What are the responsibilities and job description for the Human Resources Assistant position at The NY Institute for Special Education?
The New York Institute for Special Education is a landmark institution dedicated to empowering blind, low-vision, and special-needs students. Established in 1832 and located on a historic 17-acre campus in the Bronx, NYISE provides specialized on-site education for Pre-K through 12th-grade students. Our staff is the heart of our mission, and we are committed to maintaining a workplace that reflects the same care and excellence we provide to our students.
The HR Assistant provides essential administrative leadership to ensure the New York Institute for Special Education operates at peak efficiency. By managing the complexities of administrative logistics, records integrity, and benefits support, this role allows the HR department to remain responsive to our staff’s needs. Acting as a point of contact for employee inquiries, the HR Assistant serves as a vital bridge between institutional policy and the people who make our mission possible, upholding the highest standards of confidentiality and operational excellence.
The HR Assistant will make an impact in many areas, with responsibilities and duties including, but not limited to:
Onboarding & Talent Lifecycle
New Hire Orientation: Partner with the HR Generalist (and the HR Director if needed) to arrange onboarding for all new employees and provide comprehensive overviews of benefits, time-off/time-keeping policies, and Institute-wide procedures.
Contract Management: Assist with the annual contract/salary increase process and necessary paperwork, ensuring all documents are uploaded to ADP for distribution.
Digital Records Management: Maintain the integrity of the ADP Document Cloud by scanning and uploading essential personnel documents and maintaining organized digital folders. Continue to work towards a “paperless” Human Resource department.
Compliance & Regulatory Oversight
School Programs Management: Monitor and track specialized requirements for Readiness/Residential/Schermerhorn programs, including semi-annual physicals, training certifications, fingerprinting updates, and 5-year cycles for reference letters and "A-Series" packets.
Attendance Monitoring: Audit employee attendance records to ensure compliance with time-off policies and to identify trends that require management attention.
Employment Eligibility: Maintain and audit I-9 forms and supporting documentation to ensure continuous federal compliance.
Education, Knowledge, and Skills
Education: High School Diploma required; Associate’s Degree preferred.
Experience: 2 years of progressive experience in Human Resources or a high-level administrative role.
Technical Proficiency: Advanced knowledge of Microsoft Office Suite, Google Workspace, and ADP (or similar HRIS).
Compliance Expertise: Demonstrated understanding of HR best practices, labor laws, and confidentiality standards.
Attention to Detail: Exceptional ability to manage high volumes of documentation with a high degree of accuracy.
Interpersonal Skills: An enthusiastic and energetic professional who can work collaboratively across all departments.
Resilience: Ability to maintain a calm and professional demeanor in a fast-paced environment while managing multiple high-pressure priorities.
Communication: Strong written and verbal communication skills; ability to handle sensitive and confidential information with absolute discretion.
Our school began in a single-row home in Lower Manhattan and later moved to 9th Avenue and 34th Street. Nearly 100 years later, we opened in our present location on Pelham Parkway in the Bronx in 1924. Before the move, it had been renamed The New York Institute for the Education of the Blind.
In 1986, the Institute reaffirmed its mission of service to children and changed its charter to accept not only children with visual impairments but also children with emotional/learning needs and preschool children with developmental disabilities.
Now known as The New York Institute for Special Education, we offer programs to children ages 3 to 21 from the five boroughs of New York City, Long Island, Westchester, and counties in Upstate New York.
Salary : $45,000 - $47,750