"Human Resources Consultant"

Advertised Job Summary

Are you passionate about supporting the academic mission of a dynamic and diverse college? Join the McCausland College of Arts and Sciences at the University of South Carolina—where a wide range of disciplines come together to advance learning, foster creativity, and drive impactful research. As the largest college at USC, we prepare individuals to thrive in a complex and changing world through critical inquiry and meaningful collaboration.

The Human Resources Consultant provides strategic and comprehensive operational human resources support across the McCausland College of Arts and Sciences. Reporting to the Associate Director of HR and Faculty Affairs, this position plays a critical role in ensuring continuity of HR operations, particularly for college units (departments, programs, institutes, centers, and museum) experiencing vacancies or extended absences.

The HR Consultant manages day-to-day HR functions for the Office of the Dean and serves as the primary point of contact for HR-related inquiries. The position manages the college-wide Employee Performance Management System (EPMS) review process and provides expert guidance on HR policies, procedures, and compliance. Additionally, the Consultant serves as the College’s I-9 Administrator, TL/ABS approver, Tuition Assistance Coordinator, and HR representative on search committees. This role is essential to supporting the College’s largest and most complex HR needs, ensuring consistency, compliance, and excellence in service delivery.

If you’re a dynamic HR professional who thrives in a collaborative, mission-driven environment and is ready to make a meaningful impact, we invite you to apply and become part of our journey.

Job Related Minimum Required Education and Experience

Requires a bachelor’s degree in a job related field and 2 or more years of job related experience, which may be substituted by an equivalent combination of job related certification, training, education, and/or experience.

Preferred Qualifications

Experience in higher education HR preferred.

Knowledge/Skills/Abilities

The HR Consultant must possess comprehensive knowledge of human resources principles and practices, including recruitment, classification, performance management, and organizational development. The role requires the ability to interpret and apply federal, state, and university HR policies and procedures with a high degree of accuracy and consistency. Strong analytical and problem-solving skills are essential, along with the capacity to assess HR issues and recommend sound solutions. The Consultant must demonstrate excellent interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to build relationships, advise diverse stakeholders, and convey complex information clearly and professionally. A proven ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines in a fast-paced, decentralized environment with minimal supervision is critical. Proficiency in HR systems such as PeopleAdmin, HCM PeopleSoft, and I-9 Advantage, as well as Microsoft Office applications, is expected. The Consultant must exercise sound judgment, maintain confidentiality in handling sensitive personnel matters, and demonstrate strong organizational and documentation skills.

Job Duties

• Serve as the HR Consultant and primary representative for College units experiencing HR vacancies or extended absences. Manage all HR actions related to hiring and reappointing FTE, research grant, time-limited, adjunct, and temporary staff positions. Initiate HR-related requests and submit HR actions to the College for review and approval on behalf of the unit, ensuring timely and accurate processing. Provide direct guidance to unit leadership and staff on HR matters to ensure compliance with federal, state, and University policies and procedures. (Essential Function: Yes, Percentage of Time: 20)
• Serve as interim HR Manager for units within the McCausland College of Arts and Sciences during periods of vacancy, extended leave, or other absences. Provide full-spectrum HR support to ensure continuity of operations and services at the college level. Responsibilities may include, but are not limited to: reviewing and approving position requests, position descriptions, job postings, and hiring proposals; reviewing and approving HR action requests and eforms; processing annual faculty actions in HCM (sabbaticals, leaves, promotions, administrative appointments, etc.); submitting faculty documentation to the Provost’s Office; drafting and sending letters; and attending meetings and maintaining detailed records. At the request of the Associate Director or Director, may provide assistance to the HR Managers in all of the above duties as needed. (Essential Function: Yes, Percentage of Time: 15)
• The HR Consultant operates under the strategic direction of the Associate Director of HR and Faculty Affairs and provides critical operational support to ensure efficient and effective HR practices within the College. Serves as the primary HR point of contact for the Office of the Dean, supporting the Associate Director of HR and Faculty Affairs by managing day-to-day HR operations and facilitating communication between the Dean’s Office and College-level supervisors. Provides guidance and assistance on HR-related inquiries and processes, ensuring compliance with institutional policies and procedures. Key responsibilities include initiating and completing hiring actions in PeopleAdmin for full-time equivalent (FTE) staff and faculty, temporary staff, temporary faculty, research grant positions, and time-limited positions. Initiates and approves HR actions, affiliate and dual appointments in HCM Peoplesoft on behalf of the Office of the Dean. Collaborates with International Services to support HR actions related to international employees and candidates. Prepares and issues offer and reappointment letters, maintains organized records through photocopying and filing, and conducts research to support the completion and submission of HR actions. Maintains and updates HR-related tracking spreadsheets and databases. (Essential Function: Yes, Percentage of Time: 20)
• Manage the annual and off-cycle Employee Performance Management System (EPMS) review process for all FTE staff within the McCausland College of Arts and Sciences. Responsibilities include receiving all EPMS reviews and planning stages, tracking submissions, following up with units on outstanding documents, and reviewing submissions for completeness and accuracy. Communicate any errors or required corrections to departments and coordinate timely updates. Approve finalized documents by securing the Dean’s signature and ensure submission to the university’s Employee Relations office by the annual deadline of February 1st or applicable off-cycle due dates. Coordinate with supervisors of new FTE staff to ensure EPMS planning stages are completed and submitted within the employees’ first 30 days. Maintain accurate records of all EPMS activities and serve as the college liaison to Employee Relations for performance management matters. (Essential Function: Yes, Percentage of Time: 15)
• Advise on organizational development and change management by assessing unit-level operations and identifying opportunities for improvement. Evaluate unit-level structures, workflows, and team dynamics to pinpoint strengths, performance gaps, and areas for growth. Collaborate with the HR Training Manager to develop tailored resources, tools, and training programs that address identified needs and support long-term unit development. Recommend targeted training, process enhancements, and strategic solutions to support long-term development and bridge gaps between unit needs and College HR capabilities. Facilitate networking and collaboration between units. (Essential Function: Yes, Percentage of Time: 10)
• Serve as the designated I-9 Administrator for the McCausland College of Arts and Sciences. Responsible for monitoring the I-9 Advantage system to track completion status and ensure that units across the College complete I-9s accurately and within the required timeframes. Provide guidance and follow-up with units as needed to maintain compliance with university and federal requirements. Serve as one of the Time/Labor and Absence Management (TL/ABS) approvers for the Office of the Dean. Act as the primary point of contact for questions or concerns related to the HCM TL/ABS system, providing guidance and support to ensure accurate and timely processing of time and absence records. Manage the tuition assistance process for the McCausland College of Arts and Sciences, serving as the College’s designated tuition assistance approver. Monitor the HCM PeopleSoft system for tuition assistance eForms routed to the College, coordinate with supervisors to obtain necessary approvals, and approve eForms on their behalf when appropriate. Ensure timely processing and compliance with University policies and procedures. (Essential Function: Yes, Percentage of Time: 10)
• Serve as the College’s HR or Affirmative Action Representative on search committees across the McCausland College of Arts and Sciences, providing guidance to ensure equitable, inclusive, and compliant hiring practices in accordance with University policies and federal regulations. Offer ongoing support and interpretation of HR policies and procedures to faculty and staff throughout the search process to promote consistency and adherence to institutional standards. (Essential Function: Yes, Percentage of Time: 5)
• Contribute to the overall success of the McCausland College of Arts and Sciences by performing all other duties and responsibilities as assigned. (Essential Function: Yes, Percentage of Time: 5)