Hiring Specialist
Springfield, IL, US, 62701
Job Requisition ID: 54038
Opening Date: 03/04/2026
Closing Date: 03/18/2026
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: 1
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.
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 reasonable within the scope of 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
Specialized Skills
- Requires two (2) years of professional experience conducting the end-to-end hiring process, facilitating meetings and open forum discussions, and developing interview questions for the State of Illinois
Preferred Qualifications
- Two (2) years of professional experience conducting the end-to-end hiring process, facilitating meetings and open forum discussions, and developing interview questions
- 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
- Working knowledge of hiring and employment policies and procedures such as those outlined in the Comprehensive Employment Plan (CEP) or comparable
- Two (2) years of professional experience evaluating applicant education and experience to determine eligibility for various position titles
- Two (2) years of experience conducting job interviews
- Two (2) years of professional experience establishing and revising position descriptions including the development of minimum and preferred qualifications
Conditions of Employment
- Requires a criminal history check through the Illinois State Police
- 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.
Illinois strives to be the best state in the nation to raise a family with young children and IDEC is committed to continue putting children and families center while reducing complexities and finding efficiencies in the system and advancing equity.
Work Hours: Monday - Friday 8:30am-5:00pm
Headquarter Location: 313 S 6th St, Springfield, Illinois, 62701
Work County: Sangamon
Agency Contact: Melissa Long
Email: dec.jobs@illinois.gov
Posting Group: Employee Services
This position [DOES] 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:
- donotreply@SIL-P1.ns2cloud.com
- systems@SIL-P1.ns2cloud.com
Nearest Major Market: Springfield