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

University of Tennessee•Knoxville, TN

4d•Onsite

About The Position

The Human Resources Consultant serves as the human resources subject matter expert for the University of Tennessee, Knoxville’s College of Education, Health, and Human Sciences (CEHHS), providing guidance, support, and consultative services across HR functions. The role helps ensure salaries and wages align with budgets, verifies employee classifications, appointments, salaries, and unit assignments, and processes HR documents to support timely payroll. It maintains working relationships with campus Human Resources, Finance and Administration, the Graduate School, the Payroll Office, and college units. The position involves sensitive personnel decisions and confidential records, requiring professionalism, discretion, and accuracy. The consultant reviews faculty, staff, and student hiring, funding changes, and pay status transactions; advises departments on position descriptions and classification requests; validates budget alignment; and manages faculty appointment changes and payroll audits. The role also monitors work authorization expirations and temporary employee status, approves student hiring and pay transactions, and manages payroll processes for summer school and mini-terms. The position communicates HR policies and procedures, trains department HR coordinators and business managers, answers employee and department questions, troubleshoots HR and payroll issues, and advises leadership on a range of employment matters. It serves as a college point of contact for workers’ compensation, participates in campus HR meetings, and provides direct HR support to CEHHS administrative units and related centers, including recruitment, onboarding, personnel transactions, and reporting.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience; degrees in human resources or psychology are preferred.
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 work according to others’ needs and time-sensitive deadlines.
Ability to work autonomously and as part of a team.
Ability to communicate effectively 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 requiring employment-based visa sponsorship now or in the future.

Nice To Haves

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

Responsibilities

Review faculty, staff, and student hiring, funding changes, and pay status transactions; consult with departments on position descriptions and facilitate classification requests.
Review personnel change transactions for accuracy and completion, approve or reject them as appropriate, and validate budget alignment.
Confirm faculty appointment status changes, including promotion and tenure, faculty development leave, and Post-Retirement Service agreements, and lead the related ERP system processes.
Audit college payroll entries to ensure prompt and accurate time entry and approvals.
Generate work-expiry reports and engage employees and supervisors in visa renewal, extension, or departure discussions.
Monitor temporary employee status and advise units on termination 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 payroll for summer school and mini-terms; use student systems and course enrollment information to prepare spreadsheets and calculations supporting course-viability and instructor-pay decisions.
Develop and maintain training materials and train department HR coordinators and business managers on HR documents, college procedures, and campus HR policies.
Answer questions from departments and employees, troubleshoot technical issues, interpret applicable policies, and resolve HR and payroll-related issues.
Work with UTK HR Operations to facilitate payroll advances when necessary.
Advise department leadership on family and medical leave, sick leave, longevity, promotions, reclassifications, elimination of externally funded positions, reductions in force, and terminations.
Guide leadership on annual performance reviews and employee performance management, referring complex issues to the HR Manager.
Work with HR Employee Relations and refer disciplinary actions to that office.
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 to CEHHS administrative units and related centers, including initiating personnel transactions, developing staff position descriptions, submitting requisitions, supporting recruitment and draft offers, and coordinating hiring and onboarding.
Post faculty positions in Interfolio as needed and serve as the primary resource for HR and payroll questions for administrative units.
Generate ad hoc reports and occasionally provide backup assistance to department and unit HR coordinators and business managers.