Human Resources Consultant - College of Education, Health, And Human Sciences - UTK

University of Tennessee • Knoxville, IA

5d • $65,000 - $70,000 • Onsite

About The Position

The Human Resources Consultant serves as the HR subject matter expert for the College of Education, Health, and Human Sciences, providing guidance, support, and consultative services across HR functions. The position ensures salaries and wages align with budgets, employee classifications and appointments are accurate, and HR documentation is processed in time for payroll. It maintains close working relationships with campus Human Resources, Finance and Administration, the Graduate School, Payroll, and college units. The role involves confidential decision-making and record-keeping that affects the college’s finances and the university’s compliance with employment practices; professionalism, discretion, and accuracy are essential.

The consultant reviews faculty, staff, and student hiring, funding changes, and pay-status transactions; supports departments with position descriptions and classification requests; validates budget alignment; and oversees payroll-related processes. The position develops and delivers HR training, interprets policies, advises leaders on employee matters, and coordinates with campus offices on payroll, workers’ compensation, and employee relations issues.

The consultant also provides direct HR support to CEHHS administration units and related centers. Duties include initiating personnel transactions, supporting requisitions and recruitments, coordinating onboarding, posting faculty positions as needed, responding to HR and payroll questions, preparing reports, and occasionally backing up department HR coordinators and business managers. The position is onsite in Knoxville, Tennessee.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience.
• Three years of experience in a human resources role related to recruiting, hiring, or employee relations.
• Excellent organizational and time-management skills.
• Ability to multitask and prioritize according to others’ needs and time-sensitive deadlines.
• Ability to work autonomously and as part of a team.
• Effective communication skills with diverse populations.
• Working knowledge of Microsoft Office.
• Knowledge of enterprise human resources and payroll systems.
• Ability to think critically and creatively to develop and implement solutions to HR-related issues.
• Knowledge of employment laws and practices, including hiring and I-9 e-verification.
• Ability to maintain a high level of confidentiality.
• Legally authorized to work in the United States full-time without needing employment-based visa sponsorship now or in the future.

Nice To Haves

• Degree in human resources or psychology.
• SHRM or PHR certification.
• Human resources experience in an academic environment.
• Knowledge of UT policies and procedures related to human resources.

Responsibilities

• Review college faculty, staff, and student hiring, funding changes, and pay-status transactions.
• Consult with departments and assist with developing position descriptions for regular and temporary staff positions; facilitate classification requests through the HR compensation team.
• Review personnel change transactions for accuracy and completion, approve or reject them as needed, and validate budget alignment.
• Confirm faculty appointment-status changes, including promotion and tenure changes, faculty development leave, and Post-Retirement Service agreements; lead the related ERP-system processes.
• Audit college payroll entries to ensure timely and accurate time entry and approvals.
• Generate Work Expiry reports and engage employees and supervisors about visa renewals, extensions, or departures before work-permission end dates.
• Monitor temporary employee status and advise units on terminations or conversion to regular employment under one-year guidelines.
• Approve student hiring and pay-status transactions for more than 350 student positions, including more than 200 graduate student positions.
• Manage summer-school and mini-term payroll processes; use student systems and course-enrollment information to build spreadsheets and calculate course fiscal viability and instructor pay.
• Develop training materials and train department HR coordinators and business managers on HR documents, college procedures, and campus HR policies; maintain a central inventory of training materials.
• Respond to department and employee questions, troubleshoot technical issues, interpret applicable policies, and resolve HR and payroll issues using independent judgment.
• Work with UTK HR Operations to facilitate payroll advances when necessary.
• Advise department leadership on family medical leave, sick leave, longevity, promotions, reclassifications, elimination of externally funded positions, reductions in force, and terminations.
• Guide leaders on annual performance reviews and employee performance management; refer complex issues to the HR Manager and disciplinary actions to HR Employee Relations.
• Serve as the college point of contact for workers’ compensation issues and advise on reporting to campus risk management.
• Represent the college at meetings, including quarterly campus HR Work Group meetings with the HR Manager.
• Provide direct HR support for CEHHS administration units and related centers, including initiating personnel transactions for staff, faculty, and students.
• Work with administration leadership and the HR Manager to develop staff position descriptions and submit them for review.
• Submit staff requisitions, support recruitments, and process draft offers with administration leadership.
• Coordinate hiring processes and onboarding of new staff; post faculty positions in Interfolio as needed.
• Serve as the primary resource for HR and payroll questions and issues for administration units; generate ad hoc reports as requested.
• Provide occasional backup to department and unit HR coordinators and business managers for department-level transactions.

Benefits

• Employees have access to career development and coaching, continued education, and development and training opportunities.
• The university describes its employee values as emphasizing work-life balance, compensation, and innovation leadership.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level