Human Resources Specialist
National Geographic Society, Washington, District of Columbia, United States
How You’ll Contribute
The Human Resources (HR) team works to find, grow, and retain talent and build the NGS community by designing strategies that enhance employee culture. As the National Geographic Society (NGS) prepares for the landmark 2026 opening of the Museum of Exploration (MOE), the HR team is expanding to support a rapidly growing workforce.
Reporting to the Senior HR Business Partner (Sr. HRBP), the HR Specialist provides essential client support and tactical execution for the Campus & Experiences and Legal & Business Affairs divisions. This role serves as a foundational support to the Sr. HRBP, supporting a client base of approximately 350 employees. The Specialist handles day‑to‑day HR inquiries, manages the worker lifecycle in Workday, and assists with high‑impact projects that ensure the HR function is positioned to support a world‑class visitor‑centric operation.
Your Impact Responsibilities Include
Client Support & Operational Excellence (45%)
Communication Channel Management: Monitor activity coming through the dedicated HRBP email and Slack channel from staff within the C&E and Legal & Business Affairs divisions and provide support as appropriate.
Policy Guidance: Provide timely and accurate responses to standard inquiries regarding the interpretation and application of Human Resources policies and procedures.
Lifecycle Management: Manage Workday transactions for the full employee lifecycle, including promotions, job changes, anniversary tracking, contingent worker oversight, and temporary staff requests.
Onboarding & Offboarding: Coordinate introductory meetings, assist with the delivery of new hire orientations, and manage the end‑to‑end offboarding process, including conducting exit interviews and identifying and tracking organizational trends.
Compliance & Reporting: Accurately process unemployment claims and new hire DC reporting.
Strategic Support & Engagement (30%)
Leadership & Engagement Initiatives: Provide administrative and logistical support for HRBP divisional leadership programs and help coordinate intentional employee engagement activities, such as Connection Days and the HRBP Forum.
Retention Framework: Support the Sr. HRBP by executing a formalized stay & exit interview process for frontline staff to proactively identify and address concerns that may impact staff retention.
Summer Internship Program: Provide critical support to the organization’s Summer Internship Program, including school outreach, advertising through the Handshake platform, planning programmatic events, managing website updates, and acting as a liaison with Technology, Security, and Payroll teams. Manage the administrative lifecycle by entering positions in Workday and reviewing departmental requests.
Special Projects & Tactical Partnership (25%)
Sr. HRBP Partnership: Manage complex calendar logistics for the Sr. HRBP, including scheduling check‑ins, divisional introductions, and follow‑up communications post‑training or orientation.
Risk Mitigation & Support: Assist the Sr. HRBP with maintaining divisional documentation, help draft separation agreements for legal review, and serve as an on‑the‑ground point of contact to identify emerging team needs.
Presentation Development: Create high‑quality, professional slide decks and communications for leadership briefings, workshops (e.g., CliftonStrengths), and other reports.
Project Support: Support the Sr. HRBP with research for special projects and administrative tasks related to internal investigations.
What You’ll Bring Minimum Education Required:
Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Business, Sociology, Psychology, or a related field. Relevant military experience and training in personnel management, administration, or leadership may be considered in lieu of a degree.
Minimum Years And Type Of Experience:
3+ years of progressively successful experience in Human Resources or a related field, including experience as a military non‑commissioned officer (NCO) or officer with a focus on personnel actions, unit administration, or human capital.
Necessary Knowledge and Skills:
Ethical Mindset: Maintain strict confidentiality and demonstrate a strong ethical foundation regarding payroll, benefits, and sensitive employee data.
Communication & Urgency: Possess stellar organizational and interpersonal skills with the ability to work with a customer‑first mindset and a high sense of urgency.
Collaboration: Exhibit a highly collaborative spirit with the ability to serve as a representative for the HR team.
Regulatory Knowledge: Hold working knowledge of federal, state (DC), and local employment laws and regulations.
Desired Qualifications:
Technical Skills: Proficiency with HRMS platforms; Workday experience is highly desirable.
Problem Solving: Ability to solve a range of straightforward problems by analyzing solutions through standard procedures.
Operational Sector Experience: Prior experience supporting a non‑exempt, frontline, or visitor‑centric workforce.
Supervision No direct reports.
Salary Information The National Geographic Society offers a competitive and holistic total rewards package. The salary range for this position is $76,000.00 – $80,000.00, with compensation decisions dependent on organizational need, specific skill sets, experience, training, and certifications.
In addition, the organization offers a comprehensive benefits package that includes medical, dental, and vision insurance; a wellness program; 401(k) retirement savings with matching after 6 months; flexible paid time off (up to 22 days of paid annual leave, prorated for new hires in the first year, and 10 days of sick leave); 12 paid holidays and a paid winter break; paid parental leave, adoption and surrogacy expense reimbursement, fertility benefits; learning and development opportunities; lifestyle spending account; pet adoption assistance and insurance; pre‑tax transportation benefits; employer‑paid life insurance and disability benefit; and various National Geographic discounts and perks.
Job Designation Resident – The Resident category recognizes that certain staff need to be physically present at Base Camp to do their work. Resident staff may have to be on site daily or intermittently, depending on workload. Their schedule will be determined by their team and workflow, allowing flexibility to meet deadlines and cycles.
Candidates must be legally authorized to work in the United States. This position is not eligible for visa sponsorship.
#J-18808-Ljbffr
Reporting to the Senior HR Business Partner (Sr. HRBP), the HR Specialist provides essential client support and tactical execution for the Campus & Experiences and Legal & Business Affairs divisions. This role serves as a foundational support to the Sr. HRBP, supporting a client base of approximately 350 employees. The Specialist handles day‑to‑day HR inquiries, manages the worker lifecycle in Workday, and assists with high‑impact projects that ensure the HR function is positioned to support a world‑class visitor‑centric operation.
Your Impact Responsibilities Include
Client Support & Operational Excellence (45%)
Communication Channel Management: Monitor activity coming through the dedicated HRBP email and Slack channel from staff within the C&E and Legal & Business Affairs divisions and provide support as appropriate.
Policy Guidance: Provide timely and accurate responses to standard inquiries regarding the interpretation and application of Human Resources policies and procedures.
Lifecycle Management: Manage Workday transactions for the full employee lifecycle, including promotions, job changes, anniversary tracking, contingent worker oversight, and temporary staff requests.
Onboarding & Offboarding: Coordinate introductory meetings, assist with the delivery of new hire orientations, and manage the end‑to‑end offboarding process, including conducting exit interviews and identifying and tracking organizational trends.
Compliance & Reporting: Accurately process unemployment claims and new hire DC reporting.
Strategic Support & Engagement (30%)
Leadership & Engagement Initiatives: Provide administrative and logistical support for HRBP divisional leadership programs and help coordinate intentional employee engagement activities, such as Connection Days and the HRBP Forum.
Retention Framework: Support the Sr. HRBP by executing a formalized stay & exit interview process for frontline staff to proactively identify and address concerns that may impact staff retention.
Summer Internship Program: Provide critical support to the organization’s Summer Internship Program, including school outreach, advertising through the Handshake platform, planning programmatic events, managing website updates, and acting as a liaison with Technology, Security, and Payroll teams. Manage the administrative lifecycle by entering positions in Workday and reviewing departmental requests.
Special Projects & Tactical Partnership (25%)
Sr. HRBP Partnership: Manage complex calendar logistics for the Sr. HRBP, including scheduling check‑ins, divisional introductions, and follow‑up communications post‑training or orientation.
Risk Mitigation & Support: Assist the Sr. HRBP with maintaining divisional documentation, help draft separation agreements for legal review, and serve as an on‑the‑ground point of contact to identify emerging team needs.
Presentation Development: Create high‑quality, professional slide decks and communications for leadership briefings, workshops (e.g., CliftonStrengths), and other reports.
Project Support: Support the Sr. HRBP with research for special projects and administrative tasks related to internal investigations.
What You’ll Bring Minimum Education Required:
Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Business, Sociology, Psychology, or a related field. Relevant military experience and training in personnel management, administration, or leadership may be considered in lieu of a degree.
Minimum Years And Type Of Experience:
3+ years of progressively successful experience in Human Resources or a related field, including experience as a military non‑commissioned officer (NCO) or officer with a focus on personnel actions, unit administration, or human capital.
Necessary Knowledge and Skills:
Ethical Mindset: Maintain strict confidentiality and demonstrate a strong ethical foundation regarding payroll, benefits, and sensitive employee data.
Communication & Urgency: Possess stellar organizational and interpersonal skills with the ability to work with a customer‑first mindset and a high sense of urgency.
Collaboration: Exhibit a highly collaborative spirit with the ability to serve as a representative for the HR team.
Regulatory Knowledge: Hold working knowledge of federal, state (DC), and local employment laws and regulations.
Desired Qualifications:
Technical Skills: Proficiency with HRMS platforms; Workday experience is highly desirable.
Problem Solving: Ability to solve a range of straightforward problems by analyzing solutions through standard procedures.
Operational Sector Experience: Prior experience supporting a non‑exempt, frontline, or visitor‑centric workforce.
Supervision No direct reports.
Salary Information The National Geographic Society offers a competitive and holistic total rewards package. The salary range for this position is $76,000.00 – $80,000.00, with compensation decisions dependent on organizational need, specific skill sets, experience, training, and certifications.
In addition, the organization offers a comprehensive benefits package that includes medical, dental, and vision insurance; a wellness program; 401(k) retirement savings with matching after 6 months; flexible paid time off (up to 22 days of paid annual leave, prorated for new hires in the first year, and 10 days of sick leave); 12 paid holidays and a paid winter break; paid parental leave, adoption and surrogacy expense reimbursement, fertility benefits; learning and development opportunities; lifestyle spending account; pet adoption assistance and insurance; pre‑tax transportation benefits; employer‑paid life insurance and disability benefit; and various National Geographic discounts and perks.
Job Designation Resident – The Resident category recognizes that certain staff need to be physically present at Base Camp to do their work. Resident staff may have to be on site daily or intermittently, depending on workload. Their schedule will be determined by their team and workflow, allowing flexibility to meet deadlines and cycles.
Candidates must be legally authorized to work in the United States. This position is not eligible for visa sponsorship.
#J-18808-Ljbffr