HR Business Partner I
Job Description
The Human Resources Business Partner I (HRBP) serves as a strategic partner aligned with the College of Public Health and Health Professions (PHHP)'s missions in clinical care, education, research, and administration while ensuring compliance with applicable employment laws, university regulations, and internal policies. This position collaborates closely with departmental leadership, faculty, and staff to provide guidance on HR policies, procedures, and best practices that support operational and organizational goals. The HRBP supports and coordinates a broad range of human resources functions for the college and its departments, including talent management, employee relations, recruitment, compliance, workforce development, and HR operations.
Strategic HR Partnership
Serve as a strategic human resources expert and advisor to department HR administrators and partners providing communication, guidance and assistance to departments, faculty and staff regarding new and current HR policies, procedures, workforce planning, organizational development, compensation, compliance training, employee relations, and other personnel matters.
Participate in department meetings and planning sessions with department HR partners to align HR support with strategic priorities. Communicate new and updated policies and processes to ensure compliance with university and college expectations. In partnership with Department leadership, develop training plan for HR department hires and actively participate in onboarding and training as needed/requested.
Oversee department HR efforts, reviewing HR actions for policy alignment and compliance, and providing coaching and feedback to department administrators and HR partners.
Serve as college liaison with UFHR core departments, Academic Personnel, Payroll, Student Employment, the Graduate School, Employee Relations, the International Center, the Provost's Office, and other Core offices, as required.
Attend monthly UFHR Forum meeting (presented virtually). Actively engage in PHHP's monthly HR workshop, which is attended by all HR personnel within the College. Deliver or support workshops on relevant HR topics to strengthen knowledge and invite engagement with department HR partners.
Human Resources Operations
Provide guidance and serve as Level 1 approver for all recruitments including posting, letters of offer, hires, and distributions. Guidance may include posting requirements, recruitment questions, interviewing process, veteran's preference rules, foreign national requirements, background screenings, health assessments, work permits, reference checks, ad placements, search committee requirements, timelines, etc. Actively engage with department HR to ensure position descriptions, faculty posting flyers, and job ads are reflective of job duties/responsibilities and classified appropriately.
Serve as an administrative member of search committees, when requested. Activities may include attending search committee meetings, serving as note taker, providing guidance on HR policies and rules related to Florida's Government in the Sunshine, ensuring recruitment/retention requirements are met, etc.
Responsible for reviewing and approving all applicable letters of offer and/or appointment prior to issuance. Draft faculty letters of offer on behalf of department. Review HR paperwork for completion and correctness prior to uploading in UF's Human Resources management system. Confirm recruitments advertised through UF's posting system are dispensed appropriately.
Serve as Level 1 reviewer and approver for personnel actions including reclassifications, special pay increases (SPI's), FTE changes, administrative supplements, additional pays, position description updates, supervisor changes, leaves of absence, terminations and leave cash outs. Provide guidance to departments on classification, compensation, and position management matters, including salary analytics, equity considerations, and position description development, to ensure alignment with University policy, internal equity, and operational needs. Review supporting documentation for accuracy and completeness, coordinate required approvals, and manage transactions through PeopleSoft and related HR systems.
Review and approve various HR-related forms including nepotism agreements, Disclosure of Outside Activity forms (for applicable salary plans), and HR-600's for assigned departments. Secure required signatures/approvals. Track to ensure renewals are pre-approved timely.
Relationship Building & Employee Engagement
As Level 1 College HR, it is essential to build a relationship of trust and collegiality with our department HR colleagues. Foster an open line of communication with assigned departments. Initiate and maintain regular meetings to strengthen relationships. Provide guidance and training in various HR functions as needed and requested. Serve as back-up to departments when HR positions may be vacant to assist with timely HR needs, including but not limited to completing new hire paperwork or processing terminations. Ensure that departments are kept abreast regarding Human Resources topics to include training all departmental HR representatives on updated policies, formats, and guidelines.
Engage in Employee Relations (ER) conversations with department HR personnel, college employees, and/or UFHR ER partners, in conjunction with the Director of Human Resources, as needed and requested. Guide department administrators and/or supervisors through any corrective action options, if applicable, and ensure processes and paperwork are completed as required. Attend performance meetings if requested.
Serve as a trusted advisor and support leaders throughout the performance life-cycle, including performance management, goal-setting, feedback, employee development planning, and career growth conversations, when needed/requested. Support employees and supervisors in identifying short- and long-term professional development goals by facilitating career planning conversations, identifying growth opportunities, and connecting employees with relevant training and development resources.
Participate in conversations with employees, supervisors, and department HR partners regarding time and labor, payroll, absence management, leaves of absence, FMLA, and ADA related matters. Advise on applicable University policies, procedures, and compliance requirements. Function as the primary HR point of contact for departmental FMLA administration, including communicating with employees regarding leave expectations, work accommodations, work schedules (sporadic or reduced), and return-to-work processes. and lead HR representative for FMLA absences on behalf of the department. Engage with the employee, discuss absence plan (if complete) and/or work expectations (if reduced work schedule or sporadic leave), Ensure documentation is accurate and complete, audit time and leave reporting, and coordinate any applicable return-to-work medical release form(s). Partner with department HR to ensure all leave related processes are managed timely and compliantly.
Specialty Area Manager
These HR duties and responsibilities will be assigned to at least one member of the College HR team, based on expertise, workload, and the needs of the college. Each assigned specialty area manager will have a designated HRBP Lead responsible for primary oversight, coordination, and subject matter guidance, while other HRBP's provide support and coverage as needed to ensure continuity of operations and service.
a. Graduate Assistant Coordinator - Serve as College subject matter expert and primary resource for all Graduate Assistant (GA) questions and conversations throughout the College. Communicate new and updated policies and procedures to departments as appropriate and applicable. Run applicable reports and dispense to departments timely each semester. Ensure tuitions waivers processed appropriately. Send reminders to department partners of upcoming required evaluations.
Coordinate full cycle process for all Graduate School funded awards and fellowship programs (e.g. GSOA, Grinter, McKnight, McNair, and other internally and/or externally funded programs). This includes tracking appointments, tuition waiver processing, distribution monitoring, funding reconciliation, reporting, and compliance review.
Point person for PHHP's scholarship tracking system for awards funded through the Dean's Office, including all data entry, and running reports as requested. Prompt departments as deadline approaches to ensure timely entry of information. Remind departments to initiate distribution once hire approved and notify DO to update as needed.
Within the Dean's Office, responsible for prompting the appropriate program director for list of new DO Graduate Assistants, creating and issuing Letters of Appointment (LOA), scheduling appointments with GAs for onboarding purposes, and entering tuition waivers. Ensure hire completed in PeopleSoft, tuition waivers processed appropriately, and distribution entered accordingly. Remind supervisors as needed of upcoming required evaluations.
b. Immigration Compliance Manager - Serve as the college subject matter expert and strategic advisor on employment-based immigration matters impacting faculty, staff, postdoctoral associates, visiting scholars, and international students.
Partner with department leadership during recruitment and hiring discussions to assess immigration considerations, sponsorship feasibility, onboarding timelines, retention implications, and long-term workforce strategies related to international hires.
Provide consultation and guidance regarding employment-based visa classifications, work authorization requirements, international hiring practices, export control considerations, remote work limitations, reverification requirements, and compliance obligations in collaboration with UFHR Immigration Compliance Services (ICS), Fragomen (external attorney), UF International Center (UFIC), and other university offices.
Develop and deliver immigration-related training, guidance materials, workshops, and process resources to support departments navigating complex international hiring and employment matters.
Monitor immigration trends, policy updates, and regulatory changes that may impact workforce planning, recruitment strategy, employee retention, and college operations, and communicate relevant updates to departments and college leadership.
Maintain and oversee recurring immigration compliance reporting, including work authorization expiration monitoring and departmental follow-up coordination to proactively mitigate compliance risks.
Advise departments on international employee lifecycle considerations including recruitment, onboarding, employment continuity, visa transitions, leaves, travel implications, and retention planning.
c. HR Website Manager - Ensure the PHHP Human Resources website, SharePoint site, and related online resources remain accurate and up to date. Create, update, upload, organize, and maintain HR webpages, documents, forms, onboarding materials, training guides, and hire checklists in alignment with university and college policies, and accessibility requirements. Routinely review and audit HR webpages, links, forms, documents, and internal resources to identify outdated information, broken links, compliance issues, process gaps, and opportunities for operational improvement. Recommend and implement updates as appropriate to support effective communication and departmental HR operations.
d. Faculty Evaluative Processes - In conjunction with the Director of HR, serve as College point of contact for all faculty evaluative processes, including annual evaluations, mid-cycle reviews (MCR), promotion and tenure (P&T), and post-tenure review (PTR). This may include reviewing faculty packets, updating forms, scheduling meetings, etc. Engage with department representatives and/or applicable faculty to assist with navigating UF's Faculty Excellence and Advancement (FEA) system. Stay up to date on all applicable procedures related to each process. Attend all relevant University trainings and be prepared to lead or assist with internal meetings and trainings as necessary. Assist Director of HR with all tenure upon hire appointments.
Miscellaneous
Responsible for maintaining PHHP's Human Resources Database (HRDB), ensuring accuracy of data for tracking and report purposes.
Work in tandem with the other College HRBPs and provide cross-coverage support, as needed/requested.
Maintain College HR electronic and/or paper records (personnel, termination, and recruitment files), audit for mis-filed items, confirm records retention rules are followed, request disposal of files once allowable, and complete disposal. Ensure new hire welcome kit components are current and on hand; provide to departments upon request. Maintain College HR bulletin board.
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