Assistant Human Resources Analyst

About the Department

Why join the City of Oakland’s Human Resources Management Department?
If you’re passionate about public service, equity, and building strong organizational foundations, the City of Oakland’s Human Resources Management Department offers an exciting opportunity. As an Assistant Human Resources Analyst, you may contribute to citywide recruitment efforts, develop and maintain job classifications, conduct compensation analysis, and partner with departments to ensure positions are structured and filled in alignment with Civil Service rules and best practices.

In this role, you’ll collaborate with stakeholders across the organization, apply analytical thinking to complex workforce challenges, and help ensure fair, transparent, and data-informed HR processes. Whether designing inclusive hiring strategies, conducting classification studies, or advising departments on organizational structure, your work will directly support a high-performing and representative workforce.

Join us and help build a more innovative, equitable, and community-driven Oakland — one position, one hire, and one solution at a time.

We are looking for someone who is: 

• Analytical and data-driven. You will work closely with client departments to collect job information to develop valid employment exams that ensure positions are properly classified.
• Creative! You will have the opportunity to develop innovative ways to assess applicant qualifications to ensure the best-qualified candidates are available for our hiring managers.
• Interested in learning and developing their career. In addition to the opportunity to work on special projects, you will have access to Race and Equity, supervisory, and other technical training. And, once a City employee, you enjoy hiring preference for all City jobs.  
• Customer-focused. The Human Resources Department prides itself on exceptional customer service. You will get a chance to enhance the entire organization by being customer-focused and exceeding expectations. 
• A strong relationship builder with excellent communication skills. You will have the opportunity to interface with many diverse client departments Library, Public Works, Police, Fire, Transportation, Housing, and Information Technology to name a few. With this, you will get to establish meaningful professional relationships and communicate with a variety of audiences. 
• Organized and results-driven. You will need to balance multiple assignments and priorities in a dynamic environment. Attention to detail is needed to ensure HR services are timely and accurately delivered. 

What you will typically be responsible for:

• Assisting with conducting job analyses; organizing and administering recruitment activities and employment assessments; analyzing selection results; and certifying eligible candidates to hiring departments in accordance with Civil Service rules and established procedures.
• Partnering with departments and stakeholders to develop workforce strategies, support talent pipelines, and improve recruitment and retention outcomes.
• Assisting with conducting classification and compensation studies; reviewing and evaluating job duties and organizational structures; drafting and revising classification specifications; preparing analytical reports; and making recommendations regarding appropriate classification and salary placement.
• Interpreting and applying Civil Service rules, Administrative Instructions, labor agreements, and HR policies to ensure fair, transparent, and defensible personnel practices.
• Actively participating in the Department’s and the City’s goals to advance racial equity, diversity, and inclusion across the workforce.

Read the complete job description by clicking this Assistant Human Resources Analyst

A few reasons you might love this job: 

• Your work will directly impact the City’s ability to deliver critical public services to a community with a rich, complex, and dynamic history. The positions you help structure and fill support everything from public safety to infrastructure to community programs.
• You’ll collaborate with talented professionals who care deeply about their work. Our team values thoughtful analysis, strong partnerships, and a supportive, collegial environment — and yes, we genuinely enjoy working together.
• You’ll expand your expertise in human resources and public administration. From recruitment to classification and compensation, you’ll gain hands-on experience in the technical and strategic aspects of municipal HR.
• No two days are the same. As a full-service City, Oakland offers constant variety, meaningful challenges, and opportunities to solve complex organizational issues that make a real difference.

A few challenges you might face in this job:

• Balancing competing priorities while delivering timely, high-quality service. Departments rely on HR to move critical work forward, often under tight timelines and shifting operational demands.
• Navigating complex rules, policies, and labor agreements. The City of Oakland operates in a unionized Civil Service environment, requiring careful interpretation and application of Civil Service rules, Administrative Instructions, and Memoranda of Understanding.
• Providing clear guidance in complex situations. You’ll advise departments and stakeholders on HR processes, classification and compensation matters, and recruitment procedures — translating technical requirements into practical solutions.
• Analyzing and resolving nuanced organizational issues. Classification studies, compensation reviews, and recruitment strategies often involve competing perspectives, incomplete information, and the need for defensible recommendations.

Competencies Required:

• Action & Results Focused (Taking Initiative) – Initiating tasks and focusing on accomplishment
• Adaptability – Responding positively to change and modifying behavior as the situation requires
• Attention to Detail – Focusing on the details of work content, work steps, and final work products
• Critical Thinking – Analytically and logically evaluating information, policies, and procedures
• Customer Focus – Attending to the needs and expectations of customers
• Delivering Results – Meeting organizational goals and customer expectations and making decisions that produce high-quality results by applying technical knowledge, analyzing problems, and calculating risks
• Innovative Problem Solving – Identifying and analyzing problems in order to propose resolutions and/or recommendations
• Learning Agility – Seeking learning opportunities and applying lessons to one's work
• Political & Organizational Savvy – Working skillfully with politics, procedures, and protocols across organizational levels and boundaries
• Professional Integrity & Ethics – Displaying honesty, adherence to principles, and personal accountability
• Strategic Thinking & Perspective – Evaluating immediate actions in the context of achieving long-range objectives 
• Teamwork – Building and maintaining professional relationships, collaborating with others to achieve shared goals 
• Valuing Diversity – Appreciating the benefits of varied backgrounds and cultures in the workplace

Minimum Qualifications

Any combination of education and experience that is equivalent to the following minimum qualifications may be acceptable.

License or Certificate / Other Requirements:

Incumbents in this classification may be required to travel to various locations to perform assigned duties and must be able to do so in a timely and reliable manner. A valid California driver’s license is required only when operating a vehicle is an essential function of the position.

Other Qualifications

The City of Oakland works with a Civil Service system. Applicants apply online, and HR staff reviews their experience, education, and training listed on the application against the “minimum qualifications” listed for each position. 

 What’s in it for you?

• Work/Life Balance: 37.5 hour work weeks, and a flexible/hybrid remote schedule
• 15 paid holidays 
• Vacation: 2 weeks per year minimum with the ability to accrue more depending on public sector years of service
• Retirement: CalPERS (California Public Employees’ Retirement System) with a pension formula of 2.5% @ 55 (for Classic CalPERS members) and 2% @ 62 for new CalPERS members. Classic Employees contribute 8% of pre-tax wages. The City of Oakland does not participate in Social Security 
• Health: The City of Oakland pays the full cost of employee and eligible dependent coverage at the Kaiser rate. Other plans include Anthem, Blue Shield, United Health Care, and other HMO and PPO plans 
• Dental: Delta Dental full premium for employees and eligible dependents 
• Vision: VSP full premium for employees and eligible dependents 
• Sick leave: Employees accrue 12 days per year
• Deferred Compensation: 457(b) pre-tax plan and an after-tax ROTH 401(k)plan
• Other benefits include a Flexible Spending Account, Wellness Program, Employee Assistance Program, Tuition Reimbursement, Life Insurance up to $200k & Employee Training.

*Benefits described herein do not represent a contract and may be changed without notice. Additional information can be found here:  Working for Oakland | City of Oakland, CA

Applicants are required to submit criminal history information upon request after receiving a conditional offer of employment. If the requested information is not furnished in a timely manner, applicants will not qualify for further consideration and will be removed from the eligible list.

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