The Human Resources Specialist serves as the primary in-house HR professional for a small nonprofit and manages day-to-day HR operations across core functions including payroll, recruitment, onboarding/offboarding, HR systems, compliance, employee relations support, workers’ compensation administration, training coordination, and benefits and leave administration. This hybrid role is based in Truckee, CA.
Role Overview
In this position, you will maintain accurate and confidential employee records, administer HR and payroll processes, support managers and employees with HR policy and routine employment questions, and oversee key HR systems including HRIS, payroll, timekeeping, applicant tracking, and learning management systems. You will also monitor applicable employment law updates and help ensure organizational compliance through documentation, reporting, and required training coordination.
Responsibilities
- Maintain accurate, complete, and confidential employee personnel files and HR records throughout the employee lifecycle, including onboarding, status and compensation changes, leaves, transfers, and separations.
- Prepare employment-related correspondence, forms, personnel documents, and reports.
- Support employee and manager questions related to HR policies, payroll, benefits, leave programs, onboarding, and routine employment matters.
- Maintain the employee handbook, HR policies, forms, procedures, and update recommendations as needed; distribute required notices and acknowledgments.
- Process payroll accurately and on schedule, including reviewing time records, leave balances, deductions, pay rates, and payroll inputs for completeness and accuracy.
- Process authorized payroll changes, coordinate payroll with supervisors, finance personnel, and payroll providers, and research and resolve payroll discrepancies.
- Maintain payroll documentation, perform payroll reconciliations, and follow internal controls, approval procedures, and audit requirements, including W-2 processing and required year-end reporting.
- Serve as the primary administrator for HRIS, payroll, timekeeping, applicant tracking, and learning management systems, including account access, workflows, forms, system settings, permissions, standard reports, troubleshooting, and vendor support coordination.
- Maintain leave and workers’ compensation tracking records, administer required reporting and documentation, and coordinate return-to-work processes.
- Monitor and communicate changes in applicable federal, California, Nevada, and local employment laws and regulations; apply employment requirements to routine HR matters and coordinate complex compliance reviews with external HR advisors or legal counsel as appropriate.
- Serve as the organization’s primary HR contact for employee relations concerns, complaints, investigations support, and workers’ compensation matters, including receiving concerns, documenting issues, coordinating follow-up, and preserving relevant records.
- Develop, maintain, and coordinate the annual compliance and required training calendar, including harassment prevention, workplace conduct, ethics, confidentiality, privacy, workplace safety, cybersecurity awareness, and other organizational requirements; coordinate training logistics and maintain centralized records and reminders.
- Coordinate recruitment activities, onboarding and offboarding processes, background checks and pre-employment processes as applicable, and required orientation and compliance training.
- Administer employee benefits and leave of absence programs, including FMLA, CFRA, Pregnancy Disability Leave, California Paid Sick Leave, and other applicable leave programs; maintain confidential medical and leave records in accordance with requirements.
- Track compliance deadlines, renewals, and reporting requirements, support internal and external audits and compliance reviews, and identify and escalate potential compliance concerns and risks.
- Prepare HR reports, spreadsheets, dashboards, and administrative materials; support employee engagement and organizational initiatives.
- Attend meetings as assigned and perform other related duties as assigned.
Employee Relations, Complaints, Investigations & Claims
This position coordinates and supports the administrative aspects of complaints, investigations, and claims, but does not independently conduct complex investigations, determine legal liability, determine claim compensability, or make medical decisions.
Organization-Wide Training Coordination
Program managers remain responsible for technical, job-specific, project-specific, and professional development training for their teams.
Requirements
- Associate’s degree, relevant professional certification, or equivalent combination of education and experience.
- 3+ years of progressively responsible human resources experience, including payroll administration, employee records administration, benefits or leave administration, and employee relations support.
- Demonstrated experience processing payroll and maintaining payroll records.
- Experience working with HRIS, payroll, timekeeping, or other employee management systems.
- Working knowledge of California and Nevada wage and hour requirements, including overtime, meal and rest breaks, exempt and non-exempt classifications, leave administration, and employment documentation practices.
- Experience handling confidential employee information and sensitive employee relations matters.
- Ability to interpret and apply employment requirements and organizational policies to routine HR matters.
- Strong organizational, time-management, research, and problem-solving skills.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills; strong interpersonal and customer service skills.
- Ability to work independently, exercise sound judgment, and manage competing priorities.
- Commitment to confidentiality, professionalism, and ethical workplace practices.
- Proficiency with Microsoft Office and/or Google Workspace.
- Successfully complete a pre-employment background screening in accordance with organizational policy and applicable law.
- Must be authorized to work in the United States and complete required employment eligibility verification requirements.
- Must comply with organizational policies, procedures, confidentiality requirements, data security standards, and internal controls.
- Ability to perform essential functions with or without reasonable accommodation.
Technologies
- HRIS, payroll, timekeeping, applicant tracking, learning management systems
- Microsoft Office, Google Workspace
- W-2, FMLA, CFRA
Schedule and Work Location
- Expected work schedule: 40 hours per week, Monday to Friday.
- Expected in-office schedule: 2 days per week.
- Onsite attendance is expected as needed to support onboarding and offboarding, employee relations matters, investigations, employee and management consultations, training programs, recruitment activities, workers’ compensation matters, leave and accommodation discussions, and other HR functions requiring in-person support.
Physical Requirements
- Primarily computer-based and office work requiring periods of sitting, standing, communicating, and operating a computer.
- May occasionally require travel to organizational sites, meetings, training locations, funder-related activities, monitoring visits, or subrecipient meetings.
- Ability to perform essential functions with or without reasonable accommodation.
Compensation and Benefits
Salary: USD 68,000 - 75,000 per year.
- Employer Paid Medical for Employee & Eligible Dependents
- Employer Paid Dental and Vision for Employee & Eligible Dependents
- 401k Match
- Paid Time Off (PTO)
- Paid Holidays
- Professional Development Opportunities
- 401(k) matching
- Dental insurance
- Health insurance
- Paid time off
- Professional development assistance
- Vision insurance
How to Apply
Please email your cover letter and resume to careers@sierrabusiness.org with the position title in the subject line.
