Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for HR Officer

🎯 Role Definition

The HR Officer is a hands-on human resources professional responsible for delivering day-to-day HR services across the employee lifecycle. This role manages recruitment and onboarding, supports payroll and benefits administration, administers HR policies and compliance, partners with managers on performance and employee relations, and maintains HRIS data and reporting. The HR Officer acts as a trusted HR generalist and first point of contact for employees and line managers, ensuring consistency, confidentiality, compliance with labor laws, and a positive employee experience.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

HR Assistant / HR Administrator
Recruitment Coordinator / Talent Acquisition Assistant
Office Administrator with HR responsibilities

Advancement To:

Senior HR Officer
HR Business Partner
HR Manager / People & Culture Manager

Lateral Moves:

Talent Acquisition Specialist
Learning & Development Coordinator
Compensation & Benefits Analyst

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

Lead full-cycle recruitment efforts for assigned roles: write and post job advertisements, screen CVs, conduct initial phone screens, coordinate interview schedules, manage candidate communications, and support hiring managers through offer and onboarding stages.
Manage end-to-end onboarding and offboarding processes, including new-hire paperwork, induction schedules, equipment provisioning coordination, background checks, exit interviews, and return-of-property procedures to ensure a smooth employee lifecycle.
Administer payroll data inputs and liaise with payroll vendors or internal payroll teams to ensure accurate and timely salary payments, deductions, tax documentation, and payroll reconciliations.
Maintain and update the HRIS (Human Resources Information System) and applicant tracking system (ATS): enter new hires, update personal and employment details, manage access rights, run standard reports, and ensure data integrity and confidentiality.
Provide day-to-day employee relations support: investigate grievances, record formal complaints, escalate issues to HR leadership when required, and recommend appropriate corrective action in line with company policies and employment law.
Ensure HR policies, employee handbooks, and standard operating procedures are current, compliant with local legislation, and effectively communicated to all employees; draft and roll out updates in collaboration with Legal/People Leads.
Support performance management processes by coordinating performance review cycles, collecting and distributing appraisal documentation, tracking SMART objectives, and supporting managers on goal-setting and feedback best practices.
Coordinate benefits administration and enrollment activities for medical, dental, pension, and supplemental benefits, liaise with benefits providers, manage eligibility changes, and address employee benefit inquiries.
Prepare and deliver HR-related documentation and correspondence such as employment contracts, change-of-employment letters, promotion confirmations, and disciplinary letters, ensuring legal compliance and proper sign-off.
Conduct new-hire orientation sessions and deliver training on HR policies, workplace conduct, health & safety, and company culture; coordinate with L&D to schedule role-specific training.
Maintain up-to-date knowledge of employment laws, regulations, and emerging HR best practices and advise management on compliance implications and required policy changes.
Support compensation activities: collect market benchmarking data, prepare pay-change documentation, process salary adjustments, and assist with annual salary review logistics under guidance from Compensation leads.
Track and report HR metrics and KPIs (time-to-fill, turnover rate, headcount, absence, performance distribution) to People Leaders and senior management; prepare dashboards and narrative insights to inform decisions.
Manage background checks, right-to-work validations, visa and immigration documentation support, and contractor classifications in coordination with Legal/Immigration partners.
Coordinate workplace health, safety and return-to-work processes, including incident reporting, accommodations, and liaison with occupational health providers.
Participate in workforce planning initiatives by maintaining headcount trackers, forecasting hiring needs, and advising on internal mobility and succession planning opportunities.
Design and implement targeted employee engagement initiatives and pulse surveys; analyze results and recommend action plans to improve morale and retention.
Support diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE&I) activities: help run inclusive recruitment campaigns, maintain demographic reporting, and support ERG or inclusion programs.
Manage vendor relationships for outsourced HR services (recruitment agencies, background check providers, benefits brokers) and negotiate service-level agreements and fee structures.
Ensure accurate documentation and filing for statutory reporting requirements, audits, and internal compliance reviews; prepare documentation for external audits when needed.
Provide confidential HR advice and coaching to managers and employees on performance improvement, disciplinary processes, conflict resolution, and career development pathways.
Drive process improvements and standardization across HR operational workflows by identifying inefficiencies, drafting proposals, and implementing automation opportunities where appropriate.
Support ad-hoc HR projects such as policy rollouts, HR system upgrades, reorgs, and compensation reviews; act as the operational lead to coordinate stakeholders and timelines.

Secondary Functions

Partner with People Analytics or HR Business Partners to provide data for workforce analytics projects, ad-hoc reporting, and trend analysis to inform strategic HR decisions.
Contribute to employer branding and candidate experience improvements by refining job descriptions, interview guides, and career site content.
Assist in planning and coordinating company events, recognition programs, and internal communications that promote culture and employee engagement.
Act as a backup for HR Manager duties during absences, including decision-making on routine HR actions and approvals within delegated authority.
Support cross-functional initiatives such as change management programs, office relocation logistics, and internal mobility drives to ensure smooth execution.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

HRIS and ATS proficiency (e.g., Workday, BambooHR, SAP SuccessFactors, Greenhouse, Lever) — data entry, reporting, and workflow configuration.
Recruitment and sourcing techniques including CV screening, competency-based interviewing, candidate assessment, and offer negotiation.
Payroll fundamentals and experience supporting payroll runs and reconciliations; familiarity with payroll systems (e.g., ADP, Paylocity) is a plus.
Employment law and compliance knowledge relevant to jurisdiction(s) of hire (e.g., FLSA, GDPR, local labor codes).
Benefits administration and vendor coordination for medical, pension, leave, and employee assistance programs.
Performance management tools and processes: appraisal cycles, calibration, objective setting, and improvement plans.
Microsoft Office advanced user: Excel for HR reporting (pivot tables, VLOOKUP/XLOOKUP), PowerPoint for stakeholder presentations, Outlook for calendar and communication management.
HR reporting and analytics: ability to produce headcount, turnover, time-to-fill, absence, and diversity metrics with narrative insights.
Documentation and record-keeping best practices: drafting employment contracts, disciplinary documentation, and HR letters.
Familiarity with background checks, right-to-work verification, immigration support coordination, and contractor compliance.

Soft Skills

Strong written and verbal communication — clear, confidential, and professional communication with employees and leaders at all levels.
High degree of integrity and discretion — able to handle sensitive employee information and confidential matters.
Relationship-building and stakeholder management — influence and partner effectively with hiring managers, vendors, and cross-functional teams.
Problem-solving and sound judgment — assess complex people issues and recommend pragmatic, compliant solutions.
Time management and prioritization — manage multiple open requisitions and HR cases with competing deadlines.
Empathy and active listening — support employees through HR processes with sensitivity and fairness.
Attention to detail — ensure accuracy in contracts, payroll inputs, and HR data.
Adaptability and resilience — work effectively in a fast-paced environment with evolving priorities.
Coaching and conflict resolution — guide managers on performance improvement and mediate employee concerns diplomatically.
Project coordination — run HR projects and process improvements from planning to execution.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, Psychology, Industrial Relations, or related field.

Preferred Education:

Professional HR certification (e.g., SHRM-CP, SHRM-SCP, CIPD, HRCI) or advanced degree in Human Resources / Organizational Psychology.

Relevant Fields of Study:

Human Resources Management
Business Administration / Management
Industrial / Organizational Psychology
Labor Relations / Employment Law

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range:

2 to 5 years of progressive HR experience in an HR generalist or HR operations role.

Preferred:

3+ years in HR with proven experience in recruitment, employee relations, HRIS administration, and benefits coordination; experience in a fast-growth or multinational environment is a plus.