People and Culture Specialist

Reston Association•Reston, VA

2d•Hybrid

About The Position

The People and Culture Specialist supports employees throughout the employment lifecycle by administering HR programs and providing responsive service. This hands-on role is responsible for day-to-day payroll, benefits, HRIS, and HR program administration, as well as supporting employee engagement, recognition, performance management, compliance, and organizational effectiveness. The Specialist serves as a trusted resource to employees and leaders, ensuring HR programs and processes are delivered accurately and consistently with a strong focus on employee experience. The position reports directly to the Division Director of People & Technology and works with executive leadership and leaders across the organization. It contributes to strengthening HR operations, improving processes, and supporting people-focused initiatives across Reston Association. The role is hybrid, with at least three onsite days per week at RA’s Reston headquarters. New employees are expected to work onsite during their first 90 days for onboarding, training, and knowledge transfer; afterward, the role becomes eligible for RA’s standard hybrid schedule, subject to business needs.

Requirements

Associate's or bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or a related field; equivalent experience will be considered.
At least four years of progressively responsible Human Resources experience, including experience supporting payroll and benefits administration.
Experience processing payroll and maintaining employee records using an HRIS/payroll system.
Working knowledge of federal and state employment laws and HR compliance requirements, including FLSA, FMLA, ACA, HIPAA, COBRA, ADA, and related regulations.
Experience administering employee benefits, including open enrollment, qualifying life events, retirement plans, and leave programs.
Experience supporting employee engagement, recognition, performance management, or other people initiatives.
Strong customer service and relationship-building skills, with the ability to support employees and leaders at all organizational levels.
Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with professionalism and discretion.
Strong organizational, analytical, and problem-solving skills, with attention to detail and data accuracy.
Strong proficiency with Microsoft Office applications, including Excel, Word, Outlook, and Teams.
Ability to manage multiple priorities, meet deadlines, and adapt in a fast-paced environment.
Ability to maintain confidentiality and exercise sound judgment when handling sensitive employee information.
A continuous improvement mindset and interest in improving HR program delivery and the employee experience.

Nice To Haves

SHRM-CP, PHR, FPC, or CPP certification.
Experience with ADP Workforce Now.
Experience administering or supporting a performance management system.
Experience working in a generalist HR role with responsibility across multiple HR functions.

Responsibilities

Administer biweekly payroll and support accurate and timely payroll processing.
Administer employee benefits, including enrollment, qualifying life events, open enrollment, and ongoing employee support.
Maintain accurate employee records and HRIS data, including employee changes, onboarding, and offboarding.
Serve as a resource to employees and leaders on HR policies, programs, benefits, and workplace questions.
Support employee engagement, recognition, performance management, and other people initiatives.
Coordinate employee communications related to HR programs, benefits, policies, and organizational initiatives.
Support compliance with applicable employment laws, regulations, and RA policies.
Maintain HR documentation and assist with audits, reporting, and HR metrics.
Identify opportunities to improve HR processes, systems, and the employee experience.
Partner with the Division Director of People & Technology and leaders across the organization on people-related initiatives and priorities.