Human Resources Specialist (Employee Engagement & Professional Development Specialist) (pos#0079556)

Human Resources Specialist (Employee Engagement & Professional Development Specialist) (pos#0079556)

Salary

See Position Description

Location

UH Hilo, Hilo, HI

Job Type

Full-Time Permanent

Job Number

2026-02260

Department

University of Hawaii at Hilo

Division

Administrative Affairs - Human Resources

Opening Date

10/21/2026

Closing Date

11/15/2026 11:59 PM Hawaii

Position Number:

0079556

Description

Title: Human Resources Specialist (Employee Engagement & Professional Development Specialist)

Position Number: 0079556

Hiring Unit: Administrative Affairs, Human Resources

Location: UH Hilo

Date Posted: October 21, 2026

Closing Date: November 15, 2026

Salary: Salary Schedules and Placement Information

Additional Salary Information: PBB, minimum $5640/month

Full Time/Part Time: Full-time

Temporary/Permanent: Permanent

Other Conditions: Excluded from collective bargaining. Appointment to begin approximately January 2027, pending position clearance and availability of funding.

Note: To ensure a consistent digital layout across third-party software platforms, Hawaiian language diacritical marks (kahako and okina) and other such diacritical marks have been omitted from this online posting. The University recognizes and respects the proper use of these markings in all official communications.

The Human Resources Specialist (Employee Engagement & Professional Development Specialist) holds a critical role in synthesizing internal and external resources to align organizational development and workplace culture with key imperatives under the University of Hawaii at Hilo's Long-Range Strategic Plan: Hoolokahi Papahana Hoolala Hikialoa

Under the guiding value of Kakou, the essential functions of this position include fostering collaborative relationships among leadership and other campus stakeholders to promote the continued growth and retention of our workforce. The position independently plans, develops, and executes dynamic and sustainable employee engagement, professional development, and workplace culture and wellness initiatives to enhance the employee experience and reinforce a sense of belonging.

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 islands 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.

The Human Resources Specialist (Employee Engagement & Professional Development Specialist) complements a team of human resources professionals with shared responsibilities in all functional areas of human resources including, but not limited to, talent acquisition, position management, pay and benefits administration, organizational and professional development, employee engagement, and employee and labor relations.

Duties and Responsibilities (*denotes essential functions)

• *Provides excellent customer service in the administration of all assigned human resources (HR) functions as a key team member of the Human Resources Office for the UH Hilo campus and its satellite locations.
• *Independently performs complex assignments encompassing a wide range of professional HR management responsibilities to ensure compliance, consistency, and best practices, while reinforcing and advancing a productive employee relations environment.
• *Serves as point-of-contact for assigned areas of responsibility. Provides guidance, resources, and training for HR-related matters to supervisors and employees.
• *Develops the employee experience to encourage a positive workplace culture and sense of belonging, including coordinating new employee onboarding and orientation programming and sustainable employee engagement initiatives throughout the employee life cycle, in alignment with the UH Hilo strategic plan.
• *Coordinates the planning and implementation of professional development and training programs to support employee retention and organizational growth.
• *Coordinates with campus stakeholders and external training resources to promote continuous improvement and workplace collaboration.
• *Administers surveys and develops metrics to assess the progress and effectiveness of employee development efforts and continued engagement. Gathers feedback on improvements and implements changes as needed to support successful outcomes.
• *Advises supervisors and employees on the performance review and evaluation process. Identifies and addresses individual and departmental training needs.
• *Manages the HR website to ensure content is up-to-date and valuable employment tools and resources are readily available to our campus community and prospective employees.
• *Assists HR Director in monitoring and ensuring campus-wide compliance with regulatory training requirements (e.g. Conflict of Interest, State Ethics, Title IX, etc.). Advises supervisors and employees on requirements for timely follow-up and completion.
• *Operates a computerized human resources management system (e.g. PeopleSoft) and other personnel, payroll, and financial database systems and platforms to monitor, facilitate, and execute various position and personnel actions, in accordance with State and Federal regulations, collective bargaining agreements, and UH policies and administrative procedures.
• *Maintains and audits official position and personnel files and all related employment records, in compliance with State and Federal regulations, collective bargaining agreements, UH policies and administrative procedures, and the State of Hawaii General Records Schedule for the retention and disposition of personnel records.
• *Participates in training and professional development to maintain currency in regulatory requirements, emerging trends, best practices, and professional standards related to HR management in higher education, the State of Hawaii, and University of Hawaii System.
• *Keeps abreast of State and Federal regulations, UH policies and administrative procedures, and collective bargaining agreements. Assists HR Director with research, interpretation, and ensuring consistent implementation as issues may arise.
• Researches, responds to, and proactively resolves employee inquiries and concerns regarding benefits, compensation, terms of employment, and other employment matters. Advises HR Director or designee of difficult and unusual issues and provides recommendations.
• Assists HR Director with assessing employee and labor relations issues, and problem-solving to encourage resolutions at the lowest possible level. May be assigned to conduct or assist with fact-finding investigations.
• Other duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications

• 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 indicate
• 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.
• 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.

Desirable Qualifications

• 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.
• Strong organizational and project management skills.
• Positive attitude and growth mindset.
• 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.

To Apply: Click on the "Apply" button on the top right corner of the screen to complete an application and attach each required document. A complete application must include:

• Cover letter explaining how each minimum and desirable qualification is met.
• Current resume.
• The names and addresses, email addresses and telephone numbers of three [3] current professional reference
• Transcript(s) showing degrees and course work appropriate to the position (copies are acceptable; however, original official transcripts will be required prior to employment).

Please do not include any self-identifying photos. Please redact references to Social Security number and birth date on transcript copies. Copy of diplomas will NOT be accepted. Documents issued from an institution outside the United States of America require a course-by-course analysis with an equivalency statement from an agency having membership with the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services, Inc., verifying the degree equivalency to that of an accredited institution within the USA. Expense of the evaluation shall be borne by the applicant. All requested documents/information become the property of the University. All minimum qualifications must be met by the closing date.

Note: If you have not applied for a position before using NeoGov, you will need to create an account.

Inquiries: Lorena Kauhi, lorenadk@hawaii.edu, 808-932-7626

EEO, Clery Act, ADA

The University of Hawaii is an Equal Opportunity Institution and is committed to a policy of nondiscrimination in employment, including on the basis of veteran and disability status. For more information, visit: https://www.hawaii.edu/offices/eeo/policies/

Employment is contingent on satisfying employment eligibility verification requirements of the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986; reference checks of previous employers; and for certain positions, criminal history record checks.

In accordance with the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act, annual campus crime statistics for the University of Hawaii may be viewed at: https://www.hawaii.edu/titleix/help/campus-security/, or a paper copy may be obtained upon request from the respective UH Campus Security or Administrative Services Office.

In accordance with Article 10 of the unit 08 collective bargaining agreement, bargaining unit members receive priority consideration for APT job vacancies. As a result, external or non BU 08 applicants may not be considered for some APT vacancies. BU 08 members with re-employment rights or priority status are responsible for informing the hiring unit of their status.

Accommodation Request: The University of Hawaii complies with the provisions of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Applicants requiring a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process should contact the EEO coordinator directly. Determination on requests for reasonable accommodation will be made on a case-by-case basis. For further information, please refer to the following link: https://www.hawaii.edu/offices/eeo/accommodation-request/

Equal Opportunity Employer / Veterans / Disabled

Employer University of Hawaii

Department University of Hawaii at Hilo Address 200 W. Kawili Street

Hilo, Hawaii, 96720

Website http://workatuh.hawaii.edu