Principal Human Resources Specialist

The State of Connecticut, Department of Administrative Services (DAS) has an exciting anticipated opportunity for a Principal Human Resources Specialist to lead a group of assigned agencies within the Workers' Compensation functional area. This is a full-time, 40 hours per week, Monday through Friday position that can be performed in a hybrid capacity. In this role, you will be responsible for the handling/processing of claims for assigned agencies requiring a thorough knowledge of workers’ compensation laws and claims processing.

The Role

• You will report directly to the Statewide Human Resources Program Manager for Workers’ Compensation;
• You will lead a team responsible for processing Workers’ Compensation claims for assigned agencies within the State of Connecticut;
• Ensure your staff is trained and developed to meet the goals and needs of the department;
• Meet with collective bargaining representatives to discuss their member’s workers compensation claims;
• Interact and coordinate with the State of CT Third Party Administrator;
• Run CORE-CT reports relative to workers’ compensation and OSHA recordkeeping;
• Have a working knowledge of Excel;
• Supervise your staff’s interaction with the Third Party Administrator, medical providers, attorneys, and Agency representatives to coordinate return to work for injured workers.

What We Can Offer You
Competitive starting salary, excellent State benefits package including health and dental insurance, generous paid time off, retirement plan options, alternate work schedule options, hybrid (office/telework) opportunities for some positions, professional development and tuition reimbursement, mentoring by experienced, licensed professionals, and a culture that promotes work-life balance!

To Apply:

• In order to be considered for this job opening, you must meet the Minimum Qualifications as listed on this job opening. You must specify your qualifications on your application.
• The minimum experience and training requirements must be met by the close date on the job opening, unless otherwise specified.
• Ensure that your application is complete and detailed before submitting it. In order to comply with Public Act 21-69, the State of Connecticut is no longer asking for resumes during the initial application process. You will not be able to make revisions once your application is submitted into the JobAps system.
• All application materials must be received by the recruiting agency by the time specified on the job opening for the position for which you are applying. Late applications may not be submitted and will not be considered. Exceptions are rare and limited to documented events that incapacitate a candidate during the entire duration of the job posting time period. It is the candidate’s obligation and responsibility to request an exception and provide a legally recognized justification to accommodate such exception. Requests should be made to DAS.SHRM@ct.gov.

Important Information After You Apply:

• This posting may require completion of additional referral questions (RQs). You can access these RQs via an email that will be sent to you after the posting's closing date or by visiting your JobAps Personal Status Board (Certification Questionnaires section). Your responses to these RQs must be submitted by the questionnaire's expiration date. Please regularly check your email and JobAps Personal Status Board for notifications. Please check your SPAM and/or Junk folders on a daily basis in the event an email provider places auto-notification emails in a user's spam.
• Although applicants will receive correspondence via email, as a backup they are also encouraged to sign on to their Personal Status Board on a daily basis to monitor their status, view all emailed notices and complete tasks required in the recruitment process.
• Note: At any point during the recruitment process, applicants may be required to submit additional documentation which support their qualification(s) for this position. These documents may include: a cover letter, resume, performance reviews, attendance records, supervisory references, licensure, etc., at the discretion of the hiring agency.
• Interviews will be limited to candidates whose experience and training most closely meet the requirements of the position.
• The immediate vacancy is listed above, however, applications to this recruitment may be used for future vacancies in this job class.

Connect With Us:

Due to the large volume of applications received, we are unable to provide confirmation of receipt or status during the recruitment process. Updates will be available through your JobAps portal account. Should you have any questions pertaining to this recruitment, please contact jennifer.neumann@ct.gov.

In the Department of Administrative Services (DAS), this class is accountable for acting as a working supervisor or for performing highly complex activities within a specialized service delivery team or a unit with statewide impact.

• Supervises and provides guidance over the work of a specialized service delivery team;
• Plans workflow and determines priorities;
• Proposes, formulates and implements policies and operational procedures, including changes that streamline human resources systems and take advantage of technology;
• Interprets, administers and ensures compliance with human resources, employment and equal opportunity laws, regulations, policies and procedures;
• Develops new job classifications and new job classification series and uses job evaluation systems and methodologies to evaluate jobs and set salaries;
• Evaluates team and provides guidance and assistance on complex issues;
• Conducts or assists in conducting performance evaluations;
• Communicates with agency human resources business partners, bargaining unit representatives and other stakeholders to ensures cooperative relationships;
• Provides training and development to team members and/or other staff;
• Conducts difficult recruitments involving high level positions;
• Advises administrative officials, managers and supervisors regarding policies and guidelines;
• Collaborates with administrative officials in strategic planning to ensure alignment of activities with organizational goals and strategies;
• Monitors and plans for emerging program needs;
• Analyzes and resolves complex situations and issues;
• Performs job audits, or other fact finding techniques, related to individual job classification and job classification studies;
• Prepares or directs preparation of reports, manuals and correspondence;
• Interprets and ensures adherence to collective bargaining agreements;
• Leads the processing of workers' compensation claims;
• Acts as a lead in such areas as leaves (e.g., family, medical, military), and tuition reimbursement;
  
• Serves as a project team leader on complex human resources projects involving the conduct of best practice research and the development and implementation of new systems, training initiatives and other projects with statewide impact;
• Performs related duties as required.

• Considerable knowledge of: human resources management and relevant state and federal laws, regulations, policies and procedures;
• Knowledge of: employment practices related to civil rights, equal employment opportunity, job classification, recruitment and selection, compensation and benefit programs, pay administration, workers compensation, human resources information systems and labor relations;
• Considerable: interpersonal skills, oral and written communication skills  and conflict resolution skills;
• Considerable ability to: supervise and lead team to accomplish goals and objectives; analyze and balance partners need with laws, regulations, policies, procedures and collective bargaining agreements;
• Ability to: strategically plan, including succession planning, and ability to apply innovative solutions to organizational problems and supervise.

Eight (8) years of professional experience in human resources or equal opportunity/affirmative action or labor relations management.

One (1) year of the General Experience must have been at the full working level in human resources management.  

For state employees, this is interpreted at or above the level of Human Resources Specialist, Human Resources Generalist 2 or Equal Employment Opportunity Specialist 2.

1. College training may be substituted for the General Experience on the basis of fifteen (15) semester hours equaling one half (1/2) year of experience to a maximum of four (4) years for a Bachelor's degree.
2. A Master's degree in human resources management, labor relations, business administration, public administration, or closely related field may be substituted for one (1) additional year of the General Experience.
3. A law degree may be substituted for two (2) additional years of the General Experience.
4. For state employees one (1) year as a Human Resources Specialist or Human Resources Generalist 2 may be substituted for the General and Special Experience.

• Previous supervisory experience managing personnel.
• Workers’ compensation experience in the capacity of claims processing/handling, attending hearings.
• Workers’ compensation experience in the capacity of working with a third party administrator or insurer.
• Experience communicating with Workers Compensation industry stakeholders.
• Experience with the process of returning injured workers to light or full duty.

1. Incumbents in this class may be required to travel.

2. Incumbents in this class may be required to possess and retain a valid Motor Vehicle Operator's license.

AN AFFIRMATIVE ACTION/EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

The State of Connecticut is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer and strongly encourages the applications of women, minorities, and persons with disabilities.