People Services Generalist

About The Department

BSD HRO - Human Resources Operations

The Human Resources department within the Biological Sciences Division (BSD) of the University of Chicago provides HR support to BSD administrative and operational leaders for over 2400 staff employees in mission critical research positions. The Biological Sciences Division (BSD) is the largest unit of the University. Established in 1930, the BSD is comprised of faculty from the clinical and basic sciences.

In this unique academic community, a unified division delivers undergraduate, graduate, medical, and postgraduate education in the biological sciences together with outstanding patient care and world‑renowned research. The BSD currently includes approximately 135 faculty in the 10 basic science departments, over 800 faculty in 13 clinical departments, and 2400 staff members. The BSD includes the Pritzker School of Medicine (PSOM), approximately 24 academic units, degree‑granting committees, and research centers and institutes.

The BSD is located on the University’s main campus in Hyde Park, 20 minutes south of downtown Chicago.

The People Services Generalist (PSG) will report to the Associate Director of People Services and will support BSD departments. The PSG is a key member of the BSD HR team partnering with HR leaders to provide day‑to‑day support to a designated client group. The PSG will focus on activities related to BSD staff employment including, recruitment, onboarding and offboarding, attending off‑site career events, investigating pay discrepancies, generating HR reports, and organizing employee engagement activities.

All activities will be performed according to departmental, divisional and University HR goals. The incumbent functions with moderate autonomy, assuming responsibility for the oversight and coordination of many and diverse administrative responsibilities requiring a high degree of confidentiality, discretion, independent judgment, and initiative. The successful People Services Generalist builds credible relationships across the organization to help facilitate effective employee communications, problem solving and solution‑based outcomes.

Assists and/or owns special projects as needed and provides solutions to ongoing process/project improvement initiatives.

• Serves as a key resource to BSD staff and departmental administrators on all HR related matters ensuring HR services are provided in a timely and professional manner.
• Under a moderate level of guidance resolves HR administrative issues in consultation with appropriate University or BSD administrative offices such as Recruitment & Retention, Payroll, Employee and Labor Relations or Student Employment, communicating directly with all stakeholders to ensure issues are successfully resolved.
• Generates standing and ad‑hoc reports on compliance and HR metrics using Workday.
• Responsible for providing follow‑up on HR compliance reporting and tracking for the assigned unit.
• Coordinate work authorization efforts for designated unit by acting as a liaison to the Office of International Affairs, University Human Resources, and/or Payroll including but is not limited to running visa reports and owning visa applications by the direction of the Associate Director for People Services.
• Gain and maintain knowledge of University Human Resource policies and procedures as well as federal, state and local employment and labor laws, staying abreast of changes and implementing the changes into the day‑to‑day workflow.
• Coordinate HR activities supporting employee training, communication, engagement and wellness.
• Manages the full life cycle of Student Employment.
• Supports staff hiring processes, including developing job descriptions, interviewing and reference checking, handling employment offers, and conducting orientation. Drafts templates and routine offer letters. Maintains appropriate human resources data and records, solving a range of straightforward problems using standard procedures.
• Provides professional support to a unit's employee/labor relations efforts, including handling grievances, disciplinary warnings, and employee complaints.
• Performs other…