Torchora
Back to Home

Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for a Personnel Coordinator

💰 $45,000 - $65,000

Human ResourcesAdministrationCoordinator

🎯 Role Definition

A Personnel Coordinator, often called an HR Coordinator, serves as the organizational and administrative backbone of the Human Resources department. This individual is a pivotal first point of contact for employees, acting as a trusted resource for questions and guidance on a wide range of HR topics. More than just an administrator, the Personnel Coordinator is a guardian of the employee experience, ensuring that every stage of the employee lifecycle—from onboarding to offboarding—is handled with precision, empathy, and care. They are the meticulous organizers who manage critical employee data, ensure compliance with regulations, and support the broader strategic initiatives of the HR team, making them an indispensable partner in building and maintaining a thriving workplace culture.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

  • HR Assistant / Administrative Assistant
  • Recruiting Assistant or Coordinator
  • Office Manager with HR duties

Advancement To:

  • HR Generalist
  • Specialist (e.g., Benefits Specialist, Talent Acquisition Specialist, Compensation Analyst)
  • HR Business Partner (with further experience and development)

Lateral Moves:

  • Payroll Coordinator
  • Executive Assistant to a CHRO or HR Leader

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

  • Orchestrate the complete new hire onboarding process, from drafting and extending offer letters and initiating background checks to preparing new hire packets and leading engaging orientation sessions.
  • Serve as the primary administrator for the Human Resources Information System (HRIS), ensuring absolute accuracy and integrity of all employee data, including new hires, transfers, promotions, and terminations.
  • Act as the first line of support for employee inquiries, professionally and compassionately addressing questions related to benefits, payroll, company policies, and leave of absence procedures.
  • Manage and maintain all physical and digital employee personnel files, ensuring they are complete, up-to-date, and in strict compliance with federal, state, and local employment laws.
  • Coordinate the offboarding process for departing employees, including preparing separation paperwork, conducting exit interviews, and managing the return of company property.
  • Provide comprehensive administrative support for the annual benefits open enrollment process, including scheduling meetings, distributing materials, and assisting employees with their selections.
  • Process and track various employee leave requests, such as FMLA, disability, and personal leaves, ensuring proper documentation and communication with employees and managers.
  • Meticulously verify I-9 documentation and maintain records in accordance with federal regulations, conducting regular audits to ensure ongoing compliance.
  • Handle employment verification requests from external agencies, ensuring timely and accurate responses while maintaining employee confidentiality.
  • Assist in the administration of company-wide policies and procedures, helping to communicate updates and field initial questions from staff.
  • Manage the administrative side of workers' compensation claims, including initial reporting, follow-up, and maintaining necessary documentation.
  • Prepare and generate a variety of standard and ad-hoc HR reports on metrics such as headcount, turnover, and recruitment activity for departmental and leadership review.
  • Support the payroll process by verifying timesheet accuracy, processing employee data changes (e.g., new hires, salary adjustments), and resolving initial payroll discrepancies.

Secondary Functions

  • Assist the talent acquisition team with recruitment logistics, such as scheduling interviews across multiple calendars, communicating with candidates, and posting job descriptions on various career portals.
  • Provide administrative support for the performance management cycle, including tracking review completion, organizing calibration meetings, and maintaining performance documentation.
  • Contribute to employee engagement and culture initiatives by helping to plan and execute company events, recognition programs, and wellness activities.
  • Participate in HR compliance audits by gathering requested documentation and helping to identify and remediate any areas of non-compliance.
  • Support various HR projects and initiatives by conducting basic research, compiling data, and preparing presentation materials for the HR leadership team.
  • Assist in maintaining and updating content on the HR section of the company intranet to ensure employees have access to current information and resources.
  • Help coordinate and track participation in mandatory employee training programs, such as sexual harassment prevention or safety training.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

  • HRIS Proficiency: Hands-on experience with at least one major Human Resources Information System (e.g., Workday, ADP, SAP SuccessFactors, BambooHR) for data entry, management, and reporting.
  • Microsoft Office Suite Expertise: Advanced proficiency, particularly in MS Excel (for data tracking and reporting), Word (for document creation), and Outlook (for complex scheduling and communication).
  • Understanding of Labor Law: Foundational knowledge of key federal and state employment laws and regulations (e.g., FMLA, ADA, FLSA, EEO) to ensure administrative compliance.
  • Applicant Tracking System (ATS) Experience: Familiarity with using ATS platforms (e.g., Greenhouse, Lever, iCIMS) to support recruitment processes is highly valued.
  • Reporting & Data Analysis: The ability to pull data from HR systems and create clear, concise, and accurate reports to support decision-making.

Soft Skills

  • Unyielding Discretion: An absolute commitment to confidentiality and a deep understanding of the professional ethics required when handling sensitive and personal employee information.
  • Meticulous Attention to Detail: A sharp eye for accuracy is essential for managing data, processing paperwork, and ensuring compliance, leaving no room for error.
  • Exceptional Organizational Skills: The ability to expertly manage multiple competing priorities, tasks, and deadlines in a fast-paced environment without sacrificing quality.
  • Empathetic Communication: Strong interpersonal and communication skills (both written and verbal) to interact effectively and compassionately with employees at all levels of the organization.
  • Proactive Problem-Solving: The capacity to identify potential issues, troubleshoot administrative challenges, and know when to escalate more complex problems to senior HR staff.
  • Service-Oriented Mindset: A genuine desire to help and support others, viewing employees as internal customers and striving to provide an excellent service experience.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

  • A Bachelor's degree is typically required.

Preferred Education:

  • A Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field of study. Professional certifications (e.g., aPHR, SHRM-CP) are highly advantageous.

Relevant Fields of Study:

  • Human Resources Management
  • Business Administration
  • Psychology or Sociology

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range:

  • 2-4 years of progressive experience in an administrative role, with at least 1-2 years spent specifically within a Human Resources department.

Preferred:

  • Direct, hands-on experience in a fast-paced corporate environment managing onboarding, HRIS data entry, and benefits administration. Experience supporting a multi-state or global workforce is a significant plus.
Explore More Careers