Hiring Specialist

Job Requisition ID: 49270
Closing Date: 09/02/2025
​Agency: Department of Early Childhood
Class Title: HUMAN RESOURCES SPECIALIST - 19693
Skill Option: None
Bilingual Option: None
Salary: Anticipated Starting Salary $6,589 monthly; Full Range $6,589 - $9,541 monthly
Job Type: Salaried
Category: Full Time
County: Sangamon
Number of Vacancies: 2
Bargaining Unit Code: RC062 Technical Employees, AFSCME
Merit Comp Code:

This position is a union position; therefore, provisions of the relevant collective bargaining agreement/labor contract apply to the filling of this position.

All applicants who want to be considered for this position MUST apply electronically through the illinois.jobs2web.com website. State of Illinois employees should click the link near the top left to apply through the SuccessFactors employee career portal.

Applications submitted via email or any paper manner (mail, fax, hand delivery) will not be considered.

Position Overview:

The Illinois Department of Early Childhood is seeking to hire a Hiring Specialist to join the Human Resources team responsible for building the structures and hiring processes at a new State Agency. This important role coordinates, organizes, and controls the operation of hiring processes including posting, applicant screening, interview scheduling, and selection, ensuring the efficiency and effectiveness of this essential function of the Human Resources Section. The successful candidate will have experience planning, executing, and evaluating hiring processes in compliance with state and federal laws and collective bargaining agreements in a fast-paced and collaborative environment. Apply today to join a team committed to making Illinois the best place in the nation to raise a family!

Illinois Department of Early Childhood offers a robust benefit package including:

• Monday-Friday schedule
• Health, life, vision, and dental insurance
• Paid Parental leave
• Pension Plan
• Deferred Compensation, and other pre-tax benefit programs
• Employees earn (12) paid sick days annually
• (10-25) paid vacation days (based on years of service)
• Employees earn (3) paid personal days (pro-rated based on start date)
• (13-14) paid state holidays annually

Work hours and schedule will be mutually agreed upon by supervisor during the onboarding process.

Why Work for Illinois?

Working with the State of Illinois is a testament to the values of compassion, equity, and dedication that define our state. Whether you’re helping to improve schools, protect our natural resources, or support families in need, you’re part of something bigger—something that touches the lives of every person who calls Illinois home.

No matter what state career you’re looking for, we offer jobs that fit your life and your schedule—flexible jobs that provide the gold standard of benefits. Our employees can take advantage of various avenues to advance their careers and realize their dreams. Our top-tier benefits and great retirement packages can help you build a rewarding career and lasting future with the State of Illinois.

Essential Functions

• Serves as a Human Resources Hiring Specialist within the Illinois Department of Early Childhood (IDEC).
• Receives, reviews, and approves/disapproves CMS required hiring paperwork.
• Serves as the statewide IDEC Position Expert and Interview Panel member.
• Interprets bargaining unit rules, personnel rules, and IDEC regulations to analyze and respond to internal and external requests to determine the type of hire, including new hires, promotions, bargaining unit hires and promotions, job assignments, and Upward Mobility.
• Prepares confidential written reports, statistical spreadsheets, and other correspondence involving staffing plans and employee candidate information, including confidential salary information.
• Conducts special projects/initiatives and related studies regarding hiring and transactions for continuous quality improvement purposes.

Performs other duties as required or assigned which are reasonably within the scope of the duties enumerated above

Minimum Qualifications

• Requires knowledge, skill, and mental development equivalent to completion of four (4) years of college.
• Requires two (2) years of professional human resources experience.

Preferred Qualifications

• Prefers working knowledge of the Personnel Code, Rules, Position Classification Plan, Pay Plan, Collective Bargaining Contracts, Federal Merit Standards, Equal Employment Opportunity Act, Civil Rights Act, and other related human resources policies, procedures, processes, and guidelines derived therefrom.
• Prefers working knowledge of hiring and employment policies and procedures such as those outlined in the Comprehensive Employment Plan (CEP) or comparable.
• Prefers two (2) years professional experience conducting the end-to-end hiring process, facilitating meeting and open forum discussions, and developing interview questions.
• Prefers two (2) years professional experience evaluating applicant education and experience to determine eligibility for various position titles.
• Prefers two (2) years of experience conducting job interviews.
• Prefers two (2) years professional experience establishing and revising position descriptions including the development of minimum and preferred qualifications.

Conditions of Employment

• Requires a criminal history check
• Requires the ability to work from the office regularly.
• Requires ability to travel in the performance of duties, with overnight stays as appropriate.
• Overtime is a condition of employment, and you may be requested or required/mandated to work overtime, including scheduled, unscheduled, or last-minute overtime. This requires the ability to work evenings and weekends.
• Requires ability to use agency-supplied equipment (e.g., laptop, monitor, personal computer, and work cell phone).

The conditions of employment listed here are incorporated and related to any of the job duties as listed in the job description.

About the Agency

The Illinois Department of Early Childhood (IDEC) was signed into law in June of 2024 with the focus of making early childhood education and care services simpler, better and fairer for families with young children across the state. During fiscal years FY25 and FY26, IDEC will be working through transitioning data, programs and services from three state agencies – the Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS), Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS), and the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE), – to IDEC in order to be fully operational by July 2026.

  Work Hours: Monday - Friday 8:30am-5:00pm
Work Location: 313 S 6th St Springfield, IL 62701-1805
Agency Contact: Sally McDaniel-Smith
Email: [email protected]
Phone #: 217-900-0865
Posting Group: Employee Services

This position [DOES NOT] contain “Specialized Skills” (as that term is used in CBAs).

APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS

Use the “Apply” button at the top right or bottom right of this posting to begin the application process.

If you are not already signed in, you will be prompted to do so. 

State employees should sign in to the career portal for State of Illinois employees – a link is available at the top left of the Illinois.jobs2web.com homepage in the blue ribbon.

Non-State employees should log in on the using the “View Profile” link in the top right of the Illinois.jobs2web.com homepage in the blue ribbon. If you have never before signed in, you will be prompted to create an account.

If you have questions about how to apply, please see the following resources:

State employees: Log in to the career portal for State employees and review the Internal Candidate Application Job Aid

Non-State employees: on Illinois.jobs2web.com – click “Application Procedures” in the footer of every page of the website.

The main form of communication will be through email. Please check your “junk mail”, “spam”, or “other” folder for communication(s) regarding any submitted application(s). You may receive emails from the following addresses:

• [email protected]
• [email protected]