Human Resources Associate-General - City of Philadelphia

A best-in-class city that attracts best-in-class talent, Philadelphia is an incredible place to build a career. From our thriving arts scene and rich history to our culture of passion and grit, there are countless reasons to love living and working here. With a workforce of over 30,000 people, and more than 1,000 different job categories, the City of Philadelphia offers boundless opportunities to make an impact.

As an employer, the City of Philadelphia values inclusion, integrity, innovation, empowerment, and hard work above all else. We offer a vibrant work environment, comprehensive health care and benefits, and the experience you need to grow and excel. If you’re interested in working with a passionate team of people who care about the future of Philadelphia, start here.

What we offer

• Impact - The work you do here matters to millions. 
• Growth - Philadelphia is growing, why not grow with it? 
• Diversity & Inclusion - Find a career in a place where everyone belongs.
• Benefits - We care about your well-being.

Agency Description

The Managing Director’s Office (MDO) manages and oversees the operations of the City. Working with five Cabinet-level Deputies, operational oversight is divided into specific departmental clusters: Health and Human Services, Community and Culture, Community Services, Public Safety and Criminal Justice, and Transportation and Infrastructure.

The Administrative Services Unit (ASU) is the principal administrative and financial unit of the MDO.  The ASU provides functional service and support to MDO employees and leaders to navigate City processes required to deliver services to the public. 

The Human Resources Associate serves in an administrative role within the ASU, provides functional support to employees within the MDO clusters and other assigned departments. This is a results-oriented position focused on a variety of HR tasks that enhance and improve the MDO’s operations.  

Essential Functions

• Assists Human Resources Director on a variety of special projects and audits.
• Independently manages projects and human resources matters as assigned.
• Performs other duties as required.
• Additional responsibilities may vary and may concentrate in one or more of the following areas:
  • Onboarding/Offboarding
    • Assists with on-boarding including background investigations, conditional offers, new hire paperwork, new hire orientation, and Municipal IDs.
    • Assists with off-boarding employees including separation paperwork and Service History Records for employees resigning or retiring.
    • Answers frequently asked questions from applicants and employees relative to standard policies, benefits, hiring processes, etc.
    • Enters Oracle transactions related to hiring, terminations, leaves of absence, promotions.
    • Creates and maintains personnel files.
    • Maintains various spreadsheets and databases such as a Human Resources Tracker
    • Handles routine HR functions; responds to emails from employees with questions or concerns and supports follow up emails.
  • HR investigations
    • Investigates HR-related concerns, including those of discrimination, harassment, and retaliation, in partnership with internal stakeholders.
  • Leaves of Absence/FMLA
    • Manges departmental Leaves of Absence. Processes and administer all leave-of-absence requests. Reviews and processes submitted documentation for leave-of-absence requests in a timely manner.
    • Manages departmental FMLA, which includes determining eligibility and audits.
  • Benefits administration
    • Directs and plans day-to-day operations of CAP benefits in a timely, accurate, and customer-oriented manner.
    • Serves as subject matter expert and provides guidance to employees, as required and monitors procedures to accommodate benefits policy changes.
    • Monitors employee status changes and maintains the accuracy of all benefits enrollments and changes in Oracle.
    • Serves as a liaison between employees and the department regarding any benefits claim issues and plan changes. Reviews benefit plan rules, premium updates, plan changes, work processes, calculation changes, and so forth for all employees.
    • Reviews and processes benefit elections in the City’s system. Distributes required notifications and forms to inform employees of changes in eligibility.
    • Distributes benefits enrollment materials based on eligibility. Provides training to employees and managers regarding their access to benefits in Oracle.
    • Assists in the development and update of employee benefit communication materials, policies, procedures, and forms. Responds to inquiries regarding retirement plan enrollments, contributions and plan changes in a timely manner.
    • Oversees annual open enrollment and benefit related events and initiatives. Responsible for sending COBRA information to separated employees. Responsible for Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA) inquiries and reports.

Competencies, Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Must be proficient in Oracle (or similar) database management systems
• Must have knowledge or/ability to learn:
  • City and departmental policies, procedures, and past practices related to employee rights, benefits, privileges, and obligations
  • Federal laws and regulations, such as ADA, EEO, and FMLA
  • Employee handbook and Administration Board rules
  • COBRA
  • Pension guide
• Ability to effectively manage multiple projects, tasks, and priorities in a fast-paced environment
• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail
• Flexibility to both work independently and as part of a team
• Strong working knowledge of Microsoft Office Suite
• Strong interpersonal skills with the capacity to collaborate across diverse teams and city departments
• Strong communication and time management skills
• Proven ability to organize and coordinate a multi-task and fast paced environment
• Typing and data entry skills required

• Associate degree or bachelor’s degree in human resources or equivalent field of study required. 
• Three years of experience in human resources, or equivalent combination of training and experience preferred.
• Experience in benefits, FMLA, pension, and/or onboarding/offboarding of employees preferred.
• Experience working in a large governmental environment a plus.

Additional years of experience specific to the human resources field may be substituted for education requirement.

TO APPLY: Interested candidates must submit a cover letter and resume.

Salary Range: $76,500

Discover the Perks of Being a City of Philadelphia Employee:

• Transportation: City employees get unlimited FREE public transportation all year long through SEPTA’s Key Advantage program. Employees can ride on SEPTA buses, subways, trolleys, and regional rail for their daily commute and more.
• Parental Benefits: The City offers its employees 6 weeks of paid parental leave.
• We offer Comprehensive health coverage for employees and their eligible dependents.
• Our wellness program offers eligibility into the discounted medical plan
• Employees receive paid vacation, sick leave, and holidays
• Generous retirement savings options are available
• Pay off your student loans faster - As a qualifying employer, City of Philadelphia employees are eligible to participate in the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program. Join the ranks of hundreds of employees who have already benefited from this program and achieved student loan forgiveness.
• Unlock Tuition Discounts and Scholarships - The City of Philadelphia has forged partnerships with over a dozen esteemed colleges and universities in the area, ensuring that our employees have access to a wide range of tuition discounts and scholarships. Experience savings of 10% to 40% on your educational expenses, extending not only to City employees but in some cases, spouse and dependents too!

Join the City of Philadelphia team today and seize these incredible benefits designed to enhance your financial well-being and personal growth!

*The successful candidate must be a city of Philadelphia resident within six months of hire

Effective May 22, 2023, vaccinations are no longer required for new employees that work in non-medical, non-emergency or patient facing positions with the City of Philadelphia. As a result, only employees in positions providing services that  are patient-facing medical care (ex: Nurses, doctors, emergency medical personnel), must be fully vaccinated.

The City of Philadelphia is an Equal Opportunity employer and does not permit discrimination based on race, ethnicity, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, national origin, ancestry, age, disability, marital status, source of income, familial status, genetic information or domestic or sexual violence victim status. If you believe you were discriminated against, call the Philadelphia Commission on Human Relations at 215-686-4670 or send an email to faqpchr@phila.gov.

For more information, go to: Human Relations Website: http://www.phila.gov/humanrelations/Pages/default.aspx