Human Resources Specialist (pos#0097548)

Title: Human Resources Specialist

Position Number:

Hiring Unit: Administrative Affairs/Human Resources

Location: UH Hilo

Date Posted: December 2 2025

Closing Date: January 4 2026

Band: A or B

Salary: salary schedules and placement information

Full Time/Part Time: Full-time

Month: 11-month

Temporary/Permanent: Permanent

Position Overview:

The University of Hawaii at Hilo (UH Hilo) is a public liberal arts and sciences university on the Island of Hawaii known for its unique blend of cultural immersion and research opportunities leveraging the islands extraordinary geological biological and cultural diversity. It is a comprehensive regional university within the ten-campus University of Hawaii System focusing primarily on high-quality baccalaureate and select postgraduate education including distinctive programs in areas like marine science geology astronomy and Hawaiian language revitalization.

The UH Hilo Division of Administrative Affairs serves as the central administrative and operational backbone of the campus providing executive leadership and non-academic affairs program management. This division is responsible for critical functions including budget formulation fiscal management human resources facilities planning and construction physical plant operations information technology campus security and environmental safety and health.

The UH Hilo Human Resources Office plays an integral role in fulfilling the mission of the University of Hawaii (UH) through productive collaborations with stakeholders in our campus community and the University of Hawaii System Office of Human Resources to recruit develop and retain a highly skilled diverse and sustainable workforce in alignment with overall strategic priorities to ensure student success for the campus and UH System.

This Human Resources Specialist position complements a team of human resources professionals with shared responsibilities in all functional areas of human resources including but not limited to position classification recruitment pay and benefits administration personnel and organizational development employee engagement and employee and labor relations. The incumbent will be primarily responsible for position management including all related classification and compensation actions coordination of the full recruitment cycle and supporting organizational development goals.

Other Conditions: Appointment to begin approximately February 2026 pending position clearance and availability of funding. This is a multi-level recruitment - preference is to hire at the Pay Band B level. If there are no qualified applicants at the Band B level Band A applications may be considered.

Duties and Responsibilities (**Denotes Essential Functions)

1. **Provides excellent customer service in the administration of all assigned human resources (HR) functions as a key team member of the Human Resources Office for the UH Hilo campus and its satellite locations.
   
2. **Independently performs complex assignments encompassing a wide range of professional HR management responsibilities to ensure compliance consistency and best practices while reinforcing a positive and productive employee relations environment.
   
3. **Keeps abreast of State and Federal regulations UH policies and administrative procedures and collective bargaining agreements. Assists HR Director with research interpretation and ensuring consistent implementation.
   
4. **Participates in training and professional development to maintain currency in regulatory requirements emerging trends best practices and professional standards related to HR management in higher education.
   
5. **Serves as point-of-contact for assigned areas of responsibility. Provides guidance resources and training for HR-related matters to supervisors and employees.
   
6. **Maintains and audits official position and personnel files and all related employment records in compliance with State and Federal regulations UH policies and administrative procedures collective bargaining agreements and the State of Hawaii General Records Schedule for the retention and disposition of personnel records.
   
7. **Independently reviews researches and manages position and personnel action requests involving multiple employee categories classifications intramural and extramural funding sources and appointment types including drafting and preparing position descriptions to ensure alignment with the proper job functions classifications and organizational and operational goals the assignment of appropriate compensation and the coordination of other related actions affecting the employment cycle.
   
8. **Responsible for all aspects of position management including monitoring position vacancies researching and compiling data for vacancy and other statistical reports coordinating with UH Hilo leadership to develop maintain and update organizational charts and functional statements and assessing recruitment needs to ensure positions are filled in alignment with organizational development and strategic priorities.
   
9. **Coordinates the full cycle search and hiring process including the preparation and posting of position advertisements screening of application materials and organization and evaluation of selection salary placement and hiring actions.
   
10. **Advises the search committees and hiring departments and coordinates with the Office of Equal Opportunity to ensure compliance and consistency with established recruitment selection and hiring procedures standards and requirements.
    
11. **Operates a computerized human resources management system (e.g. PeopleSoft) and other personnel payroll and financial database systems to monitor facilitate and execute various position and personnel transactions in accordance with State and Federal regulations UH policies and administrative procedures and collective bargaining agreements.
    
12. **Researches responds to and proactively resolves employee inquiries and concerns regarding benefits compensation terms of employment and other employment matters. Advises HR Director or designee of difficult and unusual issues and provides recommendations.
    
13. **Researches and responds to requests for regular and special employment-related reports and surveys. May be assigned to assist with conducting salary surveys equity reviews and other special projects including compiling and analyzing internal pay and classification data and recommending and/or implementing appropriate actions.
    
14. Assists HR Director with assessing employee and labor relations issues and problem-solving to encourage resolutions at the lowest possible level. May be assigned to conduct or assist with fact-finding investigations.
    
15. Assists HR Director in monitoring and ensuring campus-wide compliance with regulatory training requirements (e.g. Conflict of Interest State Ethics Title IX etc.). Advises supervisors and employees on requirements for timely follow-up and completion.
    
16. Other duties as assigned.
    

Minimum Qualifications

1. Band A: Possession of a baccalaureate degree in any field and one (1) year of progressively responsible professional experience with responsibilities in one or more functional areas of human resources such as position classification; pay administration; recruitment and examination; personnel and organizational development; employee and labor relations; or any equivalent combination of education and/or professional work experience which provides the required education knowledge skills and abilities as indicated.
2. Band B: Possession of a baccalaureate degree in any field and three (3) years of progressively responsible professional experience with responsibilities in one or more functional areas of human resources such as position classification; pay administration; recruitment and examination; personnel and organizational development; employee and labor relations; or equivalent education/training or experience.
3. Considerable working knowledge of principles practices and techniques in human resources administration as demonstrated by the broad knowledge of the full range of pertinent standard and evolving concepts principles and methodology.
4. Considerable working knowledge and understanding of applicable federal and state laws rules regulations theories and systems associated with human resources administration.
   
5. Demonstrated ability to resolve wide ranging complex problems through the use of creative reasoning and logic to accurately identify possible causes and resolve the full range problems in an effective innovative and timely manner.
   
6. Demonstrated ability to interpret and present information and ideas clearly and accurately in writing verbally and by preparation of reports and other materials.
   
7. Demonstrated ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with internal and external organizations groups team members and individuals.
   
8. Demonstrated ability to competently operate a personal computer apply word processing software (e.g. Microsoft Word Google Docs) and other related software (e.g. Microsoft Office Google Workspace Adobe Acrobat) to effectively perform work.
   
9. If applicable for supervisory work demonstrated ability to lead subordinates manage work priorities and projects and manage employee relations.
   
10. Strong organizational skills while managing and prioritizing multiple projects.
    
11. Excellent communication and interpersonal skills; accountability to high standards of professional excellence.
    
12. Demonstrated ability to exercise tact diplomacy maintain confidentiality and apply sound judgment and discretion in a variety of situations
    
13. Demonstrated ability to embrace learn and apply new and existing technology to maximize effectiveness and efficiency.
    
14. Any equivalent combination of education and/or professional work experience which provides the required education knowledge skills and abilities as indicated.

Desirable Qualifications

1. Professional work experience in position management including classification recruitment and pay administration.

2. Professional work experience performing HR responsibilities in a public employer jurisdiction within the State of Hawaii and/or post-secondary education setting.

3. Working knowledge of collective bargaining agreements governing public employment in the State of Hawaii (e.g. HGEA UHPA UPW).

4. Working knowledge of UH policies procedures and organizational structure.

5. Working knowledge of UH personnel payroll and financial database systems such as PeopleSoft NeoGov Timesheet and Payment System (TAPS) Kuali Build (KB) Kuali FinancialSystem (KFS) etc.

6. Detail oriented and able to prioritize multiple duties with demanding deadlines.

To Apply: Click on the Apply button on the top right corner of the screen to complete an application

and attach each required document. A complete application must include:

1. Cover letter explaining how each minimum and desirable qualification is met.
2. Resume
3. Names and addresses email addresses and telephone numbers of three 3 current
   professional references
4. Transcript(s) showing degrees and course work appropriate to the position (copies areacceptable; however original official transcripts will be required prior to employment).

and birth date on transcript copies. All requested documents/information become the property of

All requested documents/information become the property of the University. All minimum qualifications must be met

by the closing date. Incomplete applications will not be considered. Failure to submit all required documents and

reference information shall deem an application to be incomplete.

Note: If you have not applied for a position before using NeoGov you will need to create an account.

Inquiries: Lorena Kauhi

The University of Hawaii is an Equal Opportunity Institution and is committed to a policy of nondiscrimination in employment including on the basis of veteran and disability status. For more information visit: is contingent on satisfying employment eligibility verification requirements of the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986; reference checks of previous employers; and for certain positions criminal history record checks.

In accordance with the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act annual campus crime statistics for the University of Hawaii may be viewed at: or a paper copy may be obtained upon request from the respective UH Campus Security or Administrative Services Office.

In accordance with Article 10 of the unit 08 collective bargaining agreement bargaining unit members receive priority consideration for APT job vacancies. As a result external or non BU 08 applicants may not be considered for some APT vacancies. BU 08 members with re-employment rights or priority status are responsible for informing the hiring unit of their status.

Accommodation Request: The University of Hawaii complies with the provisions of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Applicants requiring a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process should contact the EEO coordinator directly. Determination on requests for reasonable accommodation will be made on a case-by-case basis. For further information please refer to the following link: