Job ID: 52701
Location: Columbia, South Carolina
Employment Type: Direct Hire
Last Updated: 8 days ago
ABOUT SOUTHEAST CRESCENT REGIONAL COMMISSION (SCRC)
The Southeast Crescent Regional Commission (SCRC) is one of several federal regional commissions designed to address economic distress and regional inequality. It focuses on parts of six states: Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Virginia, covering hundreds of counties that often face persistent poverty and limited infrastructure. SCRC invests in the region’s economic future through a grant program, publishing research, and income producing learning experiences – all to help communities seize opportunities, address economic disparity and advance prosperity.
The SCRC primarily operates through grant programs, such as the State Economic and Infrastructure Development (SEID) program. These grants fund projects led by local governments, nonprofits, and other organizations. The
commission is governed by a federal co-chair (appointed by the President) and representatives from the participating states. It became fully operational in 2021 after leadership was established.
The SCRC plays an important role in reducing regional disparities, supporting long-term economic growth, and helping communities in the Southeast become more competitive and resilient.
MISSION
SCRC’s mission is to help create jobs, build communities, and improve the lives of those who reside in the 428 counties of the seven-state region.
To achieve this, SCRC works to:
- Create jobs and support business development
- Improve infrastructure (such as water systems, transportation, and broadband)
- Expand access to healthcare and essential services
- Strengthen workforce training and education opportunities
137 Total Projects
$53.34M SCRC Awards
$99.9M Matching Funds
$102.5M Total Project Costs
OUR FOCUS AREAS
Critical Infrastructure: Expanding water, sewer, and transportation systems. Over 40% of SEID grants target basic infrastructure.
Workforce Development: Preparing workers for high-demand careers through training programs and community college partnerships.
Business & Economic Growth: Supporting entrepreneurs with capital access, technical assistance, and catalytic
investment.
Health & Community Resilience: Expanding access to healthcare, housing, and environmental resources.
Households Impacted
149,222
Businesses Supported
4,033
Jobs Created
1,108
POSITION SUMMARY
The Human Resources and Administration Specialist will manage the full scope of Human Resources (HR) and administrative operations for SCRC — encompassing recruitment, onboarding, benefits administration, employee relations, compliance, office operations, and procurement support. The HR and Administration Specialist serves as the Commission’s primary HR resource, reporting directly to the Executive Director and functioning as a trusted operational partner across all departments. This is an operational role, not an executive role. This role provides hands-on operational leadership within the human resources space and functions to ensure the consistency, compliance, and integrity of people. This role implements practices that support a healthy and high-performing organization. As Commission staff, the HR and Administrative Specialist contributes to the development and refinement of HR policies, operational procedures, and internal controls while supporting collaboration across departments and serving as a reliable resource for staff at all levels. This position supports the people infrastructure that enables SCRC to responsibly steward federal investments advancing economic development, infrastructure, and workforce initiatives across the Southeast Crescent region.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
Human Resources Administration
- Manage day-to-day HR operations including onboarding, offboarding, employee recordkeeping, and benefits coordination.
- Serve as the primary point of contact for employee HR inquiries, providing policy guidance and directing staff to appropriate resources.
- Administer employee benefits programs, liaising with providers and ensuring employees are informed of available options and enrollment processes.
- Maintain and update the Employee Handbook and HR policy documentation, ensuring alignment with applicable requirements and Commission governance standards.
- Support compliance with applicable federal and state employment laws and regulations, identifying issues and escalating as appropriate.
- Coordinate and track required training, certifications, and compliance deadlines for Commission staff.
- Support the recruitment and hiring process, including posting positions, coordinating interviews,
- conducting background checks, and preparing offer documentation.
- Maintain organized and confidential personnel files and HR records in accordance with applicable retention requirements.
- Identify when issues or questions exceed the scope of this role and engage appropriate legal counsel, consultants, or external HR resources as needed
- Manage office supplies inventory, ensuring stock levels are maintained, and coordinate orders as necessary.
- Cooperate with outside vendors and service providers under contract, ensuring timely delivery of services and resolving any issues that arise.
- Coordinate and facilitate office meetings, events, and conferences, including logistics such as booking rooms, catering, and organizing materials.
- Serve as the main point of contact for office equipment maintenance and repairs, including printers and IT support coordination.
- Maintain and organize office documentation using SharePoint, ensuring that all important documents are properly stored, accessible, and up to date.
- Ensure office facilities are running efficiently, identifying any needs for improvement or repair and coordinating with vendors or internal teams to address them.
- Help identify and implement tools to streamline office management processes, including financial and grant management processes, improving overall operational efficiency.
- Assist directors with special projects as needed, providing administrative and logistical support, tracking project timelines, and ensuring deadlines are met.
- Support cross-departmental initiatives by coordinating resources, preparing documentation, and communicating with key stakeholders to ensure projects are on track.
- Provide basic SharePoint support to directors and staff, helping manage and organize shared resources and project-related documentation.
- Support the research, development, and integration of solutions to enhance efficiency and accuracy in project management, financial oversight, and grant management tasks.
- Serve as the primary point of contact for initiating and managing procurement processes, including Requests for Bids (RFB), Requests for Quotes (RFQ), and Requests for Proposals (RFP).
- Prepare and distribute procurement documents, ensuring compliance with internal policies and applicable requirements.
- Track and manage bid submissions, responses, and timelines, ensuring that all procurement processes are completed accurately and on schedule.
- Collaborate with directors and relevant stakeholders to define requirements, coordinate bid evaluations, and communicate results to vendors and internal teams.
- Ensure thorough documentation of the procurement process and maintain organized records for audit purposes.
- Research and leverage AI tools to enhance the procurement process, improving efficiency and accuracy in bid evaluation and document handling across financial and grant management processes.
Within the first 12 months, the HR and Administration Specialist will be expected to:
- Establish or refine HR policies and procedures aligned with Commission governance requirements and applicable employment law.
- Ensure all onboarding, offboarding, and benefits administration processes are documented, consistent, and functioning effectively.
- Build and maintain an organized, accessible system for personnel files and HR records.
- Serve as a reliable, responsive resource for staff on HR and operational questions.
- Support at least one procurement cycle from initiation through award documentation.
- Contribute to the identification and implementation of at least one AI-enabled operational improvement.
- Employees are expected to work collaboratively across departments and maintain a high level of professionalism when engaging with state partners, grantees, and federal agencies.
Education and Experience
- Associate’s degree in human resources, business administration, public administration, or a related field from an accredited institution, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
- Five (5) or more years of broad, generalist HR experience spanning multiple functional areas including recruitment, employee relations, benefits administration, compliance, onboarding, and HR operations.
- Demonstrated ability to function as a standalone HR resource — owning the full scope of HR responsibilities rather than operating within a specialized function or large HR department.
- Working knowledge of federal and state employment law, HR compliance requirements, and HR best practices across the employee lifecycle.
- Experience administering employee benefits programs, including enrollment, vendor coordination, and employee communication.
- Strong organizational skills with demonstrated ability to manage competing priorities, meet deadlines, and maintain accuracy under pressure.
- Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite, including SharePoint, Word, Excel, and Outlook.
- Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to communicate HR policies and guidance clearly to employees and leadership at all levels.
- Demonstrated ability to handle sensitive and confidential information with discretion, professionalism, and sound judgment.
- Demonstrated ability to work independently, take initiative, and make sound decisions with limited oversight in a small organization environment.
- PHR, SHRM-CP, or similar HR certification.
- Experience working in a government, nonprofit, or federally funded organization.
- Familiarity with procurement processes, including RFB, RFQ, and RFP administration.
- Experience with or demonstrated interest in AI-enabled tools and workflow automation.
- Experience supporting a small or growing organization through a period of operational development.
- Demonstrated ability to identify process inefficiencies and implement practical improvements.
The salary range for this position is $60,000 – $67,000. The Commission offers comprehensive benefits to complement the salary provided to staff.
TO APPLY
The position will remain open until August 10th at 5:00 p.m. Applications will be reviewed upon receipt by the FGP team. Candidates must meet the qualifications listed above to be considered.
Questions about the role may be directed to Emily James, Public Sector, Nonprofit, and Community Impact Staffing, at Ej****@*gp.com.
