Human Resources Specialist

CLOSING DATE: WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 2, 2026 AT 4:00 PM

HUMAN RESOURCES SPECIALIST - LOMPOC ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICE

FULL-TIME BENEFITS ELIGIBLE 78-HOURS BIWEEKLY

The Housing Authority of the County of Santa Barbara is seeking a highly organized, detail-oriented, and service-minded Human Resources Specialist to support a wide range of human resources programs and services. Under the direction of the Human Resources Manager, this position performs paraprofessional and advanced technical HR duties related to recruitment, employee relations, benefits administration, leave of absence management, HRIS administration, reporting, and confidential recordkeeping.

This is an excellent opportunity for an experienced HR professional who enjoys managing detailed processes, supporting employees and supervisors, and working in a fast-paced public agency environment. The ideal candidate will be proactive, accurate, dependable, and comfortable handling multiple priorities while maintaining confidentiality and providing excellent customer service.

Key Areas of Responsibility

Leave of Absence and Accommodation Support

A major focus of this position is the administration and tracking of employee leaves of absence, including FMLA, CFRA, ADA, Pregnancy Disability Leave, and other agency-specific leave programs. The Human Resources Specialist will help ensure timely communication with employees and supervisors, maintain accurate documentation, update HRIS records, coordinate reasonable accommodation requests, support the interactive process, assist with workers’ compensation claim submissions, respond to requests for information, and support return-to-work and light duty processes.

HRIS Management and Reporting

The Human Resources Specialist will play an important role in managing the Agency’s HRIS platform, ADP Workforce Now. Responsibilities include assisting with setup, implementation, ongoing maintenance, troubleshooting, data integrity, user support, and continuous improvement of HRIS processes. System modules may include Recruitment, Performance Management, Benefits Enrollment, ACA Compliance, and Employee Self Service.

This position also manages HRIS data to support internal and external reporting needs, including biweekly payroll-related reports, audit inquiries, RFP data requests, and other ad-hoc information needs.

 Recruitment and New Hire Orientation

This position is responsible for supporting full-cycle recruitment activities through the Agency’s HRIS, including creating and posting job requisitions, pre-screening applications, proctoring skills assessment tests, conducting background checks, preparing preliminary offer letters, coordinating interview schedules, and supporting recruitment timelines for department managers.

The Human Resources Specialist also coordinates pre-hire and onboarding logistics, including scheduling first-day orientation, ensuring laptops and system access are ordered and ready for initial login, and confirming onboarding tasks are completed.

Benefits, Employee Relations, and HR Support

Additional responsibilities include assisting with employee benefit programs, processing new hire enrollments, entering enrollment changes, supporting annual open enrollment, managing qualifying event changes, responding to employee benefit inquiries, and maintaining accurate and confidential benefits data in the HRIS.

The position also provides customer service to employees, supports positive employee relations, responds to inquiries, prepares correspondence and reports, assists with administrative decision-making, and provides clerical and project support to the Human Resources department.

Ideal Candidate

The ideal candidate will have knowledge of human resources principles and practices, applicable federal, state, and local laws related to workers’ compensation, ACA, and benefits administration, pre-employment and orientation processes, ADP Workforce Now, business writing, and excellent customer service practices. Public agency HR experience is a plus.

Successful candidates must be able to maintain confidentiality, coordinate employee orientation, assist with benefits enrollment, process reports and personnel action forms, coordinate recruitment exams and interviews, prepare and proofread documents, manage multiple priorities, work with minimal supervision, and communicate clearly and professionally.

Minimum Qualifications

Any combination of experience and training that would likely provide the required knowledge and abilities is qualifying. A typical way to obtain the required qualifications would include a bachelor’s or associate degree from an accredited college or university in human resources management, public administration, psychology, or a related field, and five years of progressive human resources experience. SHRM-CP certification is preferred or must be obtained within six months of employment. Must be proficient in ADP Workforce Now.

Working Conditions

This position works indoors in a climate-controlled office environment with moderate noise, frequent interruptions, public contact, and extended use of computer screens and office equipment. This is not a remote or hybrid position.

Additional Information

HASBARCO is considered a public district, and all employees are designated as disaster service workers. Signing the California Loyalty Oath and fulfilling its obligations is a condition of employment.

The Housing Authority of the County of Santa Barbara makes reasonable accommodation to the known physical or mental disabilities of otherwise qualified applicants or employees, unless such accommodations would impose an undue hardship on the operation of the Authority’s programs.

Employee Benefits

• 100% employer paid life policy worth 1-1/2 times the employee’s annual salary;
• Company paid retirement contribution of 12.5% of salary;
• Employer match up to 5% of salary in the voluntary 457 tax-deferred or ROTH retirement plan;
• Company paid Long Term Disability coverage for the employee;
• Voluntary medical, dental, and vision group insurance;
• Flexible Spending Account employer match up to the IRS limit.
• Step Salary Advancement: Salary advancement upon completing the provisional period and at one-year intervals thereafter.
• Vacation Leave: Accrued at 12-24 working days per year based on years of service.
• Sick Leave: Accrued at 12 working days per year.
• Holidays: Thirteen paid holidays per year.

The Housing Authority of the County of Santa Barbara makes reasonable accommodation to the known physical or mental disabilities of otherwise qualified applicants or employees, unless such accommodations would impose an undue hardship on the operation of the Authority’s programs.

AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER