Policy And Compliance Specialist

Working Title: Policy and Compliance Specialist

State Role Title: Human Resource Analyst II

Position Type: Full-time Staff (Classified)

Position Status: Full-Time

College/Division: Human Resources, Training and Performance

Department: 100572 - AVP HR Training and Performance

Pay Rate: Pay Range

Specify Range or Amount: $57,000 - $61,851

Is this a JMU only position? No

Is this a grant-funded position? No

Is this a Conflict of Interest designated position? No

About JMU:

Mission

We are a community committed to preparing students to be educated and enlightened citizens who lead productive and meaningful lives.

Vision

To be the national model for the engaged university: engaged with ideas and the world.

Who We Are

Located in the heart of Virginia's beautiful Shenandoah Valley, the city of Harrisonburg is approximately 120 miles from Washington, D.C. and Richmond, VA. With a population of just over 53,000, Harrisonburg is one of the most diverse communities in the Commonwealth of Virginia. JMU is a selective, public institution with a growing national reputation for offering experiences that lead to an outstanding education and inclusive environment for students, faculty and staff. The student body includes approximately 20,000 undergraduate and 1,900 graduate students, with over 1,000 full-time instructional faculty.

JMU offers thriving programs in the liberal arts, science and technology, and professional disciplines at the undergraduate, master's and doctoral levels. The university is committed to expanding diversity, fostering equity and inclusion, and supporting superlative teaching and scholarship. JMU has achieved national recognition for the high quality of its academic programs, focus on maintaining strong student/faculty interaction, and innovative faculty research.

General Information:

The Policy and Compliance Specialist manages the policy functions for Human Resources (HR) and the larger university community and provides measurement and tracking of human resource program compliance.

The Policy and Compliance Specialist, under the supervision of the AVP, is responsible for the management of university-wide policies, and more detailed management of policies specific to Human Resources. The Policy and Compliance Specialist serves as an active member of the University Policy Committee (UPC) and is responsible for researching, drafting, and updating policies on a defined schedule or as needed to meet university needs and in accordance with federal and state legislation.

The Policy and Compliance Specialist has overall responsibility for tracking HR programmatic compliance impacting areas such as: employee relations, compensation, benefits, human resource programs, employment, personnel record-keeping, workers' compensation, and compliance with HR laws and regulations. In addition, the Policy and Compliance Specialist is specifically responsible for tracking new hire compliance training as part of workforce development.

Duties and Responsibilities:

University Policy Management

• Serves as a member of the University Policy Committee, attending meetings on a monthly basis.

• Uses discretion to research and draft policy modifications for all areas of the university to support the actions and recommendations of the UPC, as needed.

• Monitors and ensures timely updates of all policies in accordance with established policy review timelines.

• In conjunction with UPC members, compiles and publishes the UPC semi- annual report. This includes developing a listing of policy activity each semester, with a link to the modified policies, current status, and a summary of the changes that were made.

• Creates and distributes monthly UPC Agendas

• Maintains the Manual of Policies and Procedures website using Cascade

• Routinely updates the UPC SharePoint Site

• Communicates policy to wider JMU community as appropriate and in accordance with Policy 1000-Policy Management. Makes recommendations for community announcements, and publishes those announcements once they are approved.

• Utilizes and adjusts the current systematic approach to organizing, tracking and documenting policy changes to ensure quality and efficiency.

HR Policy Management

• Serves as the chair of the HR Policy Committee.

• Identifies HR policies that need to be updated and consults with stakeholders, management, staff and others to craft and update the policies.

• Identifies and corresponds with other organizations that have developed similar policies that serve as benchmarks for best practice.

• Serves as drafter, updater, and reviewer of HR policies.

• Works collaboratively with HR team leaders to ensure that policy and procedures are relevant, language and terminology is consistent, and understood.

• Communicates HR policy to the wider JMU community as appropriate and in accordance with Policy 1000-Policy Management.

• Undertakes ongoing HR policy reviews, ensuring necessary policies are legal and reflect best practices.

Compliance

• Tracks completion of required training for all newly-hired employees, follows up with them to ensure maximum compliance, reporting progress to AVP of HRTP on a regular basis.

• Designs and distributes annual reminders of required actions for each compliance training subject matter to all employees.

• Establishes an inventory of HR audit requirements and devises a way to track compliance of those requirements as a preventative measure in anticipation of audits.

• Identifies areas of HR compliance that need attention.

• Advises the HR Director and AVP of HRTP on statutes, rules, regulations, and policies affecting staff. Works with others to understand changes in regulations and laws affecting HR; recommends policy modifications.

• Supports HR by collecting and coordinating internal compliance-related data, sometimes with other departments, as needed.

• Provides audit data as requested by APA and internal auditors.

• Studies and identifies existing and new legislation related to HR and federal, state, and local legal requirements. Confers with and advises management on needed actions.

Qualifications:

Required Qualifications:

• Demonstrated experience and proficiency in verbal and written communication skills.

• Significant knowledge of grammar, spelling, punctuation, and formatting of business correspondences.

• Ability to effectively proofread written materials.

• Demonstrable policy-related experience.

• Ability to investigate and resolve work-related audit concerns.

• Understanding of office administration and protocol.

• Expert organizational ability, attention to detail, and time management skills.

• Ability to understand and maintain good data stewardship and confidentiality practices.

• Ability to work constructively with diverse individuals and groups.

• Strong interpersonal and customer service skills.

• Significant experience with Windows and the latest version of Microsoft Office Suite.

• General knowledge of computer software programs including: Adobe Acrobat and web-publishing software (Cascade preferred), SharePoint, and Microsoft Teams.

Preferred qualifications:

• Knowledge of human resource management, particularly related to policy and compliance.

• Knowledge of principles and practices related to HR.

• Knowledge of federal and state policies related to HR.

• Demonstrated experience developing policy.

• Proven experience developing policy.

Conditions of Employment:

Employment is contingent upon the successful completion of a criminal background check.

E-Verify Notice: After accepting employment, new hires are required to complete an I-9 form and present documentation of their identity and eligibility to work in the United States. James Madison University uses the E-Verify system to confirm identity and work authorization.

Additional Posting Information:

EEO Statement:

James Madison University is committed to creating and supporting a diverse and inclusive work and educational community that is free of all forms of discrimination. This institution does not tolerate discrimination or harassment on the basis of age, color, disability, gender identity or expression, genetic information, national origin, parental status, political affiliation, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation or veteran status.

We promote access, inclusion and diversity for all students, faculty, staff, constituents and programs, believing that these qualities are foundational components of an outstanding education in keeping with our mission. The university is interested in candidates whose experience and qualifications support an ongoing commitment to this core quality.

Anyone having questions concerning discrimination should contact the Office for Equal Opportunity: (540) 568-6991.

Reasonable Accommodation:

If you are an individual with a disability and need assistance searching or applying for jobs please contact us at (540) 568-3597 or jobs@jmu.edu. You may also visit the JMU Human Resource Office, located at 752 Ott Street, Harrisonburg, VA 22807 and we will be happy to assist you.