to payroll and benefit inquiries, entering employee information into the Human Resources Information System (HRIS), providing clerical support, maintaining the human resources filing system, and scheduling and administering testing of applicants for employment.

Responsibilities

• Prepares, routes, and tracks all official documents including annual appraisals and Notification of Personnel Actions regarding personnel changes such as: new hires, promotions, demotions and other changes of employment, approved leaves, and terminations. Submit required information to the State of Minnesota.
• Assists with recruitment activities including posting open positions and scheduling interviews for the HR Department. May also be asked to be on the interview panels.
• Schedules, administers, scores and assists with updating routine tests including basic skills, technical, in-basket and essay tests. Notifies supervisors when testing is completed.
• Maintains and processes paperwork necessary for hiring candidates. Contacts past employers for reference checks on prospective employees. Mails regret letters to unsuccessful applicants when a position is filled.
• Provides clerical support including typing letters and memos, creating reports, maintaining all personnel related filing, coordinating employee mailings, and other miscellaneous clerical duties as needed.
• Scans all employee related documents before filing into electronic personnel files.
• Prepares orientation packets and arranges for food and transportation. Runs slides, updates PowerPoints, and keeps meetings on schedule. Completes necessary paperwork for new employees, including criminal background checks and driver’s license checks.
• Assists with the scheduling of training programs and recording employee registration in the HRIS system/PHA Intranet.
• Handles employee inquiries on payroll related issues and completes employment verification requests.
• Reviews and reconciles wage rates, and all voluntary and involuntary deductions from employee’s bi-weekly payroll.
• Assists in other financial matters as needed (e.g., reports writing, special projects as assigned by Human Resources Director or Human Resources Generalists).
• Assists with open enrollment for all PHA benefits plans.
• Assists in writing and delivering FMLA, Reasonable Accommodation, Work Comp, COBRA and other confidential letters.
• Monitors and tracks some contracts and Purchase Orders for the department.
• Maintains and updates Human Resources Information System (HRIS) and employee personnel files. Enters all changes (Notification of Personnel Action) in the HRIS database, electronic personnel files, and scans copies in the employee’s paper personnel file.
• Assists in developing and preparing Human Resources reports from the HRIS system for use by HR and supervisory staff.
• Schedules quarterly Pension Committee meetings, prepares and provides meeting minutes, and prepares committee member appointment board reports to ensure compliance with required pension law.
• Serves as liaison between Human Resources and the pension plan attorney.
• Assists the Human Resources Director with special projects including scheduling and taking meeting minutes for quarterly safety meetings, disciplinary action hearings, and union negotiations.
• Serves as a member of the union contract negotiating team.
• Assists with Step-up recruitment efforts including sending out applications, assisting with initial scoring of applications and mechanical aptitude testing, tracking time-sheets, maintaining step-up files, tracking hours, and assisting with reporting requirements.
• Assists with planning and facilitating the Agency-wide Health Fair, annual Agency-wide Employee Recognition Event, and helps plan and conduct other special events.
• Conducts ergonomic reviews for new employees when requested.
• Must abide by all Board approved policies, policies prohibiting discrimination and harassment, executive communications, administrative procedures, and safety procedures established by the PHA.
• Must travel to various PHA sites and other locations as required by the nature of the work.
• Performs other duties of a similar nature or level.

Requirements

• High School Diploma or GED.
• Combination of 1 year of relevant experience in jobs at the A Band or higher level such as work experience in human resources, housing accounting, general office, or related experience; and/or relevant education.
• Demonstrated experience working with ethnically, culturally and economically diverse populations.
• Valid Driver’s License and vehicle preferred.

Qualifications

Knowledge

• Customer service techniques and telephone etiquette.
• Basic record keeping practices.
• English grammar and punctuation.
• Basic Human Resource principles.
• Basic accounting principles.
• Familiarity with payroll systems and benefits administration concepts.

Skills

• Proficient in using a computer and related software applications including Zoom, Adobe Sign, Adobe Acrobat, Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
• Proficient in using online payroll software, preferably Paylocity.
• Preparing clear and concise written correspondence.
• Tracking and monitoring expenditures.
• Filing correctly.
• Using office equipment such as fax machine, telephones, printer, scanner, and copier.
• Maintaining files and records.
• Performing basic mathematical calculations.
• Providing customer service to internal and external clients.
• Interpersonal communication skills required to interact appropriately with employees and the general public to exchange or convey information and to receive work direction.

Benefits

The PHA offers a generous employee benefits package. The standard package includes:

• Paid vacation and sick leave.
• Eleven paid designated holidays and two paid floating holidays.
• Health and dental insurance coverage.
• An employer pension contribution equal to 7% of employee's salary (employee contributes 5%).
• Additional benefits vary by contract or Supervisory and Confidential (S&C) policies.

Physical Requirements

Light Work (Exerting up to 20 pounds of force occasionally, or up to 10 pounds of force frequently, or a negligible amount of force constantly to move objects). Even though the weight lifted may be only a negligible amount, a job should be rated light work when it requires:

• Walking or standing to a significant degree; or
• Sitting most of the time but entails pushing or pulling of arm or leg controls; or
• Working at a production rate pace entailing the constant pushing or pulling of materials even though the weight of those materials is negligible.