HR Administrator Job Description
Table of Contents
An HR Administrator supports the HR department and ensures all its tasks are completed fully and on time. The Human Resources function encompasses many activities that are crucial to the smooth running of an organization, and an HR Administrator sits at the center of the department.
The role requires the ability to set priorities, juggle diverse tasks, and manage clerical staff to make sure HR provides the service the organization requires. A successful HR Administrator can expect advancement to a supervisory or even HR management position.
Similar Job Titles:
HR Generalist, HR Administrative Assistant, Human Resources Associate
What Does an HR Administrator Typically Do?
An HR Administrator runs the HR department’s clerical and administrative tasks and ensures the smooth running of the HR function.
The role typically involves:
- Maintaining employee records
- Liaising with Recruiters and arranging interviews and assessments
- Updating organizational policies and procedures
- Organizing onboarding procedures
- Preparing payroll data
- Handling employee queries
- Preparing reports for management
- Managing the HR administration team
Maintaining Employee Records
The HR department manages all the statutory employee records, and an HR Administrator ensures that they are correct, up to date, and accessible when needed.
While data capturing is performed by an HR Administrative Assistant or an HR Clerk, an HR Administrator is responsible for checking and validating all the records and making sure they are stored correctly in the Human Resources Information System (HRIS).
Liaising With Recruiters and Arranging Interviews and Assessments
External Recruiters work closely with an HR Administrator to coordinate interviews, compile candidate shortlists, and provide all the documentation required by the Hiring Manager.
An HR Administrator organizes interview venues, ensures the schedule is communicated to all interview participants and arranges the copying of documentation. A Recruiter sees an HR Administrator as the first point of contact within the hiring organization.
Unless the task is delegated to a junior role within the HR department, an HR Administrator will need to maintain contact with applicants during the entire selection process.
Updating Organizational Policies and Procedures
Changes to organizational policies and procedures are decided by an HR Manager, an HR Compliance Specialist, or an HR and Administration Manager. The changes are passed on to an HR Administrator to input into the HRIS.
An HR Administrator is responsible for making sure all employees are notified of any changes, and revised policy documents are distributed throughout the organization. If major changes have been implemented, an HR Administrator arranges and schedules training courses for the organization.
Organizing Onboarding Procedures
New hires must be made to feel welcome from their first day at work, so an HR Administrator organizes onboarding processes for all new employees.
The onboarding procedures include IT registration, an office tour, induction training, and any job-specific upskilling the new hire requires. An HR Administrator ensures that the new hire is welcomed, a workspace ready, equipment available, training organized, and documentation ready well in advance of the new hire’s start date.
Preparing Payroll Data
The administration team, under the supervision of an HR Administrator, prepares all the data required for each payroll run and checks it for accuracy and completeness.
Before handing the data over to the Payroll Specialist, an HR Administrator performs a final check and signs the data off as being in order.
Handling Employee Queries
Employees frequently approach the HR department with requests for help, information, or clarification. Most queries are dealt with by clerical staff, such as an HR Administrative Assistant or HR Clerk, but more complicated issues are transferred to an HR Administrator, who should be able to resolve most queries without referring to more senior managers.
As the supervisor of the administration team, an HR Administrator has some authority to make HR-related decisions independently of management, particularly in matters of day-to-day HR procedures.
Preparing Reports for Management
Administrative performance is measured by the efficiency and accuracy with which admin tasks are completed. An HR Administrator prepares regular reports on administration metrics for management, including suggestions for corrective action if performance is deteriorating.
Managing the HR Administration Team
An HR Administrator leads, mentors, coaches, manages, and develops the HR to deliver continual improvement. The role requires understanding, mentoring, coaching, and situational leadership techniques and skills and aims to help team members grow and progress their careers.
Roles an HR Administrator Typically Collaborates With
An HR Administrator is closely linked with the following roles:
Collaborative Roles | ||
HR Director | Compensation and Benefits Manager | Hiring Manager |
Benefits Manager | HR Development Manager | HR Operations Manager |
HR Strategist | Senior HR Business Partner | HR Compliance Specialist |
HR Administrator Salary
HR Administrators in the U.S. can earn between $46,000 and $58,000 a year, with the median being $51,280.
What Is the HR Administrator Pay Difference by Location?
Location will influence an HR Administrator’s pay as follows:
City | Average Salary |
Milwaukee, WI | $50,751 |
Seattle, WA | $56,070 |
Washington, D.C. | $57,085 |
New York, NY | $61,690 |
San Francisco, CA | $64,100 |
Denver, CO | $51,859 |
Boston, MA | $57,777 |
Austin, TX | $50,434 |
What Is the HR Administrator Pay Difference by Experience Level?
Experience has the following influence on an HR Administrator’s salary:
Experience Level | Average Salary |
< 1 year | $49,561 |
1–4 years | $53,427 |
5–9 years | $53,720 |
10–19 years | $54,208 |
20+ years | $54,208 |
HR Administrator Job Description Template
[Company] is known as a caring employer, and we put emphasis on employee satisfaction. We are looking for a diligent and thorough HR Administrator to ensure the smooth running of business operations and maintain a good working atmosphere that encourages productivity.
We are looking for someone with an HR administration background who understands the need for all HR activities to run smoothly, efficiently, and correctly.
The successful candidate will take over a clerical team and be expected to take full responsibility for the entire output of the HR admin function.
HR Administrator Job Responsibilities
Your role as an HR Administrator will involve:
- Overseeing all HR admin tasks
- Seeking improvement opportunities within the HR admin function
- Implementing improvement plans
- Managing the HR clerical team
- Reporting to management on HR admin performance
Required Skill Set
We are looking for:
- Bachelor’s degree in HR, Administration, or Business
- At least two years’ experience in HR admin
- Impeccable attention to detail
- Excellent written and oral communication skills
- Proven ability to work to deadlines
- Strong leadership abilities
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