People Operations Specialist

Employment Duration: 1 month (w/ potential for extension)

Under the direction of the Assistant Dean for Administration and Finance, the People Operations Specialist provides comprehensive human resources support to managers, supervisors, faculty, staff, and non-faculty academic appointees. The position serves as a trusted resource on University policies, employment practices, and HR programs while ensuring compliance with UCSF, University of California, and applicable federal and state regulations.

Responsibilities include advising employees and managers on leave administration, disability accommodations, Oracle transactions, performance management, recruitment, onboarding, offboarding, and payroll-related challenges. The People Operations Specialist collaborates with Academic Affairs, Disability Management Services, Employee Relations, and other central UCSF offices to resolve personnel matters, facilitate employment actions, and support a positive, inclusive, and compliant workplace. The role requires sound judgment, confidentiality, excellent communication skills, and the ability to manage multiple priorities in a complex academic healthcare environment.

Key Responsibilities

• Serve as the primary HR resource for managers, supervisors, faculty, staff, and non-faculty academic appointees.
• Provide guidance on employee relations, recruitment, onboarding, leave administration, performance management, policy interpretation, and compliance with University, state, and federal regulations.
• Coordinate recruitment activities for faculty, staff, and temporary employees, including Oracle transactions, job postings, interview scheduling, reference checks, and onboarding.
• Ensure appointments, reappointments, promotions, separations, and other employment actions are processed in a timely manner.
• Advise supervisors and employees on University policies, leave options, performance management, and employee relations matters.
• Assist managers and supervisors with Family and Medical Leave (FMLA), California Family Rights Act (CFRA), Pregnancy Disability Leave (PDL), military leave, and other leave requests.
• Partner with Disability Management Services (DMS) on reasonable accommodation requests and return-to-work processes.
• Ensure timely processing of appointments, stipends, additional compensation, and timekeeping.
• Resolve payroll discrepancies by working with UCPath, Shared Services, and department managers.
• Assist managers with performance management, corrective actions, and documentation.
• Maintain confidential personnel records and documentation.
• Prepare workforce reports as requested.
• Provide guidance to employees and supervisors on human resources policies, procedures, and employment practices.
• Respond to employee questions regarding benefits, leave of absence, payroll, timekeeping, and workplace policies.
• Assist employees in navigating University resources, including Employee Relations, Disability Management Services, Workers' Compensation, and the Faculty and Staff Assistance Program (FSAP).
• Educate employees and managers on HR processes, deadlines, and required documentation.
• Explain recruitment, onboarding, probationary periods, performance management, and separation processes.
• Support supervisors by interpreting HR policies and recommending appropriate courses of action for employee relations matters.
• Guide employees through payroll, timekeeping, and UCPath processes and assist in resolving payroll issues.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

N/A

Required Qualifications

• Three to five years of progressively responsible human resources experience, preferably in an academic, healthcare, or higher education environment.
• Interpersonal skills including verbal and written communication, active listening, critical thinking, persuasiveness, advising, and counseling skills.
• Ability to use discretion and maintain strict confidentiality.
• Strong skills in short-term planning, analysis, problem-solving, and customer service.
• Knowledge of financial analysis and reporting techniques and/or human resources policies and procedures for staff and academic employees.
• Ability to work independently while managing competing priorities in a fast-paced environment.
• Ability to proactively manage HR transactions to completion, initiating follow-up and escalating issues as needed.

Preferred Qualifications

• Thorough knowledge of University rules and regulations, processes, protocols, and procedures for budget, accounting and fund management, and/or personnel management.
• Knowledge of University of California and UCSF policies, procedures, and HR programs.
• Experience supporting faculty, staff, or academic personnel in a higher education or academic health setting.
• Familiarity with University of California personnel policies, collective bargaining agreements, and academic personnel processes.
• Experience with UCPath, PeopleSoft, Oracle, or other enterprise HR/payroll systems.