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HR Generalist - Classified Operations

POSITION DETAILS

The Graduate Center (GC) is the focal point for advanced teaching and research at the City University of New York (CUNY), the nation's largest urban public university. With over 35 doctoral and master’s programs of the highest caliber, the Graduate Center fosters pioneering research and scholarship in the arts and sciences and prepares students for careers in universities and the private, nonprofit, and government sectors. The Graduate Center’s commitment to research and scholarship for the public good is exemplified by its more than 30 centers, institutes, and initiatives, including its Advanced Science Research Center (ASRC), a 200,000 square-foot facility in upper Manhattan, designed to promote collaboration among scientists in five areas of global research and innovation: nanoscience, photonics, structural biology, neuroscience, and environmental sciences.

The Graduate Center (GC) benefits from highly ambitious and diverse students and alumni—who in turn teach hundreds of thousands of undergraduates every year. Through its public programs, the Graduate Center enhances New York City’s intellectual and cultural life.

The Office of Human Resources (OHR) supports a vibrant, diverse, and inclusive employee community at the Graduate Center and at its affiliated CUNY colleges and professional schools, which include Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism, Macaulay Honors College and School of Labor and Urban Studies. Our comprehensive services include employee and labor relations, talent management, professional development, payroll and time and leave, benefits and wellness, compliance with emphasis on quality, effective and sustainable HR solutions.

Reporting to the Deputy Director of Human Resources, the HR Generalist – Classified Operations will be responsible for managing the entire portfolio of the Graduate Center’s classified civil service staff. The incumbent will be responsible for processing all actions related to full-time and hourly classified and classified managerial employees, including appointments, fingerprinting and/or filing fees, reappointments, promotions, salary increases, level changes, longevity increments, transfers, and terminations.

Duties include but are not limited to:

- Develops and utilizes systems to track and update employee data pertaining to staffing levels (e.g. Gittleson floors), probation periods, seniority, longevity increases, continuous service, etc.; generates reports as requested.

- May partake in presentations, initiatives (e.g. employee surveys), and forums (e.g. focus groups) to engage and develop full-time and hourly and classified managerial employees to bolster performance.

- Collaborates with the Deputy Director to ensure compliance and proper application of various civil service rules and regulations, and pertinent Collective Bargaining Agreements (CBA); serves as a resource for staff and responds to their questions and/or concerns.

- Conducts orientation for full-time and hourly and classified managerial staff; supports on-boarding and/or off-boarding of staff.

- Partners with Payroll, and Time and Leave to resolve pay and/or attendance issues; timely advises appropriate leaders and/or units of issues requiring immediate action.

- Reviews and accurately processes all OHR related forms including health insurance enrollment, retirement applications, reinstatements, and terminations for civil service and classified managerial staff.

- Handles recruitment for College Assistant positions; maintains database to ensure contractual work hours are not exceeded and contractual increases are processed timely and accurately.

- Administers civil service hiring pools for internal vacancies and conducts 1-in-3 review to ensure compliance with civil service rules and regulations; also attends city-wide hiring pools to oversee the interview and selection process to identify talent suitable for hire.

- Responsible for reviewing and accurately entering data into systems (e.g. CUNYfirst, spreadsheets, etc.); performs scheduled or ad-hoc data audits of CUNYfirst and PAYSERV records and affiliated systems to ensure data integrity; timely reports and corrects data errors; generates reports as needed.

- Maintains both personnel and electronic files for classified civil service staff and responds to inquiries.

- Distributes and ensures probationary and annual performance evaluations are timely completed and returned for all civil service staff; advises appropriate leaders/units (e.g. Learning and Development) of issues requiring corrective action, or meritorious performance deserving of recognition/reward.

- May supervise support staff.

- Prepares employment verifications and processes transfer requests.

- Performs other related duties as assigned.

All full-time and part-time CUNY staff are expected to work in-person 80% of their work time. This hybrid work schedule is subject to change.

QUALIFICATIONS

Bachelor's degree and four years' related experience required.

A preferred candidate should have:

- Knowledge of CUNY Civil Service White Collar and Blue Collar contracts.

- Familiarity with pensions and union benefits.

- Excellent customer service skills.

- Strong working knowledge of Microsoft Office Suite – particularly Excel and Access.

- Working knowledge of Enterprise Resources Planning (ERP) such as PeopleSoft, Workday.

- Strong analytical, organizational, and communication skills.

- Ability to interpret regulations and communicate this information to employees.

- Ability to work independently, use sound judgement and maintain confidentiality.

- Ability to prioritize tasks, be detail oriented, and have strong organizational skills.

- Ability to create presentations.

Candidates must be legally authorized to work in the United States on a full-time basis. Sponsorship will not be offered for this position.

CUNY TITLE OVERVIEW

Administers various Human Resources functions and programs for one or more employee group(s) exercising discretion and independent judgment.

- Oversees two or more human resources functions for an employee group, such as, but not limited to, staffing, recruitment, employee relations, appointment administration, compensation, human resource information systems (HRIS), training and development, benefits, and/or administration of HR policies, procedures, and programs.

- Ensures human resources functions, programs, and actions are in compliance with university rules and regulations, collective bargaining agreements, employment laws, and college policies and procedures.

- Interprets and provides professional counsel and advice to employees and managers on HR programs and policies, CUNY rules, collective bargaining agreements, and applicable employment laws. Researches and resolves multifaceted human resources issues.

- Recommends new approaches, best practices, policies, and systems to improve office efficiency and services provided.

- Performs related duties as assigned.

CUNY TITLE

Higher Education Assistant

FLSA

Exempt

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS

$70,815-$79,598.Salary commensurate with education and experience.

CUNY's benefits contribute significantly to total compensation, supporting health and wellness, financial well-being, and professional development. We offer a range of health plans, competitive retirement/pension benefits and savings plans, tuition waivers for CUNY graduate study and generous paid time off. Our staff also benefits from the extensive academic, arts, and athletic programs on our campuses and the opportunity to participate in a lively, diverse academic community in one of the greatest cities in the world.

HOW TO APPLY

Click on "Apply Now" below which will bring you to the registration screen. If you are a new user, you must register to apply. If you already have a user ID, please use your existing ID to apply. Please submit a cover letter and resume in Word or PDF format.

CLOSING DATE

January 26, 2026

JOB SEARCH CATEGORY

CUNY Job Posting: Managerial/Professional

EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY

CUNY encourages people with disabilities, minorities, veterans and women to apply. At CUNY, Italian Americans are also included among our protected groups. Applicants and employees will not be discriminated against on the basis of any legally protected category, including sexual orientation or gender identity. EEO/AA/Vet/Disability Employer.

Job ID

31521

Location

Graduate Center