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Human Resources Generalist

Human Resources Generalist

  • 557805
  • New York
  • Opening on: Jun 9 2026
  • Grade 11
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  • Job Type: Officer of Administration
  • Regular/Temporary: Regular
  • Hours Per Week: 35
  • Salary Range: $70,000–$75,000
The salary of the finalist selected for this role will be set based on a variety of factors, including but not limited to departmental budgets, qualifications, experience, education, licenses, specialty, and training. The above hiring range represents the University's good faith and reasonable estimate of the range of possible compensation at the time of posting.
 

Position Summary

Reporting to the Director, Human Resources, the Human Resources Generalist serves as a critical member of the HR team in guiding administrative managers and employees at the Office of the Provost and reporting units on a broad array of Human Resources matters. The incumbent will work closely with the Director to implement human resource initiatives and programs that focus on the employee lifecycle including talent acquisition, on-boarding, training, career pathing, employee and labor relations, and off-boarding.

Serving as a primary contact, the incumbent will be responsible for ensuring the highest level of service to all employees in the Office of the Provost and the timely resolution of all HR-related issues and requests with professionalism and precision. This includes handling recruitment, employee orientation, position descriptions, performance management, employee relations, payroll management, leave management, and implementing and taking the lead on the use of new and existing technology platforms, as well as handling other functions that support the employee life cycle and HR initiatives.


Responsibilities

Talent Acquisition and Onboarding:

  • Manage all HR-related matters related to the onboarding and offboarding of staff. Maintain communication with new hires and units affiliated with the Office of the Provost to ensure a seamless onboarding experience.
  • Manage onboarding activities, including new hire paperwork, orientation scheduling, and coordination with hiring managers and central University offices.
  • Coordinate employee separations and offboarding activities, including system access removal and exit interviews.

Employee Relations and HR Support:

  • Assist in the administration of performance management processes, including communications, tracking deadlines, and maintaining records.
  • Support employee engagement and recognition initiatives, onboarding programs, and other HR-related events. Assist with employee/labor relations issues, internal investigations, and other generalist duties. Interpret HR policies on a variety of topics and resolve personnel issues, escalating complex issues to the Director as appropriate.
  • Manage Workers' Compensation claims and reports, leaves of absence, Short-term Term Disability, ADA accommodations; provide appropriate paperwork to employees and coordinate with the Office of Leave Management to ensure appropriate documentation is completed.

HR Operations and Compliance:

  • Liaise with the appropriate University offices (including benefits, payroll, HRPC, and Client Services) on HR-related matters for all staff within the scope of the Office of the Provost.
  • Process and track HR transactions, including appointments, reappointments, salary changes, title changes, and terminations. Ensure the timely submission and processing of requests, transactions, and perform periodic audits to confirm that all data conforms with University requirements.
  • Responsible for the completion of all labor accounting transactions for officer and support-level administrative staff, including salary distributions, cost transfers, additional compensation, clearing of payroll suspense regularly, and troubleshooting all payroll issues.
  • Manage time and attendance information for the entire employee population in the Office of the Provost and its affiliated reporting units.
  • Manage the access and recertification process for PAC.

Maintain personnel and payroll records, including organizational charts, appointment data, and other personnel information in compliance with applicable laws, regulations and policies. Standardize employee documentation and ensure confidentiality of all HR information. Other duties as assigned


Minimum Qualifications

  • Bachelor’s degree and/or its equivalent.
  • Minimum of two years of relevant experience.

Additional Position-Specific Minimum Qualifications for Grade:

  • Excellent oral and written communication and interpersonal skills are necessary. Must be highly organized with excellent attention to detail and be able to effectively handle and prioritize multiple tasks often with conflicting deadlines.
  • Ability to exercise a high degree of professionalism in dealing with individuals at all levels. Strong analytical and problem-solving skills are necessary. Must work well under pressure and have the ability to function independently and exercise discretion and judgment in sensitive and confidential matters. Excellent computer skills are required and must be able to quickly acquire knowledge of University policies, procedures, and systems.

Preferred Qualifications

  • Experience in higher education, or a similar complex environment, preferred. Prior knowledge of personal and medical leaves, FMLA, NYSL, PFL provisions, and paid time off policies, is highly preferred.
  • Working knowledge of Columbia’s HR policies, procedures, and systems including PeopleSoft application, Talent Link, and the Academic Search and Recruitment System (ASR).

Equal Opportunity Employer / Disability / Veteran

Columbia University is committed to the hiring of qualified local residents.

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