Position Summary

Do you have a passion for Human Resources and pride yourself on your customer service-oriented approach? Do you thrive working with employment and payroll data? If this sounds like you, we encourage you to learn more about the Human Resource Consultant, Employment Processing Position! Skagit Valley College (SVC) is accepting applications for a full-time, classified, Human Resource Consultant 1 or 2 position, located at our campus in Mount Vernon, WA.

The Human Resource Consultant works in partnership with the HR and payroll teams to provide a wide range of high-volume, electronic and paper-based employment records processing, which serves as the primary data flow for our semi-monthly payroll cycles. In this customer-focused role, you will establish strong working relationships with SVC management, faculty and staff while becoming an expert with the regulations, procedures, systems, and timelines that govern our work. In addition to employment data processing, you will also facilitate paperwork completion for new employees, provide benefit consultations, manage processing for volunteers, and serve as the subject matter expert on employment documentation and requirements.

Nestled between the Cascade Mountains and Puget Sound in the northwest corner of Washington State, Skagit Valley College is located 60 miles north of Seattle and 80 miles south of Vancouver, BC. SVC was established in 1926 in Mount Vernon. Operating as one college with several campuses and centers, SVC serves Skagit, Island and San Juan Counties with campuses in Mount Vernon and Oak Harbor, centers in Friday Harbor and Langley, and a Marine Manufacturing and Technology Center in Anacortes.

Duties and Responsibilities

The successful incumbent will have primary responsibility for entering employment information into the HRIS application known as ctcLink, the WA State PAY1 system, other supporting databases, and tracking systems using software tools like Excel. Daily duties include, but are not limited to transactional employment processing, which includes reviewing, entering, tracking, filing, and maintaining employee onboarding, change, termination, benefit, retirement, leave, contract, and job record paperwork; preparation and dissemination of employment related correspondence; interaction with applicants, employees, managers, and guests through phone, email, online, and in-person communications; resolution of pay and benefit discrepancies; and general HR office support. A full detailed job description will be provided at time of interview.

This position requires a high attention to detail, accurate and timely data entry into the HRIS, excellent organizational and time management skills, critical thinking aptitude, and good communication with employees, supervisors, instructional unit assistants, Deans, and HR staff. Success in this position requires technical and specialized knowledge of personnel forms, Human Resource and Payroll information systems, employment requirements, pay systems, insurance and retirement benefits, and records management. We’re looking for someone who is dependable and has a customer-centered approach to human resources management. SVC encourages individuals from diverse backgrounds and with Spanish language proficiency to apply for this position. Anticipated start date is March 2023.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:
Knowledge and/or understanding of:

• 
  Knowledge of Federal and State employment laws and regulations;
• Knowledge of Human Resource and Payroll practices and procedures, including employment, compensation, leave, and benefit practices, preferably in a higher education or public sector environment;
• Knowledge of HRIS, employment related databases, and related reporting;
• Knowledge and proficiency with business and office technology;

Skills and abilities:

• Ability to contribute to equity and inclusion by fostering a climate of multicultural appreciation and awareness and ability to work effectively with populations representing diverse backgrounds, cultures, life experiences and various learning and working styles;
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, Outlook, etc.) with an emphasis on Excel or similar spreadsheet software;
• Ability to effectively create, maintain, and use formulas and functions within Excel to track, calculate, and analyze information;
• Ability to create, revise, and maintain correspondence, contracts, and documentation;
• Ability to prioritize and manage time effectively to process a high volume of time-sensitive, routine paperwork often with interruptions;
• Ability to communicate both orally and in writing to respond to and initiate communication with applicants, employees, HR staff, other educational institutions, and outside agencies;
• Ability to interpret policies, procedures, collective bargaining contract provisions, laws, rules, and work directions provided in verbal and written form;
• Ability to develop positive relationships and work productively in a team environment while taking the initiative to complete tasks independently;
• Ability to adapt easily to changing business needs, conditions, and work responsibilities;
• Ability to develop and maintain internal and external customer satisfaction with the services offered by the College;
• Ability to assume ownership of the work while taking responsibility for quality, timeliness, and error resolution;
• Ability to work with and maintain the security of highly confidential data;
• Ability to arrive to work at the scheduled time and be reliable in attendance;
• Ability to apply analytic and problem-solving capabilities to accomplish work tasks and perform detailed work with accuracy including use of proper spelling, punctuation, sentence structure and grammar;
• Ability to maintain a professional, positive service attitude under sometimes stressful situations and possess a good sense of humor with co-workers.

Qualifications

Minimum Qualifications:

• One (1) year of professional level Human Resources, Payroll, or closely related administrative support experience;
• Strong technological and data entry skills attained by extensive experience with data processing, payroll processing, spreadsheet management, or similar data entry work with information systems.

• Experience working in a union environment.
• Human Resources or Payroll experience in higher education or state government.
• HRMS, PPMS, PAY1, or PeopleSoft experience.
• Bilingual in Spanish with ability to communicate verbally in both languages.

Salary, Benefits, Conditions of Employment, Application Procedure

Salary and Benefits:

• Position placement and starting salary is dependent on education, qualifications and experience:
  • Human Resources Consultant 1 - Salary is based on Range 46, Step A, $3,734 per month with periodic increments to $4;892 per month.
  • Human Resources Consultant 2 - Salary is based on Range 51, Step A, $4;216 per month with periodic increments to $5;535 per month.
• A 5% premium will be added to the base salary for Spanish language proficiency.
• This position is eligible for overtime pay in accordance with the Fair Labor Standards Act.
• This is a confidential classified position and is not included in the classified staff non-supervisory bargaining unit represented by the Washington Public Employees Association, WPEA.
• Retirement, medical and insurance benefits are provided in accordance with state regulations. Additional information on benefits can be found at https://fortress.wa.gov/hca/pebbhealthplan/compare.aspx.

Conditions of Employment:

• Prior to employment, a background check including criminal record history will be conducted. Information from the background check will not necessarily preclude employment but will be considered in determining the applicant's suitability and competence to perform in the position.
  
  Additionally, pursuant to RCW 28B.112.080, applicants must declare whether they are the subject of any substantiated findings of sexual misconduct in any current or former employment or are currently being investigated for, or have left a position during an investigation into, a violation of any sexual misconduct policy at the applicant’s current or past employer. By law, post-secondary education institutions cannot hire an applicant who refuses to declare the existence or non-existence of an investigation or findings subject to this statute.
• In the interest of providing a healthy, safe, and secure educational and work environment, and in order to meet the requirements of federal legislation, it is the policy of Skagit Valley College to maintain an alcohol and drug-free workplace for our employees and students.
• If hired you will be required to provide proof of identity and documentation of U.S. Citizenship or appropriate authorization to work in this position as required by the Immigration Reform Control Act of 1986.

Application Procedure:
To be considered for this position, applicants must:

• Meet the minimum qualifications and;
• Submit a complete application to the online recruitment system at www.skagit.edu that includes the following:

• The online application, which includes answers to all supplemental questions;
• A current resume; (Attachment: Resume)
• A cover letter addressing how your education and experience supports the qualifications for this position (Attachment: Cover Letter).

In order to be considered for the position, you must complete the online application in full and attach the required supplemental documents. Failure to provide this information may eliminate you from consideration for this position.

Application Deadline: Priority screening will begin after February 20, 2023. Applications received on or before this date will receive first consideration. Applications received after the screening date may be considered until the position is filled.

Please be aware that the College hiring authorities reserve the right to hire one or more candidates and may exercise the option to make a hiring decision prior to the conclusion of the recruitment process. Only candidates selected to interview will be contacted.

Application Assistance: If you have questions about the position or require special accommodation, you may contact Human Resources at (360) 416-7794, Monday through Thursday, 8:00 am to 5:00 pm Pacific Time. SVC complies with the Americans with Disabilities Act. Applicants with disabilities who require assistance with the recruitment process may leave a TDD/TTY message at (360) 416-7718 by the application closing date. Information on SVC's Reasonable Accommodation policy can be found at OPPM 3040.

For questions regarding the online application system, you may call NEOGOV Applicant Tech Support at (855) 524-5627 from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm Pacific Time. For best results, apply using one of the following browsers supported by NEOGOV: Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Safari, Microsoft Edge, and later versions of Internet Explorer.

SVC Annual Security Report : The U.S. Department of Education and the federal Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Crime Statistics Act require all colleges to provide information to current and prospective students and employees about campus safety policies, procedures, and statistics on certain crimes, including hate crimes, domestic violence, dating violence, stalking, and sexual assault. We are required to report our campus security information and statistics in an Annual Security Report, which is updated annually each October. All prospective employees may obtain a copy of the Annual Security Report from the Human Resources Office by calling (360) 416-7794 or by accessing the Report at: https://www.skagit.edu/about/safety-security-parking/.

Skagit Valley College is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to providing equitable opportunities for all groups in terms and conditions of employment and personnel practices. SVC does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, creed, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, and/or gender identity, pregnancy, genetic information, age, marital status, honorably discharged veteran or military status, perceived or actual physical or mental disability, or use of a trained guide dog or service animal. All faculty and staff hired at Skagit Valley College are encouraged to embrace, continually support, and enhance diversity and equity on our campus and in our community. Annual Notice of Non-Discrimination.