Jobprofil

HR administrator (m/f/d)

HR administrators play a key role in numerous HR matters. Within the company, they take care of various administrative activities, starting with the onboarding of employees through to their departure at the end of their employment relationship. 
In this Hays job profile, we explain the tasks that HR administrators have, what skills and qualifications you should have and what salary HR administrators receive.  

Key Facts
hr administrator

Tasks

  • Administrative and managerial tasks such as maintaining personnel files or preparing employment contracts  

Education

  • Commercial training with further training or studies specialising in human resources 

Skills

  • Knowledge of payroll accounting, use of common tools and programmes, structured way of working and good communication skills 

Salary

  • Ø 46,700 € gross annual salary

Tasks

  • Administrative and managerial tasks such as maintaining personnel files or preparing employment contracts  

Education

  • Commercial training with further training or studies specialising in human resources 

Skills

  • Knowledge of payroll accounting, use of common tools and programmes, structured way of working and good communication skills 

Salary

  • Ø 46,700 € gross annual salary

  • For job seekers
  • For employers

Are you looking for HR Administrator jobs (m/f/d)?

As a personnel administrator, you will bring your expertise in the organisation of the administrative area of applicant management and in answering internal and external enquiries to a company. You can choose whether you want to work in the personnel services sector, the industrial sector or in many other sectors.

Are you looking for a Personnel Administrator (m/f/d)?

Do you need a personnel administrator who can use their expertise to take responsibility for the administrative side of your company? With specialised know-how in your sector, administrative knowledge and experience in personnel management, experts can take on a wide range of administrative and management tasks. We have the right candidates for you.

What is a HR administrator? Definition and overview

HR administrators work independently of a specific industry. They are responsible for the administration of a company. They take on administrative and clerical tasks and are involved in current HR projects for routine activities. 

HR administrators are in demand in all sectors and therefore have good prospects for responsible positions. The majority of HR administrator positions are offered in personnel service companies. Industrial companies, service companies, in the scientific and technical fields as well as in trade, banking and insurance are also looking for qualified HR administrators.  

A commercial apprenticeship with further training to become a HR administrator or HR manager is the ideal prerequisite for a quick start in a full-time or part-time position. Interested parties also have the best chances with a degree specializing in HR. Find out more about the https://www.hays.de/personaldienstleister/fachgebiet specialism in HR administration! 

HR administrator salary: a comprehensive overview

Das durchschnittliche Gehalt von Personalsacharbeitern in Deutschland liegt laut dem Hays HR-Gehaltsreport 2023 bei 46.700 € jährlich. 

Ein entscheidender Faktor für die Höhe des Verdiensts von Personalsachbearbeitern ist der höchste Bildungsabschluss. Personalsachbearbeiter mit einem abgeschlossenen Hochschulstudium erhalten einen deutlich höheren Verdienst. Außerdem hänt der Verdienst von Personalsachbearbeitern stark vom Standort ab. Dabei ist das Gehalt in Süddeutschland deutlich höher als im Norden. Die höchsten Gehälter können Personalsachbearbeitern in Baden-Württemberg erwarten, während der Verdienst in Sachsen am geringsten ausfällt. 

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The average salary of HR specialists in Germany is, according to the Hays HR Salary Report 2023 is €46,700 per year.  

A decisive factor for the level of earnings of HR administrators is the highest level of education. HR administrators with a university degree receive significantly higher earnings. The earnings of HR administrators also depend heavily on location. The salary is significantly higher in southern Germany than in the north. HR administrators in Baden-Württemberg can expect the highest salaries, while earnings are lowest in Saxony.  

Starting salary as a HR administrator: Junior HR administrator salary  

The starting salary as a personnel administrator and in the HR sector is generally rather below average. The starting salary of HR administrators with little professional experience is strongly dependent on the highest educational qualification and possible personnel responsibility.  

This is how HR specialists with a degree earn according to the Hays Salary Report 2023 on average €47,700. HR professionals who have completed a bachelor's degree earn an average of €53,800 and HR professionals who have completed a master's degree earn an average of €66,600.  

What does a HR administrator do? Tasks and Activities

A personnel administrator performs a wide range of administrative and management tasks.  

Among other things, HR administrators are responsible for maintaining and managing personnel files and taking care of payroll accounting for the company's employees. HR administrators can also be part of the administrative area of applicant management. The tasks of HR administrators also include supporting employees entering and leaving the organisation.  

In the area of HR administration, they are also responsible for preparing and supporting employment contracts, references and certificates for staff and the company. Competently responding to internal and external enquiries and current personnel projects is also part of the day-to-day work of a personnel administrator. Otherwise, the activities of a HR administrator include monitoring sickness and working hours and managing holiday entitlements. Coordinating training courses, business trips and further training are also part of a HR administrator's duties.  In many of these activities, HR administrators work in close collaboration with other HR specialists, such as personnel officers or recruiters.  

 

 Overview: Personnel Administrator Tasks 

  • Maintenance of personnel files 
  • Payroll accounting 
  • Organisation of the administrative area of applicant management
  • Answering internal and external enquiries 
  • Participation in current personnel projects 
  • Support when new employees join and leave the organisation 
  • Monitoring holiday entitlement, sick leave and working hours 
  • Coordination of training courses, business trips and further education 

  • Preparation and support of employment contracts, references and certificates for employees and companies  

 Overview: Personnel Administrator Tasks 

  • Maintenance of personnel files 
  • Payroll accounting 
  • Organisation of the administrative area of applicant management
  • Answering internal and external enquiries 
  • Participation in current personnel projects 
  • Support when new employees join and leave the organisation 
  • Monitoring holiday entitlement, sick leave and working hours 
  • Coordination of training courses, business trips and further education 

  • Preparation and support of employment contracts, references and certificates for employees and companies  

Junior Personnel Administrator Tasks  

Junior HR administrators are HR administrators with less than 5 years of professional experience. 

Here are some special features of the tasks of a junior HR administrator:  

  • are at the beginning of their career and are expanding their knowledge and expertise through various tasks in their day-to-day work  
  • carry out basic administrative and managerial tasks in which they can apply their knowledge and acquire new knowledge 

Senior Personnel Administrator Tasks 

Here are some special features of the tasks of a senior HR administrator:  

  • already have many years of experience and thus in-depth knowledge and expertise in the field of personnel administration 
  • carry out administrative and managerial e tasks that require more responsibility and knowledge, such as the coordination of training and further education programmes 
  • support and accompany junior personnel officers in various matters  

How do you become a personnel administrator? Training, studies & further education

There are various ways to enter the profession of HR administrator. Those interested can complete an apprenticeship in the commercial or administrative field and then complete further training to become a HR administrator. Another option is to complete a Bachelor's or Master's degree specialising in human resources. Even as a career changer in the field of human resources, with the right skills you have a promising chance of finding a job as an HR administrator and becoming successful.  

HR administrator training

Although there is no direct training to become a HR administrator, an apprenticeship is still a good starting point for learning the profession.  

Apprenticeships in the commercial or administrative field are the most suitable. Such apprenticeships normally last three years, but there is often the option of shortening the duration of the apprenticeship. To do this, the trainee must either perform exceptionally well during the training programme or already have knowledge from a similar training programme. After successfully completing the apprenticeship, graduates can opt for further training to become a personnel administrator. This builds on the basics already learnt during the apprenticeship. 

Further training as a personnel administrator 

Further training to become a personnel administrator is a popular and valued way to start a career as a personnel administrator. 

If you decide to do further training as a HR administrator, you have various options to choose from. The further education programme can be completed either part-time, full-time or as a distance learning course, either face-to-face or online.  

The duration of further training to become a HR administrator depends heavily on the chosen form of training. If you opt for a face-to-face HR administrator training course, this usually consists of seminars in the evening or at the weekend. With online HR administrator training, those interested learn independently from home with materials provided by the provider.  

Both types of further training for HR administrators are concluded with an examination, upon successful completion of which a certificate is issued.  

The general recognition of the certificate depends on the reputation of the provider, which is why you should choose the provider carefully. There are various providers on the market who offer different combinations of further training programmes. This allows interested parties to complete the appropriate further training programme for HR administrators according to their needs and circumstances. 

HR administrator studies

The academic path via a degree programme can also make a career as a HR administrator possible. While there is no direct HR administrator degree programme, there are still numerous degree programmes to choose from for a later career as an HR administrator. These include, for example, personnel management, human resources, psychology or business studies. 

One option is to complete a traditional full-tme degree programme in the field of HR, for example at a university. Universities of applied sciences often offer part-time degree programmes so that students can gain valuable practical experience during their studies. This allows you to stand out from other candidates when looking for HR administrator jobs. During your studies, you will gain comprehensive insights into various areas, such as business administration, HR management or labour law. After completing a degree in the field of human resources, you will have in-depth knowledge of the topics related to the job of HR administrator. 

Personnel administrator lateral entry

Lateral entry as a HR administrator or lateral entry in human resources is widespread, as the required skills are learnt in many different training courses and studies. Most HR administrators - lateral entrants originally come from the field of law. In this field, career changers have in-depth knowledge of labour and contract law, which is essential for preparing and supporting employment contracts and references.  

Many social scientists also venture into a career change to become an HR administrator. People from this field often have good analytical skills, which are very important for the tasks of a HR administrator. While a career change to HR administrator is possible without specific further training, further training to become an HR administrator is often recommended. In further training to become a personnel administrator, specific qualifications and skills are learnt which increase the chances of finding a job as a personnel administrator. 

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Skills of a personnel administrator

HR administrators form the interface between the concerns of employees and the administrative and management tasks that go hand in hand with this. In order to fulfil these tasks and requirements in the best possible way, HR administrators must have a wide range of both hard and soft skills.  

A strong knowledge of payroll accounting is important for working as a HR administrator. It is also important for HR administrators to have a good knowledge of accounting and controlling in order to carry out their daily tasks carefully and accurately. Experienced use of common Office applications (Word, Excel, Outlook), tools and programmes are further prerequisites for the job of HR administrator.  

Soft skills are also essential to be successful in the job of HR administrator. The soft skills that a good HR administrator should have include, for example, an affinity for structured and systematic work. This is important in order to demonstrate organisational talent even in hectic moments. You also need to have good time management skills to work in an organised and efficient manner between deadlines and appointments. In addition, the HR administrator is characterized by a high level of communication skills in order to communicate constructively and clearly with all parties involved.  

To summarise, HR administrators need the following soft and hard skills: 

  • Knowledge of payroll accounting
  • Knowledge in the field of accounting
  • Knowledge in the area of controlling
  • Experienced handling of tools and programmes
  • Structured and systematic way of working
  • Good time management
  • Strong communication skills

 HR administrator career: opportunities on the labour market

The Hays Skilled Labour Index shows that although the demand for HR specialists has fallen in the last two years, the jobs are still in high demand.

Are there different jobs and tasks in HR departments? 

If you want to work in human resources, you have various options when choosing a career. This is because there are many different areas of responsibility in HR departments. In large companies, for example, it is common for the following jobs to exist in the HR department in addition to HR administrators: 

  • Recruitment consultants: They take over the entire recruitment process of a company and advise on all personnel decisions. 
  • HR managers: They are responsible for the strategy, procedures and processes of the entire HR department and mediate between management, employees and the works council within the company. 
  • Personnel officer: As an all-rounder in human resources, they are responsible for covering personnel requirements and planning and implementing recruitment processes. They also ensure optimal working conditions for existing employees. 

Top vacancies for HR Administrator jobs throughout Germany

faq

What does a personnel officer do?

The tasks of HR administrators are wide-ranging and depend in part on the size and organisation of the company. In general, the activities of HR administrators include being responsible for the administrative area in companies of all economic sectors. They take on administrative and clerical tasks.

What does a personnel officer do?

The tasks of HR administrators are wide-ranging and depend in part on the size and organisation of the company. In general, the activities of HR administrators include being responsible for the administrative area in companies of all economic sectors. They take on administrative and clerical tasks.


What does a personnel administrator earn?

According to the Hays Salary Report 2023, the average salary for HR specialists is €46,700 per year and varies greatly depending on different factors. For the same position, the salary level is heavily dependent on the highest educational qualification. In addition, the earnings of HR administrators depend on the location of the company.

What does a personnel administrator earn?

According to the Hays Salary Report 2023, the average salary for HR specialists is €46,700 per year and varies greatly depending on different factors. For the same position, the salary level is heavily dependent on the highest educational qualification. In addition, the earnings of HR administrators depend on the location of the company.


What training do you need as a HR administrator?

Interested parties can complete an apprenticeship in the commercial or administrative field and then do further training to become a personnel officer. A degree course specializing in HR is also a good option. In addition, career changers with the right skills also have promising opportunities for a job as a HR administrator.

What training do you need as a HR administrator?

Interested parties can complete an apprenticeship in the commercial or administrative field and then do further training to become a personnel officer. A degree course specializing in HR is also a good option. In addition, career changers with the right skills also have promising opportunities for a job as a HR administrator.


What is the difference between a personnel officer and a HR administrator?

R officers work in personnel development and personnel administration and are responsible for managing the entry and exit of employees. HR administrators, on the other hand, are the point of contact for employees' administrative concerns, such as maintaining personnel files or answering questions about employment contracts.

What is the difference between a personnel officer and a HR administrator?

R officers work in personnel development and personnel administration and are responsible for managing the entry and exit of employees. HR administrators, on the other hand, are the point of contact for employees' administrative concerns, such as maintaining personnel files or answering questions about employment contracts.