Human Resources Internship

About the Opportunity

The Human Resources Internship provides a student learner with a paid opportunity to develop knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs) in the comprehensive human resources function with an applied focus on the recruiting and onboarding of seasonal employees (talent) in advance of the summer assembly season at Chautauqua Institution. This student will use their education in Human Resources to attract and retain talent who will deliver on Chautauqua Institution’s long-term strategic vision (150 Forward). This student will join a team of HR-industry professionals providing an employee experience that defines Chautauqua as an ‘employer of choice.’ The Human Resources Internship is designed for students in a Human Resources degree program and recent college graduates interested in advancing their learning with early-career experience in Human Resources.

The Human Resources Department provides strategic leadership and cross-functional support for talent solutions at Chautauqua Institution, its subsidiary, the Chautauqua Hotel Company, at Chautauqua’s main campus in Western New York, for a satellite office located in Washington DC, and for a multistate distributed workforce. This internship is based on-site at Chautauqua Institution’s Main Campus in beautiful Southwestern New York, with the flexibility for occasional telecommuting (less than 10%) to the work location outside of summer operations. The Human Resources Internship reports to the Human Resources Generalist with regular guidance from the Human Resources Manager, Talent & Total Rewards, and Human Resources Manager, Employee Experience.

About Your Career Pathway

Successful candidates in this internship may qualify for a permanent career placement in Human Resources.   This internship also supports student membership and continuing education through the Society for Human Resources Management (SHRM).

About Your Compensation

The Human Resources Internship is a paid opportunity starting at $19.00/hour, and, with demonstrated experience or advanced education, candidates may earn up to $21.00/Hour.

About Your Work Schedule

The Human Resources Department typically offers a spring (January–May) internship, which can be part-time (25 hours/week) for current students or full-time (37.5 hours/week) for graduates or early career candidates. Summer internships (May–August) are also available full-time. All internships are flexible to the internship requirements of the college or university. Students accepting a spring internship can continue their learning if they have full-time availability in the summer. Generally, student learners work in the Human Resources Office during regular business hours, Monday- Friday, from 9:00 am-5:00 pm. The scheduling is flexible around pre-planned engagements for school or personal, as discussed during the interview process. Weekend availability is required, but required work on the weekends is limited.

About Your Work

Talent Recruitment

• Member of HR’s recruiting team responsible for launching internal and external seasonal recruitment on Chautauqua’s website and partner websites following the recruitment plan and goals.
• Learns and supports seasonal recruitment strategies and tactics to attract diverse and skilled talent for hundreds of seasonal opportunities across various arts, hospitality, recreation, and other industries.
• Interprets information and reporting to understand team progress to recruitment objectives/goals across the organization, by department, and requisition.
• Collaborates with HR Managers and Talent Managers to ensure talent pipelines for seasonal opportunities and responds to challenging and critical hiring needs that are constantly evolving.
• Contributes to recruitment efforts by publishing or closing opportunities and streamlining applicant flow to priority opportunities in partnership with talent managers with simultaneous hiring needs.
• Redistributes talent pools to ensure effective placement of qualified candidates to open opportunities during the seasonal hiring process regardless of the application(s) submitted by the candidate.
• Subject matter expert in UKG’s Recruiting Gateway, providing training and technical support to end-users externally (candidates) and internally (management or supervisors).
• Coordinates recruitment events and participation, conducts in-person and virtual recruitment activities, and advocates for management engagement in recruitment.
• Supports candidate attraction and recruitment in collaboration with professional networks in Chautauqua County and the surrounding regions and technology/vendor partnerships.
• Distributes digital recruitment materials to specific networks using external job search engines, social media, and collateral materials.
• Serves as a professional and enthusiastic HR resource for seasonal candidates by phone, email, at recruitment events, and in person in a busy office environment.

 Onboarding & Orientation

• Member of HR’s onboarding team responsible for the effective and successful onboarding of a high volume (1,600+) seasonal hires following the onboarding plan and goals.
• Learns and supports onboarding process and procedure to ensure an employee experience that aligns with culture and candidate expectations.
• Interprets information and reporting to understand team and individual progress to onboarding objectives and goals across the organization, by department, and requisition.
• Subject matter expert in UKG’s Onboarding Gateway, providing technical support to candidates navigating onboarding tasks, employment verification with I-9/E-Verify, online training, and submission of required documents/information in full compliance with federal and state labor laws.
• Demonstrate accuracy in completing data entry to ensure HRIS is a single source of truth for data and with a functional understanding of the correlation of this data to payroll and financial management.
• Uses UKG and HR resources/tools to track onboarding stages and milestones to ensure a positive employee experience and successful onboarding to productivity for employees and managers.
• Completes routine or assigned projects to maintain accurate and healthy data management, such as auditing, reporting, scanning, uploading files, processing terminations, and record-keeping in UKG.

About You

Education

• Pursuant of a Bachelor’s or Master’s Degree in Human Resources, Psychology, Industrial and Labor Relations, Business Administration, Communication Studies, or a closely related field is required.
• Students enrolled in a degree program or recent graduates pursuing voluntary experiential learning instead of a credited internship through college/university will be considered.

 Experience

• A minimum of 1-year experience in an office environment or non-profit setting is required; strong preference for candidates with prior internship or work experience in Human Resources.
• Preference for candidates with experience in hospitality, seasonal workforces, and Human Resources.

 Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Relationship building to support an employee experience for talent and to navigate relationships.
• Knowledge of Human Resources in business management and strategy, workforce planning and employment, development, compensation and benefits, employee and labor relations, and risk.
• Communication comprehension and expression to develop and present content, such as emails, procedures, processes, training materials, and surveys, and to maintain professional standards.
• Active listening and speaking to collaborate with and engage key stakeholders in designing and delivering a high value, integrated, end-to-end employment experience.
• Independent judgment to navigate complex circumstances, make recommendations, and resolve problems with an independent judgment that is consistent with the established culture, ethics, best practices, policy, procedure, regulation, and federal/state labor laws.
• Creative, innovative thinking and fluency of ideas to support initiatives and be a collaborator.
• Tech-savvy and data-driven for daily use of technology, such as a Human Resources Information System (HRIS), Learning Management System (LMS), and MS Office 365, including SharePoint/Teams.
• Analytical aptitude in gathering and analyzing information while maintaining neutrality.
• Project management skills to navigate multiple projects, complete cycle, simultaneously.
• A lifelong learner eager to grow professionally through educational workshops, publications, networks, organizations, and conferences.

About Chautauqua Institution   

Chautauqua Institution is a not-for-profit global convener of dialogue on the most significant issues of the day through engagement across four pillars: the arts, education, religion, and recreation. The Chautauqua community is located on the shores of Chautauqua Lake in southwestern New York State. It comes alive each summer with a unique mix of visual and performing arts, lectures, interfaith worship/programs, and recreational activities. Chautauqua Institution owns and operates Chautauqua Hotel Company, a comprehensive hotel, food and beverage, conferencing, and events organization. The Institution’s office in Washington, DC, is located strategically for an ongoing role in the cultural conversations of the nation.  

Discovering Your Chautauqua Experience  

Our talent will engage with our mission, vision, and diverse communities in countless ways, and you are invited to immerse yourself in our programming as a gateway to this experience. Employees will receive a traditional Chautauqua gate pass, free of cost, which provides access to many of our programs at the Amphitheater. In addition to a conventional gate pass, employees and their families will receive full access to our current and historical programs online at CHQ Assembly.     

Our Commitment to IDEA  

Chautauqua Institution values Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Accessibility (IDEA) as a priority in our strategic plan, 150 Forward. One of our five core values is “The dignity and contributions of all people.”  We are committed to creating conditions where everyone can engage as complete and valued participants in the Chautauqua experience. The Institution is an equal opportunity employer committed to equitable and inclusive hiring practices. Applicants will not be discriminated against based on any status protected under federal, state, or local law. We especially welcome applications from those who can demonstrate experience, engagement, and professional expertise in IDEA. 

Joining Our Talent Community  

Join our talent community online at CHQ.org/employment. You are encouraged to learn more about Chautauqua Institution at CHQ.org and view the 150 Forward Strategic Plan at 150fwd.CHQ.org.