Virtual HR Assistant
A Virtual HR Assistant (HR VA) runs the repeatable HR operations that slow teams down as you hire and grow. They manage recruiting coordination, onboarding administration, HRIS data hygiene, payroll prep support, and employee support tickets so your HR leader and managers stay focused on strategy, performance, and retention.
If HR admin lives in inboxes, calendars, and scattered docs, you do not have an HR function. You have HR chaos. An HR VA turns that chaos into a system.
What a Virtual HR Assistant Actually Does
A Virtual HR Assistant is an operations-focused remote professional who scales your HR function by owning the HR admin lifecycle, from candidate scheduling to HRIS data integrity. This frees HR leadership to build systems that improve retention, performance, and manager effectiveness.
Most companies use an HR VA in one of two ways:
Support for an HR Manager or People Lead
Your HR leader owns policy, decisions, employee relations, and strategy. The HR VA executes the operating system.HR Operations for Smaller Teams
Leadership makes the final decisions. The HR VA manages the workflows, documentation, and coordination that keeps HR stable.
Ad-hoc HR vs Process-Driven HR Ops Support
| Ad-hoc HR Ops (Typical) | Process-Driven HR Ops Support (With an HR VA) |
|---|---|
| Candidate comms and scheduling happen between other priorities | HR VA owns scheduling blocks, follow-ups, and ATS hygiene under your process |
| Onboarding steps vary by manager | HR VA runs a standard onboarding checklist and tracks completion |
| Files spread across inboxes and drives | HR VA centralizes documents and maintains naming/version control standards |
| Payroll prep depends on late submissions | HR VA collects inputs, flags exceptions, and routes approvals on a set cadence |
| Employee questions arrive via random channels | HR VA manages an HR inbox/helpdesk queue with templates and escalation rules |
| HR lead spends time chasing admin | HR lead spends more time on systems, coaching, and HR priorities |
Why This Role Matters When You Grow
Hiring already costs more than most teams admit. SHRM benchmarking puts average cost per hire at nearly $4,700, and that number grows fast when coordination breaks and time-to-fill drifts.
At the same time, Gartner has repeatedly ranked leader and manager development as a top HR priority, which only happens when HR teams stop drowning in administration.
An HR VA creates capacity for the work that actually moves outcomes.
Core Responsibilities
1. Recruiting Coordination (ATS + Scheduling)
Your HR VA owns coordination inside your ATS and calendar. They keep candidates moving and protect hiring speed.
They handle:
- job posting updates and requisition tracking
- ATS pipeline maintenance (stages, notes, tags, rejections)
- candidate communication, follow-ups, and interview confirmations
- interview scheduling, rescheduling, and calendar hygiene skills test distribution and reference request coordination
weekly reporting on pipeline volume and time-to-fill
Common tools: Greenhouse, Lever, Workable, Teamtailor, Jobvite, Google Workspace, Microsoft 365.
2. Onboarding and Offboarding (The Documentation Trail)
Your HR VA manages the documentation trail and keeps every step on schedule. They distribute, collect, file, and audit the records that protect your business and create a consistent employee experience.
They manage:
- offer letter distribution and signature chasing
- contract administration and document control
- NDA collection and policy acknowledgements
- onboarding checklists (accounts, equipment, training invites)
- onboarding schedules (week 1, 30/60/90-day check-ins)
- offboarding checklists (access removal requests, exit interview scheduling, documentation)
Your HR VA manages HR documentation end to end, from offer letters and onboarding checklists to role docs and offboarding paperwork.
3. HRIS and Employee Records
Your HR VA keeps your HRIS accurate and makes audits painless. They turn scattered records into a system.
They maintain:
- employee profiles, job titles, reporting lines, and manager assignments
- document storage rules and naming conventions
- PTO balances, leave records, and policy acknowledgements
- file hygiene so HR data stays current and searchable
They manage records in HRIS platforms like BambooHR, HiBob, Rippling, Gusto, Deel, and Workday, based on your access setup.
4. Payroll Prep and Benefits Support (Not Payroll Ownership)
Your HR VA prepares payroll inputs and forces completeness before payroll runs. They do not “own payroll.” They support the process so payroll stays clean.
They manage:
- timesheet collection and completeness checks
- missing approvals and exception chasing
- payroll input summaries and issue logs
- benefits administration coordination (forms, deadlines, confirmations)
5. L&D Admin and Performance Process Support
Your HR VA keeps development and reviews on schedule, then your HR lead uses the time saved to build the programs that actually improve manager quality (instead of spending the week scheduling them). Gartner has ranked leader and manager development as a top HR priority, and admin support is how HR creates the capacity to execute that work properly.
They coordinate:
- training invites, attendance tracking, and follow-ups
- learning logs and certification tracking
- performance review timelines, reminders, and completion reporting
6. Employee Support and HR Inbox (Helpdesk Style)
Your HR VA runs the HR inbox like a support queue and reduces repeat questions.
They manage:
- HR inbox triage, routing, and response templates
- policy reminders and onboarding instructions
- HR knowledge base updates (so answers scale)
- escalation rules for sensitive topics
What a Virtual HR Assistant Should NOT Own
HR is a control function. Your HR VA executes processes, but leadership owns decisions, compliance, and judgment calls.
Your HR VA should not:
- Give legal advice or interpret employment law
- Make hiring or firing decisions
- Handle employee relations cases without a defined escalation path
- Approve payroll changes without an approval workflow
- Access sensitive systems without least-privilege permissions
Skills and Tools to Require (Non-Negotiables)
A strong HR VA does not “help with admin.” They run processes with discipline.
Minimum requirements:
- HRIS hygiene and data accuracy
- ATS coordination and scheduling speed
- strong written communication for candidates and employees
- confidentiality habits and clean documentation
- spreadsheet competence (filters, pivots, basic reporting)
High-leverage advantages:
- KPI reporting: time-to-fill, onboarding completion rate, HR inbox response times
- SOP writing and checklist building
- experience supporting remote teams across time zones
- familiarity with FTE planning, headcount reporting, and workforce planning basics
Security, Permissions, and HR Data Control
Treat HR like finance. Build controls from day one. Your HR VA should operate inside a permissioned system with clear approvals, audit trails, and documented SOPs.
Best-practice controls:
- role-based access (least privilege) inside HRIS and ATS
- a dedicated HR inbox with routing and auditability
- approvals for payroll inputs and contract changes
- documented SOPs for onboarding and offboarding
- audit logs where available
Limit access, require approvals for changes, and keep audit logs wherever possible to reduce HR data risk.
When Hiring a Virtual HR Assistant Makes Sense
This role fits when:
- Interview scheduling becomes a bottleneck
- Onboarding feels inconsistent, and managers improvise
- HR documents live in inboxes, not a system
- Your HR leader spends too much time on admin
- You need HR coverage across time zones
Common early adopters:
- Agencies and professional services
- Healthcare admin teams
- eCommerce and operations-heavy businesses
- SaaS and recruiting-heavy teams
How Aristo Sourcing Helps You Hire the Right HR VA
Most companies do not need more HR advice. They need someone who runs the operating system consistently.
We help you hire an HR VA who:
- executes workflows inside your tools (HRIS, ATS, inbox, docs)
- follows SOPs and approval workflows
- keeps employee records accurate and audit-ready
- communicates clearly with candidates and employees
Frequently Asked Questions
A Virtual HR Assistant is a remote HR operations professional who manages the administrative HR lifecycle. Virtual HR Assistants handle candidate scheduling, onboarding, HRIS data accuracy, and documentation. Virtual HR Assistants reduce administrative load and allow HR leaders to focus on strategy, performance management, and retention.
Recruiting coordination, onboarding checklists, HRIS cleanup, and managing the HR inbox should be delegated first to a Virtual HR Assistant. These tasks save time immediately and reduce compliance errors.
A Virtual HR Assistant prepares payroll inputs, gathers timesheets, and follows up on approvals. Payroll execution and approval must remain with the payroll owner or provider.
A Virtual HR Assistant must know HRIS and ATS systems such as BambooHR, HiBob, Greenhouse, or Workable. Additional tools include Google Workspace, Microsoft 365, and task systems like ClickUp or Asana.
Confidentiality is protected by using least-privilege access, documented SOPs, approval workflows, and audit logs. Escalation of sensitive employee relations issues should go directly to HR leadership.