HR + Operations Specialist

About Disability Rights Advocates

Disability Rights Advocates (DRA) is a non-profit, disability rights legal center. We advance equal rights and opportunities for people with disabilities through high-impact litigation utilizing federal, state, and local disability law. With offices in New York, Chicago, and Berkeley, DRA fights for equal access resulting in dramatic improvements for people with disabilities in all areas of life, including: technology, healthcare, employment, transportation, education, voting, juvenile justice, and housing. With a high success rate for more than 30 years, DRA continues to take on significant and novel cases to achieve a meaningful impact for people with disabilities across the nation.

Position Overview

The HR and Operations Specialist is a new position that performs human resources operations and related payroll duties. This position also manages organization-wide office operations including information technology. This role will wear multiple hats: HR professional, national office manager, and IT liaison, performing key functions for the operations team at DRA.

The HR and Operations Specialist must have relevant human resources experience in benefits administration, legal compliance, personnel policy implementation, recruiting, performance evaluations, and onboarding/offboarding. This position will play a critical role in administering DRA’s Collective Bargaining Agreement, bringing experience working in a union environment. This position must also bring top skills in creating and implementing office workflows and IT support coordination across multiple offices. The ideal candidate is understanding, confident, diplomatic, detail-oriented, deadline-driven, an excellent writer and communicator, and able to manage multiple projects effectively.

This is a full-time exempt hybrid position based in our New York City office. This position is a part of DRA’s management team reporting to the COO.

Essential Responsibilities

Human Resources (HR)

• Develops, implements, and maintains HR policies and procedures (including the employee handbook and HR files) that align with the organization’s strategic goals, relevant laws and regulations, and the Collective Bargaining Agreement .
• Ensure that DRA complies with the CBA and engages effectively with its union (IFPTE Local 20).
• Manages the employee recruitment and hiring process.
• Manages employee onboarding, offboarding, and the annual performance review process.
• Fields issues regarding employee and Union relations; provides guidance and support to supervisors and employees on HR-related issues.
• Develops and maintains the organization’s emergency response policies and procedures.
• Administers all benefits plans, keeping abreast of benefit trends and relevant legal changes
• Maintains HR files including personnel folders for all employees.
• Acts as a staff liaison and advisor to DRA Board’s 401K Committee.
• Works closely with Staff Accountant to run semi-monthly payrolls accurately.
• Manages required payroll registrations for employees in multiple states.

Office Management

• Works across DRA’s three offices (Berkeley, New York, and Chicago) to ensure smooth, consistent operations for employees, staff and visitors.
• Creates and maintains office policies and protocol to align with the needs of physical offices in all DRA locations.
• Maintains DRA’s SharePoint intranet site as an up-to-date resource for staff information, sharing, and guidance.

Information Technology (IT)

• Liaises with IT service providers and vendors.
• Maintains up to date IT onboarding and offboarding documentation.
• Monitors DRA’s “IT troubleshooting” chat, escalating issues to IT providers and offering resources for employees as needed.
• Maintains passwords and staff access to all-office online accounts.

Other Duties as Assigned

Qualifications

• Minimum of 5 years of human resources experience, including benefits administration, personnel policy implementation, recruiting, onboarding and offboarding, with at least 3 years being an HR Generalist
• Experience working with a unionized workforce
• Experience working in an organization with multiple offices across the country to create consistent policies and procedures
• Strong understanding of HR best practices and employment laws and regulations
• Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite and online payroll and time-tracking systems; HRIS (human resource information systems) experience a plus
• Solid leadership skills and the ability to develop rapport across the organization
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills
• Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills
• Proven ability to identify, research, and implement solutions to human resources issues
• Ability to work independently, collaboratively, and responsively, and to prioritize tasks, meet deadlines, and manage projects
• Detail-oriented
• Ability to maintain confidentiality and act with discretion
• Commitment to the mission and values of the organization

Compensation and Benefits

DRA offers a competitive salary range of $110K-$130K with comprehensive top-tier benefits including medical, dental, and vision insurance with 100% paid employee premiums, 401(k) with company contribution, generous holiday and paid time off benefits, and additional health and commuter benefits.

How to Apply

Please send a resume, cover letter, and three references (at least two direct supervisors) to jobs@dralegal.org with “HR and Operations Specialist” as the subject.

We are reviewing applications on a rolling basis and will prioritize those submitted by February 10, 2025.

DRA is an equal opportunity employer and values a diverse workforce and inclusive culture.

DRA encourages applications from all qualified individuals and does not discriminate in employment opportunities or practices on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, age, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, marital or familial status, veteran status, disability, AIDS/HIV status, medical condition, or any other characteristic protected by law. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, leaves of absence, compensation, and training.

DRA is committed to providing access and reasonable accommodations for individuals with disabilities in all aspects of the employment process. If a reasonable accommodation is needed for the employment process, please contact hr@dralegal.org with the subject line “Accommodations Request.”