HR Time, Pay and Operational Programs Specialist

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Overview

This position serves as an expert resource within HR Operational Services, responsible for owning and administering assigned time, pay, absence, accrual, and employee-lifecycle programs and processes. The role performs complex operational work involving confidential and management-sensitive employee, compensation, payroll, and employment information; applies established policies, procedures, contractual provisions, and business rules; and is accountable for the accuracy, controls, documentation, tools, training, and continuous improvement associated with its assigned portfolio.

The HR Time, Pay and Operational Programs Specialist operates with a high level of independence, judgment, discretion, and accountability in administering assigned programs and determining appropriate operational actions within established requirements and authority. The role recognizes matters requiring additional policy interpretation, employment review, labor or legal guidance, payroll action, or technical support; engages the appropriate decision owner; and remains responsible for coordinating and completing the resulting operational actions.

The HR Time, Pay and Operational Programs Specialist administers pay, time, absence, accrual, and employee-lifecycle processes that require discretion, detailed analysis, accurate calculation, and careful handling of employee information. The position independently analyzes employment history, schedules, earnings, time records, leave and accrual data, agreements, and supporting documentation to determine the appropriate operational action and complete authorized transactions under established policies, procedures, contractual provisions, and business rules.

Assignments include operational programs and responsibilities requiring access to confidential and management-sensitive information, including compensation, payroll, and employment information. These responsibilities include involuntary separations and related documentation, approved employment actions and time/pay exceptions, retroactive employment and pay changes, terminal vacation pay, phased retirement schedules, accrual adjustments, time-balance reviews, payroll-impacting corrections, and cyclical operational programs.

Success in the role requires sound judgment, discretion, numerical accuracy, strong organization and follow-through, and the ability to balance deadline-driven administration, detailed calculations, research, collaboration, training, and changing operational priorities.

1. Operational Program Ownership: Owns assigned time, pay, accrual, and employee-lifecycle operational programs and processes and serves as the primary HROS resource for the assigned portfolio. Maintains accountability for accurate, timely, and consistent administration; establishes and maintains appropriate operational practices within defined authority; and adapts assigned programs as requirements and service needs change.

2. Pay and Employee-Lifecycle Administration: Independently administers complex pay and employee-lifecycle actions, including separations, employment-status changes, pay-group assignments, phased retirement schedules, approved exceptions, and other authorized employment or pay updates. Reviews supporting documentation and effective dates, determines appropriate operational action within established requirements, completes required system actions, and coordinates related pay, time, benefits, and employee-record impacts.

3. Time, Absence, and Accrual Administration: Administers assigned time, absence, accrual, and balance processes. Reviews work schedules, service, eligibility, time records, accrual balances, carryover requirements, and prior activity; applies established requirements; and completes authorized adjustments, transfers, updates, and corrections.

4. Employee-Lifecycle and Time-Related Pay Calculations: Performs and validates detailed, multi-step calculations associated with terminal vacation pay, accrual-based payouts, retroactive employment or time changes, referral payments, and other assigned HR operational pay actions. Reviews service, work schedules, effective dates, contractual formulas, accrual periods, prior activity, and overlapping timeframes; documents the calculation methodology; reconciles results; and initiates or coordinates the authorized adjustment or payment through established processes.

5. Application of Time, Pay, and Employment Requirements: Independently applies established time, pay, absence, employment, and collective-bargaining requirements to complex operational circumstances. Determines the appropriate operational action when requirements are clear and recognizes when facts fall outside documented guidance or require policy interpretation, approval, or other specialized review.

6. Retroactive Employment and Pay Review: Researches and coordinates retroactive employment, pay, time, and accrual changes that may affect multiple HR processes. Collaborates across HR functions to reconstruct the relevant history, determine the required sequence of actions, evaluate downstream effects, obtain necessary decisions or information, and complete assigned corrections.

7. Quality Assurance and Record Accuracy: Reviews reports, records, calculations, and process results to identify discrepancies, duplicate or incomplete entries, control gaps, and recurring issues. Researches contributing factors, completes or coordinates appropriate corrections, and supports controls that promote accurate time, accrual, employee, and payroll records.

8. Research, Coordination, and Resolution: Investigates and resolves complex discrepancies involving pay, time, absence, accrual, and employee-lifecycle records within established authority by reviewing source documentation, system history, payroll results, and prior actions. Determines the appropriate operational response, collaborates when additional authority or expertise is required, communicates status and next steps, and follows through on resulting actions.

9. Process Guidance, Training, and Knowledge Maintenance: Serves as a functional resource for assigned programs and processes and provides guidance, training, and knowledge transfer to new and less-experienced staff to support accurate and consistent execution. Develops, maintains, and improves calculation tools, tracking tools, controls, procedures, job aids, training materials, and other resources necessary to administer assigned programs accurately and consistently. Within the assigned portfolio, identifies needed revisions to existing knowledge articles, opportunities for new articles, and content that should be retired, and coordinates with policy owners, subject-matter experts, and knowledge-management partners to validate and implement approved changes.

10. Operational Program Monitoring and Controls: Monitors assigned programs and processes for deadlines, exceptions, recurring issues, control failures, and operational risk. Determines appropriate corrective action within established authority and coordinates matters requiring additional employment, labor, payroll, policy, or technical review. Maintains accountability for operational follow-through and implementation of resulting actions.

11. Testing, Projects, and Process Improvement: Performs functional testing and participates in system changes, implementations, and operational projects. Analyzes recurring issues and develops practical recommendations to strengthen intake, calculations, controls, documentation, accuracy, efficiency, automation, and service delivery.

12. Cyclical Operations and Additional Responsibilities: Administers assigned cyclical time- and pay-related responsibilities and provides operational support during payroll, fiscal-year, merit, accrual, separation, and other recurring HR cycles. Provides coverage for other HROS operational responsibilities as needed based on business needs, workload, and staff availability. Assumes additional time, pay, or employee-lifecycle programs and performs other duties as assigned as HROS responsibilities evolve.

Required Skills and Abilities

1. Strong analytical and mathematical skills, with the ability to reconstruct records, perform accurate calculations, identify discrepancies, and determine appropriate operational action.

2. Working knowledge of time, absence, accrual, payroll, and employee-lifecycle processes, including the relationship between employment changes, balances, calculated results, and pay.

3. Demonstrated ability to understand and consistently apply established policies, procedures, collective bargaining agreements, and program rules while recognizing matters requiring interpretation, approval, or escalation.

4. Excellent attention to detail, organization, and follow-through, with the ability to manage pay-driven deadlines, cyclical workload, and multiple complex cases.

5. Strong problem-solving skills and sound judgment, including the ability to understand business-process sequencing and anticipate downstream operational and payroll impacts.

Preferred Skills and Abilities

1.Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to explain calculations and processes, document findings, and coordinate effectively with employees and partners.

2. Ability to identify trends and control gaps, maintain clear procedures, support testing and automation, and recommend practical process improvements.

3.High level of accountability, discretion, and adaptability, with the ability to provide functional leadership, guidance, and training within assigned programs without direct supervisory responsibility.

4.Experience administering pay, time, absence, accrual, or employee-lifecycle processes in a human resources, payroll, or centralized operations environment.

5.Demonstrated experience performing and validating detailed, multi-step calculations involving service, schedules, effective dates, contractual formulas, accrual periods, retroactivity, prior payments, and overlapping timeframes.

Principal Responsibilities

1. Leads a unit or function, including overseeing and coordinating projects or work processes, and distributes the work of a minimum of two full time employees. 2. Coordinates the work in a unit. Coordinates projects and work processes. Serves as a principle source of information to clients who have business with or interest in the units. 3. Serves as a principle source of information on specialized reproduction techniques and equipment problems. 4. Performs a range of reproduction functions; demonstrates reproduction processes to other staff and visitors. Collects, compiles and evaluates time and production data. Prepares reports. 5. Explains and describes use of specialized computerized digital conversion systems, scanners, imaging and camera equipment. 6. Operates computerized microfilm digital conversion systems, scanners, imaging, and camera equipment. 7. Maintains financial reports, reconciles accounts, and inputs/transfers data based on experience with current University Systems. Reviews accounting records for accuracy and reporting. Prepares reports. Determines methods and materials for production. 8. Reviews unit products for accuracy and completeness. Processes film according to archival standards. Converts materials to digital image. Sets up, tests, operates, disassembles, cleans, maintains, and repairs specialized equipment. 9. Provides client service and technical support related to the program or function. Ensures client and users are provided with appropriate and efficient assistance. 10. May perform other duties as assigned.

Required Education and Experience

Two years of related work experience in the same job family and a Bachelor's Degree in a related field; or an equivalent combination of education and experience.

Job Posting Date

10/08/2026

Job Category

Technician

Bargaining Unit

EXC

Compensation Grade

Labor Grade E

Compensation Grade Profile

Hourly Range

$35.64

Benefits

A general description of the benefits to be offered with this Clerical and Technical position is available at:

Yale Benefits

Time Type

Full time

Duration Type

Staff

Work Model

Hybrid

Background Check Requirements

All candidates for employment will be subject to pre-employment background screening for this position, which may include motor vehicle, DOT certification, drug testing and credit checks based on the position description and job requirements. All offers are contingent upon the successful completion of the background check. For additional information on the background check requirements and process visit "Learn about background checks" under the Applicant Support Resources section of Careers on the It's Your Yale website.

Health Requirements

Certain positions have associated health requirements based on specific job responsibilities. These may include vaccinations, tests, or examinations, as required by law, regulation, or university policy.

Posting Disclaimer

The hiring rate of a role is determined in accordance with the provisions outlined in the respective collective bargaining agreement.

The intent of this job description is to provide a representative summary of the essential functions that will be required of the position and should not be construed as a declaration of specific duties and responsibilities of the position. Employees will be assigned specific job-related duties through their hiring department.

The University is committed to basing judgments concerning the admission, education, and employment of individuals upon their qualifications and abilities and seeks to attract to its faculty, staff, and student body qualified persons from a broad range of backgrounds and perspectives. In accordance with this policy and as delineated by federal and Connecticut law, Yale does not discriminate in admissions, educational programs, or employment against any individual on account of that individual’s sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, race, color, national or ethnic origin, religion, age, disability, status as a special disabled veteran, veteran of the Vietnam era or other covered veteran.

Inquiries concerning Yale's Policy Against Discrimination and Harassment may be referred to the Office of Institutional Equity and Accessibility (OIEA).

Note

Yale University is a tobacco-free campus.

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