HR Administrative Assistant Job Description for Recruiters

For recruiters, understanding the core responsibilities and essential skills of an HR administrative assistant is key to sourcing the best candidates for this pivotal position. This involves highlighting not only the vital tasks and qualifications but also the competencies that align with your company’s culture. In this guide, we will provide an insightful overview of what constitutes an effective HR administrative assistant job description, helping you to refine your recruitment process and attract the most competent professionals in the field.

What Is an HR Administrative Assistant?

An HR administrative assistant is a key support role within the human resources department, responsible for handling a diverse range of administrative tasks that facilitate the smooth operation of HR functions. This role typically involves maintaining employee records, preparing HR documents such as employment contracts and onboarding guides, and assisting with the recruitment process by scheduling interviews and managing job postings. Additionally, the HR administrative assistant often helps coordinate employee training sessions, meetings, and seminars, ensuring all logistics are in place and employees are informed. They also serve as a point of contact for employees regarding HR-related inquiries, providing necessary information or directing them to the appropriate resources. This position requires strong organizational skills, attention to detail, and the ability to handle sensitive information with discretion and confidentiality.

Where to Find an HR Administrative Assistant?

• Job boards and career sites: Post on general job boards (e.g., LinkedIn, Indeed, local job portals) with the accurate job description above.
• Specialized HR or administrative roles sites: Sites that focus on HR jobs or administrative/office support roles may yield more relevant candidates.
• Internal recruiting/HR team referrals: Ask current HR or administrative staff if they know of suitable candidates; employee referral programs often yield strong candidates.
• Professional networking (LinkedIn, local HR associations): Filter for “HR administrator,” “HR assistant,” and “HR operations support,” and connect with candidates.
• Staffing agencies or recruitment process outsourcing (RPO) firms: Especially effective if you need to hire quickly or want vetted candidates.
• Universities or colleges: Recent graduates with business administration/HR majors may make good entry-level HR administrative assistants; you can also offer internships.
• Social media/employer branding: Use your organization’s social media channels to highlight your HR team, growth opportunities, and post the role; this can help attract passive candidates.

HR Administrative Assistant Job Description

The HR Administrative Assistant supports the HR department in day-to-day operations, including data entry, record keeping, onboarding/offboarding coordination, employee communications, HRIS maintenance, and other administrative tasks. This person ensures that HR processes run smoothly and that employee requests are handled efficiently.

HR Administrative Assistant Responsibilities:

• Serve as the first point of contact for HR inquiries (via email, phone, or walk-in).
• Maintain HRIS / personnel files (electronic and physical), ensuring accuracy and confidentiality.
• Assist with recruitment logistics: posting job ads, coordinating interviews, and communicating with candidates.
• Support the onboarding process: preparing new-hire documents, scheduling orientation/training, and setting up equipment/access.
• Support offboarding by arranging exit interviews, collecting company property, and updating records.
• Process HR administrative tasks, including data payroll entry, benefits enrollment, and leave/attendance tracking.
• Generate standard HR reports (headcount, turnover, training completion) as required.
• Assist with payroll coordination, expense reimbursements, and other HR finance interactions.
• Maintain compliance: ensure records meet legal/regulatory requirements (e.g., labor law, data protection).
• Support HR projects and initiatives (employee engagement, wellness programs, and training logistics).
• Act as backup for general office administrative tasks (reception, supplies, vendor coordination) if required.

HR Administrative Assistant Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in HR, business administration, or a related field (or equivalent experience).
• 1–3 years of experience in HR or administrative support roles (preferably HR-administrative).
• Proficiency in HRIS systems and MS Office (Word, Excel, and PowerPoint), and the ability to learn new software.
• Understanding of basic HR procedures (onboarding, record keeping, recruitment logistics) is a plus.
• (If applicable) Familiarity with labor law in [your country/region], benefits administration, or payroll coordination.

HR Administrative Assistant Required Skills:

• Excellent organizational and time management skills; ability to handle multiple tasks.
• Strong communication skills (written and verbal), good interpersonal skills, and discretion/confidentiality.
• Attention to detail and accuracy.
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team.

Challenges in Hiring an HR Administrative Assistant

• High competition for administrative and HR talent
• Increased time and cost to hire
• Growing demand for digital and HRIS skills
• Candidate expectations for hybrid or flexible work
• Limited HR resources and process inefficiencies

How Much Does It Cost to Hire?

• Salary: In the United States, the average is approximately $44,541 per year, or about $21 per hour. Factors such as location, years of experience, education, and certifications can result in a salary ranging from about $37,000 to $58,000 annually in the U.S.
• The global average cost per hire in 2025: ~ US$4,683.
• Recruitment advertising & sourcing: job board fees, social media promotion, and recruiting agency, if used.
• Recruiter time and internal HR time: screening, interviewing, and administrative work.
• Onboarding costs: equipment preparation, training time, and supervisor/mentor time.
• Time-to-fill cost: while the role is vacant, productivity may drop, or other staff may absorb work. One article noted that unfilled roles cost organizations around US$500 per day of lost productivity.
• Training and ramp-up costs: typically, new hires need time before reaching full productivity.
• Turnover cost: if the hire leaves early, you incur these costs again.

Conclusion

Hiring a skilled HR administrative assistant is more than just filling an “assistant” role; it’s about finding someone who can effectively support the HR function, bring administrative excellence, and adapt to the evolving HR landscape (digital tools, hybrid work, HRIS). Given the competitive talent market in 2025, rising costs and time-to-hire, and increasing expectations for skills and flexibility, recruiters need to craft a clear job description, use diversified sourcing channels, streamline recruitment processes, and factor in total cost (not just salary). When done well, you’ll land a candidate who can free up the HR team to focus on strategic initiatives rather than admin backlog, adding real value to the organization.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What should I include in an “HR administrative assistant job description”?

A: You should include a position summary, key responsibilities (onboarding, record-keeping, recruitment support, HRIS maintenance), qualifications (education, experience, skills), competencies (attention to detail, confidentiality, communication), and performance metrics. Use the template above as a starting point.

Q: How many years of experience is appropriate for an HR administrative assistant role?

A: For many organizations, 1–3 years of HR or administrative support experience is sufficient, especially if the candidate shows learning capacity. If the role has more advanced responsibilities (HRIS, analytics, or recruitment coordination), you might prefer 3+ years of experience.

Q: How can I measure success after hiring an HR administrative assistant?

A: Set metrics such as time to complete onboarding tasks, accuracy of HR data/records, employee satisfaction with HR service (internal customers), reduction in backlog of HR administrative tasks, and maybe increased capacity of the HR team to focus on strategic work rather than repetitive tasks.

Q: Is it better to hire in-house or outsource the HR admin role?

A: It depends on your organization’s size, need for internal HR culture, confidentiality demands, and cost considerations. Outsourcing or using virtual assistants can reduce cost and ramp-up time, especially for smaller companies. However, having an in-house employee may provide better alignment with your HR team, deeper integration, and control over HR data/processes. Given the rising cost of hiring and talent competition in 2025, analyzing the cost-benefit is critical.