Human Resources Specialist

Chicago Public Schools (CPS) is a district on the rise, serving over 325,000 students in 500+ schools and employing over 45,000 people, most of them teachers. CPS has set ambitious goals to ensure that every student, in every school and every neighborhood, has access to a world-class learning experience that prepares each for success in college, career, and civic life. Aligned with our transformed philosophy, we are steadfastly focused on ensuring that the District provides resources equitably to support every student, every school, and every community.

Six core values guide the work we do every day for our students – student-centered, whole child, equity, academic excellence, community partnership, and continuous learning. Each role in the district supports our vision that every student deserves a rigorous, joyful, and equitable learning experience.

The Talent Office supports and empowers employees through all stages of their Chicago Public Schools (CPS) careers, with the understanding that the department’s success enables employees to better serve the students of Chicago. The Human Resources team for the School Support function provides one-stop support for CPS school administrators for all HR-related needs, including discipline, guidance, timely assistance, and executive consultation.

Other efforts include improving online systems and ensuring seamless transitions from one school year to the next.

Reporting to the Manager of HR School Partners, the HR Specialist will provide Tier 1 customer service support, including answering calls, exercising independent judgment in the processing of all transactions related to staffing, including but not limited to new hire and rehire staffing, administrative and intra-unit transfers, retirements and resignations, layoffs and displacements. They will also evaluate employee applications to determine eligibility in line with established laws, policies, and procedures and work with team members to identify and operationalize process improvements related to their work.

The HR Specialist will adhere to three key goals:
1) delivering impeccable customer service,
2) speedy and accurate turnaround of all staffing transactions, and
3) working as a cross-trained, flexible, and cohesive team member. This is a full-time, exempt position that will be paid for time worked on a salary basis.

• Accurately complete activities related to employee staffing transactions, including staffing for new hires and rehires, transfers, promotions, demotions, retirements and resignations, layoffs, and displacements for all assigned networks.

  • Facilitate the referral process for all school-based staff, including determining lane and step placement based on union affiliation

  • Facilitate the completion of important licensure-related tasks, such as the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) RUSH, Short-Term Approval, and Emergency process, including reviewing and processing the forms, tracking requests and updates, communicating with ISBE and school administrators if credentials are deficient, and communicating to HRBP/HR Specialists once the certification has been issued

  • Conduct the ESP/PSRP layoff reviews for school networks

  • Facilitate Leave of Absence (LOA) displacements and Continual Pay forms for displacements

• Provide excellent customer service to Network- and school-based staff and leadership, including but not limited to:

  • Answering Tier 1 phone calls

  • Inputting and answering tickets into the SNOW system

  • Responding to routine queries related to staffing, policies, and procedures

  • Supporting customers using HR-related systems, including answering customer questions and participating in customer training

  • Managing incoming forms, faxes, and other documents from CPS employees

• Facilitate the hiring process for Summer School

  • Collaborate with summer school sites to assist in recruitment efforts

  • Validate hiring selections to align with contractual obligations

• Assist with updating job aids and HR Procedures Manual for new policies, practices, Collective Bargaining Agreements (CBAs), etc.; share any recommendations for process improvement with the HR Manager

• Attend and participate in regularly scheduled meetings with HR colleagues, including HR School Partners and other HR Specialists, to ensure the consistency of HR methodologies across the district, and to establish plans of action for all networks

• Other duties as assigned