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Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Human Resources Administrative Assistant

💰 $38,000 - $55,000

Human ResourcesAdministrationRecruitingHR Operations

🎯 Role Definition

The Human Resources Administrative Assistant provides day-to-day administrative and operational support to the HR team to ensure efficient HR service delivery. This role manages employee records, coordinates onboarding and benefits administration, supports recruitment logistics and interview scheduling, assists with payroll and HRIS data entry, and ensures compliance with company policies and legal requirements. The ideal candidate is organized, communicative, privacy-conscious, and experienced with HR systems and standard employment practices.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

  • HR Intern or HR Assistant Internship
  • Administrative Assistant / Office Coordinator
  • Customer Service Representative with people-focused duties

Advancement To:

  • HR Coordinator / HR Generalist
  • Talent Acquisition Coordinator / Recruiter
  • Benefits Specialist or HRIS Analyst
  • HR Manager (with demonstrated HR experience and further education)

Lateral Moves:

  • Payroll Specialist
  • Benefits & Wellness Coordinator
  • Employee Relations Specialist

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

  • Maintain accurate and confidential employee personnel files (electronic and physical), ensuring documents such as offer letters, I-9s, tax forms, performance reviews, and training records are complete, indexed and stored in compliance with record retention policies and applicable laws.
  • Serve as the primary point of contact for routine employee inquiries (payroll status, benefits enrollment deadlines, PTO policies, HR policies) and escalate complex issues to HR generalists or managers as appropriate.
  • Coordinate full-cycle onboarding logistics for new hires: prepare and send offer letters and new-hire packets, schedule orientation sessions, set up workstation and IT access requests, and ensure completion of onboarding checklists and forms within required timelines.
  • Support the offboarding process by coordinating exit interviews, revoking system access, processing final pay and benefits terminations, collecting company property, and documenting reasons for separation for attrition analysis.
  • Enter and update employee data in the HRIS (e.g., Workday, ADP, BambooHR), ensuring accurate job codes, pay rates, supervisor relationships, and personal information changes; run routine HRIS audits to identify and correct discrepancies.
  • Assist with payroll processes: collect and verify timekeeping adjustments, process payroll change requests, prepare payroll submission packets for payroll team or vendor, and reconcile payroll reports to HR records.
  • Coordinate recruitment activities: post job openings on ATS and job boards, screen candidate applications for basic qualifications, schedule interviews with hiring managers and panels, and maintain candidate communication to ensure a positive candidate experience.
  • Prepare and send offer packages and onboarding communications; manage background check and drug-screening authorizations and follow-up; maintain background check compliance logs and confidentiality.
  • Manage benefits administration tasks: assist employees with benefits enrollment and changes, process qualifying life event requests, liaise with benefits vendors for billing and eligibility issues, and track open enrollment changes and communications.
  • Track and report HR metrics such as time-to-fill, headcount changes, turnover, new hire completion rates, training completion, and absence statistics; prepare weekly/monthly HR dashboards for leadership.
  • Schedule and coordinate performance review cycles: distribute review templates, track completion rates, support managers and employees with submission procedures, and compile final review documentation for personnel files.
  • Maintain HR forms, templates and standard operating procedures (SOPs); update employee handbook sections and policy documents under HR lead direction and ensure distribution to employees.
  • Administer routine compliance activities such as I-9 and E-Verify processing, benefits compliance documentation, and preparation of records for internal and external audits.
  • Coordinate employee recognition programs and internal events (orientation, benefits fairs, town halls, training sessions) including communication, logistics, vendor coordination, and post-event feedback collection.
  • Support the administration of workplace safety programs: maintain OSHA logs if applicable, track workplace injury reports, coordinate mandatory safety training and follow-ups with facilities.
  • Facilitate new-hire orientation materials and training scheduling; partner with L&D to track completion of required training modules and certifications.
  • Process HR-related expense reimbursements and purchase requests; track departmental budgets for HR programs and events.
  • Conduct routine audits of HR processes (benefits enrollment accuracy, payroll input vs HRIS data, termination checklists) and recommend process improvements to eliminate errors and reduce manual effort.
  • Manage vendor relationships for HR services (background check providers, benefits brokers, training vendors), ensuring SLAs are met and contracts are up to date.
  • Ensure strict confidentiality and discretion when handling sensitive employee information and investigations; maintain professional ethics and compliance with data protection laws (e.g., HIPAA where applicable).
  • Prepare and distribute HR communications, internal memos, policy updates, and reminders via email, intranet, and bulletin boards to ensure consistent messaging across the organization.
  • Assist in basic investigations and documentation for employee relations cases under guidance of HR manager, preparing timelines, documentation packets and communicating next steps as appropriate.

Secondary Functions

  • Support HR process improvement projects, including automation opportunities in HRIS and workflow standardization to improve efficiency and reduce manual tasks.
  • Compile ad-hoc HR reports and analyses to support leadership decisions, including trend analysis on hiring, retention, and benefits utilization.
  • Participate in HR system implementation and upgrade projects by testing workflows, validating data migrations, and creating user guides.
  • Assist with coordination of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives and tracking participation metrics for internal programs.
  • Help prepare documentation and materials for audits and compliance reviews; coordinate with external consultants and auditors during HR audits.
  • Provide cross-functional administrative support to operations, facilities and IT teams for HR-related logistics such as office moves, seating plans and equipment provisioning.
  • Maintain and continuously improve HR knowledge base articles and FAQs for employees and managers to increase self-service usage and reduce repetitive inquiries.
  • Backup receptionist and administrative duties when required, including phone support, mail distribution and visitor coordination.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

  • HRIS administration and data management (experience with Workday, ADP, BambooHR, Paycom, or equivalent).
  • Applicant Tracking System (ATS) experience (e.g., Greenhouse, iCIMS, Lever) for job postings and candidate tracking.
  • Payroll fundamentals and payroll vendor coordination, including timesheet reconciliation and payroll data submission.
  • Benefits administration knowledge (medical, dental, vision, FSA/HSA, 401(k)) and experience working with benefits brokers and vendors.
  • Employment documentation and compliance: I-9 completion, E-Verify, tax forms (W-4), record retention protocols.
  • Proficient Microsoft Office suite (Excel pivot tables, VLOOKUP, Word mail merges, Outlook calendar management).
  • Strong data entry accuracy and data reconciliation skills with attention to audit trails.
  • Document management and electronic filing systems (Google Workspace, SharePoint, Box).
  • Basic HR reporting and analytics skills: produce headcount, turnover and onboarding metrics from HR systems.
  • Experience preparing HR communications, templates, and standard operating procedures.
  • Familiarity with workplace safety and OSHA reporting is a plus.
  • Experience with background check vendors and employment verification processes.

Soft Skills

  • Excellent written and verbal communication tailored to employees and managers at all levels.
  • High degree of professionalism, discretion and commitment to confidentiality.
  • Strong organizational skills and ability to manage multiple priorities and tight deadlines.
  • Customer-service oriented with a helpful, responsive attitude toward employees and applicants.
  • Detail-oriented with strong problem-solving skills and the ability to identify and correct process issues.
  • Collaborative team player who partners effectively with HR colleagues and cross-functional teams.
  • Adaptability and flexibility in a fast-paced, evolving HR environment.
  • Time management and prioritization skills with a bias for follow-through and completion.
  • Empathetic listener and respectful approach when handling employee concerns.
  • Initiative to suggest and implement administrative efficiencies.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

  • High school diploma or GED required.

Preferred Education:

  • Associate's or Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, Psychology, Organizational Development, or related field preferred.

Relevant Fields of Study:

  • Human Resource Management
  • Business Administration
  • Psychology
  • Organizational Behavior
  • Labor Relations
  • Communications

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range:

  • 1–3 years of HR administrative experience, or 2+ years in a related administrative role with HR exposure.

Preferred:

  • 2–4 years supporting HR operations, onboarding, benefits administration, recruitment coordination, or HRIS maintenance. Prior experience with mid-size to large organizations and familiarity with federal/state employment law preferred.
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