The People & Culture Specialist serves as a key partner across all aspects of the employee lifecycle. This role is ideal for a collaborative, detail-oriented HR professional who thrives in a dynamic, people-first environment. You will be the go-to resource for employees and managers alike, and play a critical role in shaping a positive, compliant, and engaging workplace.
This is a hybrid role with our office being in Chicago, IL. All Chicagoland employees are in the office on Wednesdays and Thursdays.
Key Responsibilities
Payroll Administratio
- nProcess accurate semi-monthly payroll for approximately 110 salaried exempt employees using the HRIS/payroll system (Rippling
- )Audit payroll inputs including salary changes, new hires, terminations, and deductions prior to each pay ru
- nReconcile payroll records and resolve discrepancies in a timely manne
- rMaintain compliance with federal, state, and local payroll regulation
s
Benefits Administrati
- onAdminister employee benefits programs including medical, dental, vision, life insurance, FSA/HSA, and 401(
- k)Serve as the primary point of contact for employee benefits inquiries and issue resoluti
- onManage annual open enrollment including communications, system configuration, and employee educati
- onEnsure compliance with ACA, COBRA, HIPAA, ERISA, and related federal/state requiremen
- tsProcess qualifying life events and maintain accurate benefits enrollment recor
ds
New Hire Onboard
- ingCoordinate and facilitate a seamless onboarding experience for all new employees from offer acceptance through the first 90 d
- aysPrepare and process new hire paperwork including offer letters, I-9 verification, background checks, and system se
- tupConduct new hire orientation sessions covering company culture, policies, tools, and benef
- itsPartner with IT, Facilities, and hiring managers to ensure Day 1 readin
- essContinuously improve the onboarding program based on new hire feedback and best practi
ces
Employee Relat
- ionsServe as a trusted resource for employees and managers on HR policies, workplace concerns, and conflict resolu
- tionConduct thorough, impartial investigations into employee complaints, policy violations, and workplace is
- suesProvide guidance on performance management, corrective action, and termination proce
- ssesPartner with managers on employee coaching and development conversat
- ionsFoster a positive and inclusive workplace culture through proactive employee engagement initiat
ives
HR Compliance & P
- olicyMaintain and update the employee handbook and HR policies to reflect current legal requirements and company prac
- ticesEnsure compliance with federal and state employment laws including FMLA, ADA, EEO, FLSA, and state-specific leave
- lawsManage leave of absence programs (FMLA, state leave, personal leave, disability) including documentation and return-to-work coordin
- ationSupport preparation of required compliance filings such as EEO-1 reports and state-mandated repo
rting
HRIS & People Ana
- lyticsMaintain accurate and up-to-date employee records in the HRIS
- systemGenerate regular and ad hoc HR reports including headcount, turnover, and compensation ana
- lyticsIdentify opportunities to automate and streamline HR workflows and pro
cesses
Talent Acquisition
- SupportPartner with hiring managers on job descriptions, interview processes, and offer ap
- provalsCoordinate and manage the full-cycle recruiting process for assigned requisitions as
- neededMaintain relationships with external recruiters and job posting pl
atforms
Performance Ma
- nagementAdminister the company’s performance review cycle including scheduling, communications, and system administration through R
- ippling.Support managers in writing performance improvement plans (PIPs) and navigating difficult performance conve
- rsationsTrack and report on performance review completion rates and
outcomes
Learning & De
- velopmentCoordinate company-wide training programs including required compliance training (harassment prevention, OSHA, data
- privacy)Partner with managers to identify learning and development needs and connect employees to growth oppo
rtunities
Required Qual
- ifications2-4+ years of progressive HR generalist experience, ideally in a tech or fast-paced e
- nvironmentHands-on experience processing payroll (experience with platforms such as ADP, Rippling, Gusto, or Paylocity
- preferred)Strong working knowledge of federal and state employment law and HR compliance re
- quirementsExperience administering employee benefits programs including open
- enrollmentExcellent interpersonal and communication skills with the ability to handle sensitive matters with discretion a
- nd empathyHighly organized with strong attention to detail and the ability to manage multiple priorities simu
- ltaneouslyProficiency with HRIS systems and the Microsoft Office / Google Works
pace suite
