Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Human Resources Representative

🎯 Role Definition

A Human Resources Representative (HR Representative) is an operational HR professional who supports the employee lifecycle across recruiting, onboarding, benefits administration, employee relations, and HR operations. This role partners with hiring managers and HR leadership to deliver day-to-day HR services, maintain HRIS data integrity, ensure compliance with federal and state employment laws, and drive exceptional candidate and employee experiences. Ideal candidates demonstrate strong communication, confidentiality, attention to detail, and practical knowledge of applicant tracking systems (ATS), HRIS platforms, and benefits administration.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

HR Assistant or HR Coordinator
Recruiting Coordinator or Talent Acquisition Assistant
Administrative Assistant with HR exposure

Advancement To:

HR Generalist
HR Business Partner
Talent Acquisition Specialist
HR Manager

Lateral Moves:

Payroll Specialist
Benefits Administrator
Training & Development Coordinator
Employee Relations Specialist

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

Manage full-cycle recruitment activities for assigned roles, including writing and posting job descriptions, sourcing candidates through ATS and social channels, screening resumes, scheduling interviews, conducting initial phone screens, coordinating interview feedback, and generating competitive offer letters in partnership with hiring managers.
Serve as the primary point of contact for new hire onboarding logistics: prepare offer packets and onboarding paperwork, coordinate background and pre-employment screenings, initiate I-9 and E-Verify processes, enroll new employees in HRIS, and run orientation sessions to ensure a smooth first-day experience.
Administer employee benefits programs by enrolling and terminating benefits in the benefits administration platform, answering employee questions about medical, dental, vision, FSA/HSA, life insurance, and disability plans, and coordinating open enrollment communications and vendor relationships.
Maintain accurate, auditable employee records in the HRIS and applicant tracking system, ensuring timely updates for hires, terminations, promotions, transfers, leaves of absence, salary changes, and personnel file documentation to meet internal policies and external regulatory requirements.
Support payroll administration by coordinating with payroll teams to validate time and earnings data, process payroll changes (new hires, terminations, pay adjustments), manage deductions and tax documentation, and troubleshoot payroll-related employee inquiries.
Manage leaves of absence administration, including FMLA, short- and long-term disability coordination, reasonable accommodation requests, and interactive processes while ensuring compliance with federal, state, and local leave laws and company policies.
Conduct employee relations intake and case management: receive and triage complaints, facilitate informal conflict resolution, escalate investigations to HR Business Partners as appropriate, document outcomes, and follow up to ensure corrective action and remediation are effective.
Prepare, review, and update job descriptions and job classification data in collaboration with hiring managers and compensation teams to ensure accurate pay grade placements and compliance with organizational structure.
Execute routine HR reporting and analytics, including headcount tracking, time-to-fill, turnover, diversity metrics, and benefits utilization; prepare dashboards and ad-hoc reports for HR leadership and business stakeholders to inform decision-making.
Collaborate with managers to administer performance management programs: set up performance review cycles in the HRIS, distribute review forms, monitor completion rates, provide guidance on objective-setting, and support calibration and promotion processes.
Process employee separations and offboarding tasks: conduct exit interviews, retrieve company property, disable system access in partnership with IT, process final pay and benefits terminations, and document reasons for separation for trend analysis.
Coordinate and support compensation administration activities by preparing pay change documentation, assisting with salary surveys and market data requests, and ensuring compliance with internal salary change workflows and approvals.
Assist HR leadership with policy interpretation and rollout by drafting communications, training managers on policy changes, tracking acknowledgements, and maintaining the employee handbook and intranet HR resources.
Oversee background check and employment verification workflows through third-party vendors, ensure turnaround times meet hiring timelines, and remediate issues or discrepancies with candidates and hiring managers.
Facilitate workplace safety, workers’ compensation, and return-to-work processes by coordinating incident reporting, liaising with insurance vendors and third-party administrators, and ensuring timely documentation and follow-through.
Support diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives by participating in inclusive hiring practices, tracking diversity metrics, promoting equitable candidate slates, and assisting with employee resource group coordination.
Manage HR projects and continuous improvement efforts such as HRIS upgrades, process documentation, automation of routine HR tasks, and participation in cross-functional project teams to increase HR efficiency and employee satisfaction.
Provide day-to-day support to managers and employees on HR policies, compensation, benefits, and HR systems via email, phone, and in-person consultations; escalate complex issues to HR management or legal as needed.
Ensure compliance with local, state, and federal employment laws (e.g., FLSA, FMLA, ADA) by performing audits, supporting internal and external audits, maintaining mandatory posters and notices, and implementing recommended corrective actions.
Coordinate and execute voluntary programs and employee engagement activities — such as recognition programs, wellness events, and internal communications — to drive employee retention and positive culture.
Maintain high standards of confidentiality and data privacy when handling sensitive HR information, including personal employee data, disciplinary records, and compensation details, in alignment with GDPR, CCPA, or internal privacy policies where applicable.
Provide training and guidance to hiring managers and new HR staff on HR processes, systems, and best practices, acting as a subject matter expert for assigned HR operational areas.
Manage vendor relationships with HR service providers (benefits brokers, background check vendors, HRIS support) to ensure service level agreements are met and vendors deliver accurate, timely results.
Track and respond to routine employment verification and third-party reference requests in compliance with company policy and applicable laws.

Secondary Functions

Support HR process documentation and continual process improvement initiatives to reduce cycle time for hires, onboarding, and benefits processing.
Assist with HR system (HRIS/ATS) configuration testing, user acceptance testing, and rollout activities during software upgrades or new module implementations.
Contribute to HR communication campaigns by drafting FAQ materials, email campaigns, intranet pages, and manager toolkits to increase awareness and compliance with HR programs.
Help compile data for compensation planning and budgeting exercises, including headcount planning, salary increase cycles, and forecasting HR-related costs.
Participate in cross-functional meetings with finance, legal, IT, and operations to align HR operational needs with business priorities and technical capabilities.
Respond to and fulfill ad-hoc HR data requests for internal stakeholders, ensuring data accuracy and security when generating employee lists, headcount reports, and other HR metrics.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) — experience with platforms like Workday Recruiting, Greenhouse, iCIMS, Lever, or Taleo for sourcing, pipeline management, and interview coordination.
HRIS administration and data maintenance — practical experience with Workday, ADP Workforce Now, UKG (Kronos/Ultimate), BambooHR or Paycom for employee recordkeeping and reporting.
Benefits administration platforms — experience using platforms such as Benefitfocus, bswift, ADP Benefits, or Ease for enrollments and eligibility management.
Payroll fundamentals and coordination — familiarity with payroll processes, payroll systems integration, deductions, and payroll reporting.
Compliance and employment law knowledge — practical working knowledge of FMLA, ADA, FLSA, EEO, state leave laws, and I-9 verification best practices.
HR reporting and analytics — competency building reports and dashboards using Excel (pivot tables, VLOOKUP), Google Sheets, or BI tools to track turnover, time-to-fill, and headcount.
Background check and screening platforms — experience managing third-party vendor platforms such as Sterling, HireRight, or Checkr.
Performance management systems — hands-on experience with systems like Lattice, Workday Performance, or SuccessFactors for review cycle administration.
Document management and e-signature tools — working knowledge of DocuSign, Adobe Sign, or similar platforms for offer letters and agreements.
Confidential data handling and recordkeeping — demonstrated ability to manage sensitive personnel information with discretion and in compliance with privacy regulations.

Soft Skills

Clear, professional verbal and written communication tailored to managers, candidates, and employees.
Strong customer-service orientation — responsive, empathetic, and solutions-focused when supporting employee inquiries.
High degree of confidentiality and ethical judgment when handling sensitive HR and payroll information.
Excellent organizational skills with an ability to prioritize competing deadlines and manage multiple open requisitions and HR cases.
Problem-solving mindset — ability to investigate issues, propose pragmatic solutions, and follow through to resolution.
Conflict resolution and mediation skills — comfortable facilitating difficult conversations and de-escalating sensitive employee relations matters.
Attention to detail — meticulous in documentation, compliance tasks, benefits enrollments, and HRIS data integrity.
Adaptability and resilience — able to function in a dynamic environment and handle shifting priorities during peak hiring or open enrollment periods.
Collaboration and teamwork — experience working cross-functionally with finance, legal, IT, and operations to implement HR programs.
Coaching and influencing — tactful persuasion skills to help managers adopt HR best practices and follow HR processes.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

Associate degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or related field; or equivalent combination of education and relevant HR experience.

Preferred Education:

Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, Industrial-Organizational Psychology, or Communications.

Relevant Fields of Study:

Human Resources Management
Business Administration
Psychology
Organizational Development
Communications

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range: 1–4 years of progressive HR experience in recruitment, benefits administration, HRIS maintenance, or employee relations.

Preferred: 3+ years of hands-on HR experience, demonstrated success with full-cycle recruiting, HRIS administration, benefits coordination, and exposure to compliance and employee relations matters. Certifications such as SHRM-CP, PHR, or HRCI credentials are a plus.