HR Administrative Assistant

Food & Water Watch is looking for an HR Administrative Assistant to join our Human Resources Department team and help to protect our food, water, and climate by providing exemplary daily HR services to our staff who make this incredible work possible. The HR Administrative Assistant will be a valued member of the HR department and will work closely with a current two person HR team to ensure the highest level of HR support is provided to all employees so that our staff feels valued and appreciated.

About Food & Water Watch:

Food & Water Watch is working to create a healthy future for all people and generations to come—a world where everyone has food they can trust, clean drinking water and a livable climate. Making this happen requires involving people in the pressing issues of our time at the local, state, and federal level, building on one win after another, as we develop a larger movement that has the political power to make our democratic process work.

About the position:

The HR Administrative Assistant will report to the HR Director and will work with other staff in the HR/Operations teams to ensure that all areas of Human Resources for the organization are administered effectively and comprehensively. The HR Administrative Assistant will work in all areas of Human Resources to provide assistance in aspects that include, but are not limited to: recruitment, onboarding and offboarding, document and file creation and maintenance, HRIS system maintenance and staff training and development. This is a full-time role and is an incredible opportunity to join a caring and competent existing HR team and to grow and develop in this field.

Salary: $50,000 - $55,000 annually dependent upon experience and location.

FLSA Status: Non-Exempt, Hourly

Location: Remote; if a candidate in the DMV area is hired, this person may need to go to our D.C. location (as needed for specific projects that may occur on a limited basis).

Responsibilities:

1. HR Recruitment: Assists HR department and departmental managers in the recruiting process of new staff in areas including but not limited to: the timing and coordination of job postings; where these positions are posted; and assisting managers throughout the multi-step process of publishing a job opening to ensure that no steps are missed.
2. Onboarding & Offboarding: Conducts or assists with new hire orientation/onboarding and offboarding; completes I-9 forms and E-Verify checks, verifies I-9 documentation and maintains I-9 files; performs check-ins with new employees to ensure that new employees are acclimating well to their roles and if needed, refer issues to senior HR staff; performs offboarding for staff to ensure that areas related to offboarding such as vacation payout, COBRA benefits, etc. are administered properly and seamlessly.
3. Benefits Administration: Point of contact for staff to answer basic benefits related questions and able to refer more complex questions to senior level HR staff; assists the HR department in timely and accurate benefits enrollments throughout the year and during open enrollment.
4. Document and File Creation and Maintenance: Creates and maintains accurate and up-to-date human resource files, records, and documentation; maintains the integrity and confidentiality of human resource files and records; performs periodic audits of HR files and records to ensure that all required documents are collected and filed appropriately.
5. HRIS: Assists in the maintenance of FWW’s HRIS; acts as a point of contact for employees to troubleshoot HRIS issues when needed; assists the HR department in ensuring that accurate data is maintained throughout the year, i.e. deduction amounts related to benefits.
6. Day-to-Day Human Resources Administration: Answers frequently asked questions from employees relative to standard policies, basic compensation questions, benefits, leaves of absences, hiring processes and refers more complex questions to appropriate senior-level HR staff; assists in the monthly benefits bills reconciliations; completes various types of employment verifications; assists senior HR staff as needed in more complex areas such as disciplinary matters, disputes and investigations and performance and talent management.
7. Staff Training and Development: Assists the HR department in yearly staff trainings and development; assists HR department in the execution of more frequent internal trainings and skill set development sessions for staff.
8. HR and Organizational Compliance: Assists the HR department in ensuring organizational HR compliance in areas including but not limited to: federal and state labor law compliance; mandatory and non-mandatory organizational wide trainings; internal organizational continuing education requirements.
9. Policy and Information Creation and Maintenance: Assists the HR department in the preparation of plans, policies, documents, and reports including EEO-1, organizational charts, labor agreements, and employee handbook.
10. Project Management: Assists the HR department in ensuring that HR projects and organizational wide HR related matters (i.e. new hire, mid-year and yearly performance reviews) are completed in a timely and comprehensive manner (i.e. follow up with employees periodically to ensure they are keeping to internal organizational deadlines and timeframes).
11. Departmental Ambassador of Organizational Culture: Works to ensure that FWW’s organizational values are reflected as it relates to staff feeling and being respected, welcomed, appreciated and supported when interacting with Human Resources.
12. Ad-Hoc support: Provides office administrative support on a limited basis when Office Administrator is out.
13. Carry out other projects as assigned

Required Qualifications:

• Commitment to Food & Water Watch’s core values of justice, human dignity, fair treatment, and equity.
• Ability to work effectively with people of diverse racial, ethnic, class, age, gender, and sexual orientation backgrounds.
• Excellent writing and verbal communication skills.
• Excellent time management & organizational skills and ability to balance multiple projects.
• Proficient with Microsoft Office Suite or related software.
• Proficient with, or the ability to quickly learn, a human resource information system (HRIS), and similar computer applications.
• Excellent interpersonal skills with the ability to manage sensitive and confidential situations with tact, professionalism, and diplomacy.
• Excellent organizational skills and attention to detail.
• Ability to effectively work remotely.

Desired but not required skills and experience:

• Familiarity/awareness of basic Payroll concepts is a plus.
• Familiarity/awareness of Human Resources concepts within multiple states is a plus.
• Associate’s degree in related field (Human Resources) is a plus.
• A genuine interest in Human Resources and a desire to develop and grow in this field.
• Two years of human resources experience.
• Prior experience of working with staff in a union environment.
• Knowledge of basic online programs, including email, Slack, and Google docs.

Food & Water Watch provides an excellent benefits package for full-time employees. This includes 100% employer-paid health, dental and vision plans for staff; 403b retirement plans with employer contribution once eligible; 12 weeks paid parental leave; 3 weeks’ vacation for new employees; 12 sick days and 5 personal days; paid federal holidays and winter break (December 24 – January 1).

Click here to apply. Please include your resume,(include in the resume any applicable HR certifications and three professional references) to be considered. This position will be open until filled. Incomplete applications will not be considered. We will review your application and if we feel that your knowledge, skills and prior work experience are potentially a good match for this role, we will be in contact with you.

Food & Water Watch is an equal opportunity employer who encourages applications from women, people of color, LGBTQ individuals, individuals with disabilities, and other members of underrepresented groups. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of this role.

Food & Water Watch (FWW) is committed to the health and safety of its staff members. Moreover, FWW, as an organization, promotes science-based policy. Science clearly shows that unvaccinated populations drive the spread of the coronavirus and the emergence of new variants, and that unvaccinated people are more likely to contract COVID and experience severe symptoms. Effective immediately, prospective new staff members are required to provide proof of vaccination or request a waiver as a condition of their offer of employment.