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Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for an HR Technician

💰 $45,000 - $65,000

Human ResourcesAdministrationHR Operations

🎯 Role Definition

The HR Technician is a critical operational role within the Human Resources department, focused on the technical and administrative foundations of HR service delivery. This position manages the entire employee data lifecycle, from onboarding to offboarding, ensuring accuracy and compliance within the Human Resources Information System (HRIS). As a primary point of contact for employees, the HR Technician provides essential support and guidance on policies, benefits, and payroll. This role is instrumental in maintaining efficient, compliant, and employee-centric HR operations, enabling the broader HR team to focus on strategic initiatives.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

  • HR Assistant
  • Administrative Coordinator
  • Data Entry Clerk or Payroll Clerk

Advancement To:

  • HR Generalist
  • Benefits Specialist or Analyst
  • Payroll Specialist or Analyst
  • HRIS Analyst

Lateral Moves:

  • Talent Acquisition Coordinator
  • Compensation Assistant

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

  • Manage the end-to-end employee lifecycle data within the Human Resources Information System (HRIS), ensuring meticulous accuracy for new hires, promotions, transfers, and terminations.
  • Serve as a primary point of contact for employee inquiries regarding HR policies, procedures, benefits, and payroll, providing timely and accurate information with a high level of customer service.
  • Process and audit bi-weekly or semi-monthly payroll data, including timesheets, new hire information, status changes, and deductions, to ensure precise and timely payment for all employees.
  • Administer employee benefits programs, including open enrollment, qualifying life events, changes, and terminations, and act as a liaison between employees and benefit providers to resolve issues.
  • Conduct new hire orientation sessions, ensuring all required paperwork, such as I-9 forms and tax documents, is completed accurately and submitted in compliance with federal and state regulations.
  • Maintain the integrity and confidentiality of all human resource files and records, performing regular audits to ensure compliance with company policies and legal requirements.
  • Generate standard and custom reports from the HRIS on key metrics such as headcount, turnover, diversity, and other EEO-related data for management and compliance purposes.
  • Support the recruitment and talent acquisition process by posting job openings, scheduling interviews, and managing candidate data within the Applicant Tracking System (ATS).
  • Administer various types of employee leave, including FMLA, short-term disability, and personal leave, by tracking eligibility, managing required documentation, and communicating with employees and managers.
  • Process and respond to all verification of employment requests, unemployment claims, and other external inquiries in a timely and compliant manner.
  • Assist in the annual performance review and compensation cycle by preparing materials, tracking completion rates, and ensuring all changes are entered accurately into the HRIS.
  • Coordinate the offboarding process for departing employees, including preparing separation paperwork, conducting exit interviews, processing final paychecks, and managing the return of company property.
  • Ensure compliance with federal, state, and local employment laws and regulations by staying current on legal requirements and maintaining accurate records for reporting.
  • Manage the pre-employment screening process, including background checks and drug screens, ensuring all procedures are followed and results are documented correctly.
  • Support HR Business Partners and leadership with various HR-related projects, initiatives, and administrative tasks as needed to drive departmental goals.
  • Maintain and update company organizational charts and employee directories to reflect current staffing structures and reporting lines accurately.
  • Assist in the administration of workers' compensation claims by filing initial reports, maintaining comprehensive case files, and communicating with insurance carriers and medical providers.
  • Reconcile and process monthly invoices for benefits providers, HR software subscriptions, and other third-party HR services.
  • Participate in the continuous improvement of HR processes and systems by identifying inefficiencies and recommending potential solutions or technology-based enhancements.
  • Provide administrative support for employee relations matters, including scheduling meetings and preparing documentation, while maintaining strict confidentiality.

Secondary Functions

  • Assist in the coordination and logistics of employee engagement events, training sessions, and company-wide meetings.
  • Support ad-hoc data requests and exploratory data analysis to provide insights for HR and business leaders.
  • Contribute to updating and maintaining the HR section of the company intranet to ensure information is current and easily accessible to employees.
  • Participate in sprint planning and agile ceremonies if the HR team operates within an agile framework.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

  • High proficiency in HRIS platforms (e.g., Workday, ADP Workforce Now, PeopleSoft, SAP SuccessFactors).
  • Advanced skills in Microsoft Office Suite, particularly Excel (VLOOKUPs, pivot tables, data manipulation).
  • Experience with payroll processing systems and a strong understanding of fundamental payroll principles.
  • Foundational knowledge of federal, state, and local employment laws and regulations (FMLA, EEO, ADA, FLSA).
  • Experience utilizing Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) for recruitment and onboarding support.
  • Meticulous data entry skills with a demonstrable high degree of accuracy and speed.
  • Ability to generate, format, and analyze standard and ad-hoc HR reports and metrics.

Soft Skills

  • Exceptional attention to detail and superior organizational skills.
  • Utmost discretion and a proven ability to handle sensitive and confidential information with integrity.
  • Strong written and verbal communication skills for clear and professional interaction with all levels of the organization.
  • A customer-service-oriented mindset with excellent interpersonal and relationship-building skills.
  • Effective problem-solving and analytical abilities to identify and resolve issues independently.
  • Superior time management and the ability to prioritize multiple competing tasks in a fast-paced environment.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

  • High School Diploma or GED combined with 2-3 years of direct HR or administrative experience.
  • Associate's Degree in a relevant field.

Preferred Education:

  • Bachelor's Degree.

Relevant Fields of Study:

  • Human Resources Management
  • Business Administration
  • Psychology or Sociology

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range: 1-3 years of experience in a human resources, payroll, or related administrative role.

Preferred: 2+ years of experience in an HR Technician or HR Coordinator role with direct, hands-on experience using a major HRIS platform (like Workday or ADP) and processing payroll. Professional HR certification (e.g., aPHR, SHRM-CP) is a plus.

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