Inside Higher Ed is hiring: Human Resources Specialist in Chapel Hill

Overview

Join to apply for the Human Resources Specialist role at Inside Higher Ed.

Posting Open Date: 09/12/2025. Application Deadline: 09/22/2025. This is a Full-Time, Time-Limited (2 years) position with a hybrid work schedule in Chapel Hill, NC, within the Hussman School of Journalism and Media at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Responsibilities

The HR Specialist role delivers comprehensive human resources support across a wide range of functional areas. Key duties include:

• Manage a variety of appointment types, ensure compliance with institutional policies, and provide responsive service to internal clients.
• Oversee SHRA and EHRA student appointments, direct hire temporary SHRA appointments, and coordinate onboarding/tracking of unpaid visiting scholars, volunteers, and affiliates.
• Manage adjunct instructor appointments and salary administration, ensuring accuracy and timeliness.
• Serve as the Leave and TIM Administrator for the school and handle special employment requests and one-time payments.
• Provide administrative support for HR programs and initiatives.
• Provide programmatic support to the Senior Associate Dean for Academic and Faculty Affairs, including coordinating annual faculty workload plans and productivity reports; tracking appointment, reappointment, promotion and tenure actions; and maintaining records of faculty classroom observations.
• Assist with internal faculty leave notifications and serve as recruitment coordinator for permanent faculty searches; support full lifecycle of faculty hiring; assist with new faculty onboarding; maintain the Faculty Resources section on the intranet.
• Collaborate in a hybrid, data-driven, customer-focused work environment within the Hussman business office, reporting to the Human Resources Consultant.

Minimum Education and Experience

Bachelor’s degree; or equivalent combination of training and experience. All degrees must be from appropriately accredited institutions.

Required Qualifications, Competencies, and Experience

This role requires a proactive, detail-oriented professional who can navigate complex HR processes while supporting academic leadership and faculty needs. The candidate should demonstrate a commitment to service excellence in a dynamic academic environment. The following knowledge, skills, and abilities are expected:

• Ability to present information clearly in writing and verbally.
• Sound business judgment, discretion, tact, and diplomacy.
• Commitment to teamwork, information sharing, collaboration, and exceptional customer service.
• Ability to establish and maintain professional relationships with university administrators, faculty, staff, and students.
• Accuracy and attention to detail.
• Excellent time management, organizational, project management, and prioritization skills.
• Ability to adapt, follow through, complete tasks, resolve issues independently, and escalate when needed.
• Working knowledge of Microsoft Word, Excel, and Outlook.

Preferred Qualifications, Competencies, and Experience

The following qualifications are preferred:

• Willingness and ability to learn HR in a higher education setting and approach issues with a learning mindset.
• Experience supporting faculty appointment, reappointment, promotion and tenure processes in an academic institution.
• Ability to analyze situations and recommend actions under ambiguity and pressure.
• Experience with PeopleSoft, PeopleAdmin, LawLogix, and TIM.
• Experience creating PowerPoint presentations.

Special Instructions

Please apply online at https://unc.peopleadmin.com/postings/306485 and upload: CV/resume; a cover letter explaining interest in the position; and names and contact information for at least three professional references.

Notes

Seniority level: Entry level. Employment type: Full-time. Job function: Human Resources. Industry: Online Audio and Video Media.

For context, this description pertains to the UNC Hussman School of Journalism and Media and the School’s business office, which supports HR, finance, facilities, and operations.