Human Resources Specialist (Payroll & Records)

Minimum Qualifications

• Graduation with an Associate degree from an accredited college or university with major coursework in a related field, plus two (2) years of related HR experience.
• Any combination of education and/or experience may be substituted for the minimum qualifications.

Licenses and Certifications Required:

• None.

Notes to Applicants

Working with Austin Water provides a number of benefits including medical, paid leave time, a great retirement plan, training opportunities and more! Click HERE for more information.

Position Overview:
Are you looking for a career that makes a difference in the community? Austin Water is the place for you! Austin Water is an organization of 1,300 employees who serve more than 1,000,000 residents in the Austin metropolitan area. Our core business functions include the operation of water and wastewater treatment plants, new construction, and rehabilitation of thousands of miles of underground pipes, water conservation programs, and the preservation of over 43,000 acres of wild lands.

This Human Resources Specialist position will provide valuable Human Resources assistance in areas such as Employee Relations, Leave Management, Employment, Compensation, and Payroll. This role will primarily focus on Payroll, Records Management, and general administrative support within the HR department.

Key Responsibilities include but are not limited to:

• Payroll Support: Assist with payroll processing, helping ensure the accuracy of employee timecards.
• Records Management: Maintain human resources records, ensuring that all information is up-to-date.
• General Administrative Support: Provide general support to the HR team, assisting with various HR tasks and projects as needed.

When completing the City of Austin employment application:

• A detailed, complete employment application is required. It helps us to better evaluate your qualifications and will be used to determine salary if you are selected for this position.
  • Provide each job title and accurate employment dates for all jobs included on the application.
  • Your work history should include the duties you performed, and any computer software used.
• The City of Austin employment application is an official document; incomplete applications will not be considered.

Assessment Requirement:

• Applicant skill level in the competency area of Microsoft Excel will be assessed, with a required minimum passing score of 70% to be considered for the next step in the process.

If you are selected for hire:

• Verification of your education (which may include high school graduation or GED , undergraduate and/or graduate degrees) is required. You must provide proof of education from an accredited organization or institution. You must also provide proof of your professional licenses or certifications.
• If you are in the military or are a military veteran, you will need to provide a copy of the Member 4 page of your DD-214 prior to confirming a start date.
• A criminal background investigation is required.

Critical Employee:

• This position has been designated as critical for the City of Austin. Critical positions are necessary and vital and support activities that impact City or department operations. Work can be done while at a designated work site or while working at an alternate work location. Critical employees may be reassigned to another area to provide essential services to support any extraordinary situations or emergency conditions.

Secondary Employment:

• All Austin Water employees are prohibited from accepting or engaging in any secondary employment that might conflict or interfere with an employee’s duty and responsibility to the Department.
• Austin Water must review all secondary employment.
• Employees are required to submit a Secondary Employment Application for review and approval upon being hired with Austin Water, as well as current Austin Water employees considering secondary employment.

Travel:
If you are selected for this position and meet the City of Austin Driver Safety Standards requisite, you may drive when necessary to multiple locations as part of your regular job duties. Otherwise, you are responsible for getting to and from these locations.

All Austin Water worksite locations are tobacco-free. Use of tobacco products and/or e-cigarettes is not permitted on any AW worksite - including construction sites, parking lots, garages or in any personal vehicle located on the premises.

Please Note this posting may close any time after 7 days.
Pay Range
$24.89 - $29.18 per hour
Hours

• Monday - Friday: 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m., with some flexibility.
• This position may require overtime, working on weekends, nights, and holidays, based on business needs.

Job Close Date 05/29/2025 Type of Posting External Department Austin Water Utility Regular/Temporary Regular Grant Funded or Pooled Position Not Applicable Category Professional Location Waller Creek Center, 625 E. 10th St. Austin, TX 78701 Preferred Qualifications

• Experience working with payroll in a 24/7 utility environment or similar.
• Experience working in Human Resources in a municipal civil service environment.
• Experience managing large amounts of data and records while ensuring accuracy.
• Experience using various Human Capital Management ( HCM ) systems.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office including Word, Excel, Outlook, and PowerPoint.
• Ability to travel to multiple worksites.

Duties, Functions and Responsibilities
Essential duties and functions, pursuant to the Americans with Disabilities Act, may include the following. Other related duties may be assigned.

Assists in implementing, administering, and evaluating HR programs. Assists in developing and implementing systems, policies, procedures, strategies, and process work flows for use within departments. Provides information to employees in assigned area(s) of responsibility, and conducts basic research and makes appropriate recommendations based on findings. Provides advice and counsel to management and other employee groups related to compliance with and the communication, interpretation, and implementation of City personnel policies and other relevant employment laws and regulations. Assists in solving HR problems, creating best practices, making recommendations, and monitoring implementation of agreed-upon actions until the problem has been resolved. Researches information as requested and/or needed; compiles data; and writes informational memos, letters, reports, forms, plans, documents, and queries using computer, spreadsheets, databases, or presentation software. Assists in the analysis of morale indicators such as but not limited to surveys, turnover, and grievances; and presents recommendations within the area of specialization for corrective action when needed. Collaborates and participates on teams with HR and other stakeholders.

Responsibilities- Supervision and/or Leadership Exercised:

May provide leadership, work assignments, evaluation, training, and guidance to others.
Knowledge, Skills and Abilities
Must possess required knowledge, skills, abilities, and experience and be able to explain and demonstrate, with or without reasonable accommodations, that the essential functions of the job can be performed.

• Knowledge of assigned HR area.
• Knowledge of Federal, State, and Local laws and ordinances governing personnel activities.
• Knowledge of City practices, policies, and procedures.
• Skill in oral and written communication.
• Skill in handling multiple tasks and prioritizing.
• Skill in using computers and related software.
• Skill in data analysis and problem solving.
• Skill in planning and organizing.
• Ability to handle hostility, conflict, and uncertain situations.
• Ability to work with frequent interruptions and changes in priorities.
• Ability to train others.
• Ability to develop and maintain current knowledge in the assigned HR areas.
• Ability to develop and maintain knowledge and skill in the use of computerized tools, databases, and communications techniques used in HR.
• Ability to establish and maintain good working relationships with other City employees and the public.

Criminal Background Investigation This position has been approved for a Criminal Background Investigation. EEO/ADA
City of Austin is committed to compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act. If you require reasonable accommodation during the application process or have a question regarding an essential job function, please call (512) 974-3210 or Texas Relay by dialing 7-1-1.

The City of Austin will not discriminate against any applicant or employee based on race, creed, color, national origin, sex, gender identity, age, religion, veteran status, disability, or sexual orientation. In addition, the City will not discriminate in employment decisions on the basis of an individual’s AIDS , AIDS Related Complex, or HIV status; nor will the City discriminate against individuals who are perceived to be at risk of HIV infection, or who associate with individuals who are believed to be at risk.

Information For City Employees: If you are an employee within the department, are in good standing and meet both the minimum and preferred qualifications, then you will receive an initial interview.

Supplemental Questions

Required fields are indicated with an asterisk (*).
* This position requires graduation with an Associate degree from an accredited college or university with major coursework in a related field, plus two (2) years of related HR experience. Any combination of education and/or experience may be substituted for the minimum qualifications. Do you meet the minimum qualifications?

• Yes
• No

* Will you require sponsorship for employment visa status (e.g., H1B visa) either now or in the future?

• Yes
• No

* Do you have experience handling payroll in a utility environment or in a similar setting where operations run around the clock 24/7?

• Yes
• No

* Do you have experience working in a Municipal Civil Service (MCS) or similar environment?

• Yes
• No

* Which of the following Human Capital Management (HCM) systems do you have experience with? Please select all that apply.

• Kronos
• Banner
• eCareer
• WorkDay
• PeopleSoft
• Oracle
• ADP
• Other

* Which of the following Human Resources areas do you have experience working in? Please select all that apply.

• Employee Relations
• Talent Acquisition
• Leave Management
• Payroll
• Training
• Records Management
• Compliance

* Which of the following best describes your proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite, specifically with Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook?

• No experience.
• Basic: create/edit simple documents, spreadsheets, emails, and simple presentations.
• Intermediate: create/edit a variety of documents and spreadsheets; reformat document features such as color, font style and size of text, change page size/width, and filter/sort data fields to create a variety of presentations.
• Advanced: create/edit complex documents, spreadsheets, presentations; integrate features such as tables, charts, mathematic formulas, hyperlinks, graphics; data/mail merge, import data from one document to another.

* Do you have the ability to travel to multiple sites as part of the regular job duties?

• Yes
• No

* This position requires a criminal background check. By selecting the following, you are acknowledging that you understand if you are selected as a top candidate for this position, you will need a successful CBI to be hired.

• I acknowledge and understand this position requires a Criminal Background Check.

* Were you referred to this opportunity by an Austin Water employee? If yes, please provide the employee’s full name.
(Open Ended Question)


Optional & Required Documents

Required Documents Optional Documents

• 

• City of Austin

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