Description

Title: Human Resources Specialist (UPDATED 07/15/26)
Position Number: 0079556
Hiring Unit: Administrative Affairs, Human Resources
Location: UH Hilo
Date Posted: June 5, 2026
Closing Date: July 31, 2026
Band: B
Salary : salary schedules and placement information
Full Time/Part Time: Full-time
Month: 11-month
Temporary/Permanent: Permanent

Other Conditions: Excluded from collective bargaining. Appointment to begin approximately August 2026, pending position clearance and availability of funding.

Position Overview:

The University of Hawaii at Hilo (UH Hilo) is a public liberal arts and sciences university on the Island of Hawaii, recognized for its integration of cultural immersion and place-based research that leverages the island's extraordinary geological, biological, and cultural diversity. A comprehensive, regional campus within the ten-campus University of Hawaii System, UH Hilo offers high-quality undergraduate and select postgraduate education, with distinctive strengths in areas such as marine science, geology, astronomy, and Hawaiian language revitalization, while advancing research, scholarship, and creative activity that support community needs, environmental stewardship, Indigenous knowledge systems, and workforce development for the State of Hawaii.

The UH Hilo Division of Administrative Affairs serves as the central administrative and operational backbone of the campus, providing executive leadership and non-academic affairs program management. This division is responsible for critical functions including budget formulation, fiscal management, human resources, facilities planning and construction, physical plant operations, information technology, campus security, and environmental safety and health.

As a team and business partner, the UH Hilo Human Resources Office plays an integral role in fulfilling the mission of the University of Hawaii (UH) through productive collaborations with stakeholders in our campus community and the University of Hawaii System Office of Human Resources to recruit, develop, and retain a highly skilled, diverse, and sustainable workforce, in alignment with overall strategic priorities to ensure student success for the campus and UH System.

This Human Resources Specialist position complements a team of human resources professionals with shared responsibilities in all functional areas of human resources including, but not limited to, position management, classification and recruitment, pay and benefits administration, personnel and organizational development, employee engagement, and employee and labor relations. The incumbent will be primarily responsible for promoting continued growth throughout the employment cycle by planning, developing, and executing employee engagement and professional development initiatives to enhance the employee experience for our campus community.

Duties and Responsibilities (* denotes essential functions)

• Possession of a baccalaureate degree in any field and 3 year(s) of progressively responsible professional experience with responsibilities for one or more functional areas of human resources such as position classification; pay administration; recruitment and examination; personnel and organizational development; employee and labor relations; or any equivalent combination of education and/or professional work experience which provides the required education, knowledge, skills and abilities as indicated.
• Considerable working knowledge of principles, practices and techniques in the area of human resources administration and/or learning and development planning as demonstrated by the broad knowledge of the full range of pertinent standard and evolving concepts, principles and methodologies.
• Considerable working knowledge and understanding of applicable federal and state laws, rules, regulations and theories and systems associated with human resources administration and/or learning and development planning.
• Demonstrated ability to resolve wide ranging complex problems through the use of creative reasoning and logic to accurately determine the cause of the problems and the resolution of the problems in an effective, innovative and timely manner.
• Demonstrated ability to interpret and present information and ideas clearly and accurately in writing, verbally and by preparation of reports and other materials.
• Demonstrated ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with internal and external organizations, groups, team leaders and members, and individuals.
• Demonstrated ability to operate a personal computer, apply word processing software (e.g. Microsoft Word, Google Docs, etc.), and other relevant software and applications to effectively perform work.
• If applicable, for supervisory work, demonstrated ability to lead subordinates, manage work priorities and projects, and manage employee relations.
• Strong organizational skills while managing and prioritizing multiple projects.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills; accountability to high standards of professional excellence.
• Demonstrated ability to exercise tact, diplomacy, maintain confidentiality, and apply sound judgment and discretion in a variety of situations.
• Demonstrated ability to embrace, learn, and apply new and existing technology to maximize effectiveness and efficiency.

• Demonstrated experience in successfully coordinating employee engagement initiatives.
• Demonstrated experience in professional development programming, including curricula planning, coordinating and conducting training, creating resource materials through various media, and developing and compiling surveys and metrics.
• Professional work experience in human resources administration in a public employer jurisdiction within the State of Hawaii and/or post-secondary education setting.
• Working knowledge of UH policies, procedures, and organizational structure.
• Experience in employee and/or labor relations.
• Strong organizational and project management skills.
• Positive attitude and growth mindset.

EEO, Clery Act, ADA