City of Kitchener Careers

Human Resources Divisional Assistant

Job Status:  Permanent Full-Time

Pay & Grade: $56,357 to $70,444   Annually Grade: 6

Hours of Work:35 Hours per week

Initial location: Kitchener City Hall

Posting period:March 13, 2025 to March 20, 2025 (at 6:00pm)

Overview

Reporting to the Director of Human Resources, the Divisional Assistant is a key player in our HR team. This role involves providing essential office, administrative, technical, and financial support to the entire HR division. The Divisional Assistant also ensures that both internal and external customers and stakeholders receive top-notch service, helping to create a positive and efficient work environment.

Responsibilities

Executive Administration:

• Provides confidential administrative support to the Director, Human Resources and Manager, Employee Relations & Recruitment (including scheduling and coordinating confidential meetings, calendar management, agenda preparation, correspondence, expense tracking and submissions etc.) Supports other management staff as required.
• Provides administrative support for other HR related working groups and committees as required, including scheduling and coordinating meetings, agenda preparation, correspondence and copying. (E.g. Labour Management Meetings, other).
• Works with Director and Senior Financial Analyst to prepare capital and operating budget submissions for the following year according to budget guidelines. Reviews accounts, variances and revenue projections; liaises with internal project leads on capital projects to prepare expenditure updates and proposed capital close-outs.

Office Administration:

• Provides administrative support to various HR division programs, services and related projects.
• Provides front-reception coverage, greeting visitors, directing guests, managing the main phone line for Human Resources, directing calls as appropriate, ensuring a clean and professional environment.
• Addresses and responds to inquiries/inbound calls from staff, members of the public, external stakeholders in a timely and professional manner. Monitors both Divisional Assistant email and general HR email inboxes.
• Liaises with other internal services as required to support the division including arranging phones, computers and office equipment for new staff, ordering business cards, office supplies and initiating facilities management requests for service.
• Maintains bookings for City Hall Learning Room, KOF Learning Room and Self-Directed Study Room.
• Coordinates divisional meetings (regular all-staff meeting, HR Management meetings); organizes rotating Chair responsibilities, books meeting rooms, prepares and distributes agenda.
• Supports planning and implementation of divisional and corporate-wide HR-led events.
• Drafts all HR related marketing material and communication including seasonal and event posters.
• Assists with research, report-writing and preparation and presentations as required.
• Administers and executes annual ‘Take Your Kids to Work Day’ event; promotes event to encourage participation, coordinates agenda and speakers, works with OD/Learning & Development team to ensure programming aligns with corporate goals.
• Updates Health and Safety posters, annually in Illustrator.
• Maintains records according to the records retention schedule for the HR shared drive electronically, respect in the workplace investigation records and training records.
• Coordinates information collection for FOI requests for records.

Technical Administration

Employee Relations/Recruitment/General:

• Updates and formats Collective Agreements with changes agreed to at bargaining. Arranges for printing, signing and distribution of Collective Agreements.
• Provides comprehensive administrative support during negotiations for collective agreements (schedules offsite meetings; ensures appropriate technology and tools are available, reconciles charges with Unions).
• Receives and tracks leave of absence requests for union executive members.  Ensure accurate records to support invoicing unions for time away in accordance with collective agreements.
• Maintains electronic files/databases for labour relations (e.g. grievance, disciplinary action and termination files).
• Maintains an up-to-date tracker of HR Policies; prepares and adheres to a schedule to update, coordinates the review of policies with subject matter experts and completes updates as directed. Prepares reports for update approvals at Council.
• Administers HR-related content on the City’s website [future: and digital assets, including LinkedIn, etc.]. Updates and maintains the HR section and all HR content on KHub.
• Supports other HR staff (e.g. Benefits team, Health & Safety, Recruitment) with administrative support during peak times such as seasonal staff hiring, special project implementations.

Health & Safety:

• Administers the safety footwear and prescription safety eyewear program. Responds to enquiries regarding footwear and glasses. Schedules hearing conservation tests; maintains records and distributes results.
• Schedules safety training sessions; maintains related calendar and records.

Learning & Development & Organizational Development:

• Supports the administration of the CapaCITY training program (e.g. catalogue preparation and development, training logistics such as booking hotel accommodations for speakers/facilitators and printing materials, opening learning rooms, administering parking passes)
• Administers financial transactions related to corporate learning programs (e.g. paying vendor invoices, billing-work areas back for missed attendance etc.).
• Prepares and/or processes various agreements and forms of paperwork such as training provider agreements for external facilitators, tuition assistance program applications, work from home agreements, and performance goal setting documentation from people leaders.
• Provides financial support by tracking transactions for HR-led events and programs funded through the learning reserves (e.g. people leadership events, corporate orientation, all-staff events, training programs, culture initiatives etc.)
• Supports talent development programs and other OD related programs such as corporate orientation. 
•   Performs other related duties as assigned.

Financial Responsibility:

• Reconciles all divisional VISA statements. Processes and reconciles petty cash reimbursements.
• Monitors employee timesheets and enters into PeopleSoft; tracks overtime, reconciles balances between timesheets & PeopleSoft at year end.
• Initiates vendor setup in SAP, compiles required documents; and administers a variety of payment types pertaining to the Human Resources division and its programs (e.g., payment requisitions, process payments under contract purchase orders).
• Processes purchases and payments up to $10,000; has signing authority for purchases and payments up to $3,000 per transaction
• Tracks, updates and maintains all Purchase Orders (PO’s) for the division.
• Processes invoices and chargeback fees to divisions for job postings, professional development, wellness, safety and volunteer courses. 
• Provides financial support and budget monitoring for all HR-led events (LEAD, Corporate Orientation, Wellness Fair, Main Event etc.).
• Prepares vendor contracts for approval.
• Prepares and processes divisional invoices, monitors Operating and Capital budgets; tracks budget expenses against actuals; researches any discrepancies and provides regular budget updates to the Director, Human Resources.
•   Performs other related duties as assigned.

Requirements

• Grade 12 Diploma plus up to 1-year post-secondary courses
• 1-2 years of related experience including senior level administrative support, minute taking, calendar management and financial reconciliation.
• Must be reliable with good attitude, attendance and employment record. 
• Exceptional communication (written and verbal) and customer-service skills.
• Excellent time management and organizational skills: ability to manage multiple conflicting and competing demands while meeting concrete deadlines.
• Expertise with Microsoft Office Suite; experience with other design tools (Adobe Suite) preferable.
• Independent and action-oriented: self-directed/self-starter with strong acumen for prioritizing, seeking direction when needed and delivering on tasks without constant oversight.
• Collaborative: service-orientated; seeks opportunities to support and add value to members of the team and others in the organization.
• Ability to research and organize information, provide context and analysis for review.
• Strong attention to detail and proofreading skills.
• Reliable with a good attitude and employment record.

Department/Division:Corporate Services, Human Resources

Group: Non-Union/Management

Competition Number: 2025-019

Job Code: 1208

Number of positions: 1

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