People & Culture Coordinator

About Lawrence Hall

Lawrence Hall has been serving Chicagoland youth, families, and communities for more than 150 years through therapeutic support, wellness services, and skill-building programs. The organization’s work is grounded in healing, growth, and a trauma-informed approach centered on respect, empowerment, safety, and teamwork.

Role Summary

The People & Culture Coordinator is the main administrative and onboarding partner for the People & Culture team. This role keeps pre-employment and onboarding activities on track, supports hiring logistics, maintains employee files and HRIS information, and helps run employee engagement initiatives. The position plays an important part in creating a smooth, positive employee experience through careful coordination, timely communication, accurate recordkeeping, and dependable customer service.

This role also supports employee communications, retention-focused programs, and day-to-day People & Culture operations. The work requires strong organization, confidentiality, responsiveness, and the ability to support multiple HR priorities at once.

Core Duties

The Coordinator supports the full onboarding journey, talent acquisition administration, engagement activities, and HR operations. Responsibilities include managing pre-employment tasks, assisting with orientation, completing HR data entry, helping with employee recognition and communications, and supporting reporting, audits, and internal process maintenance.

Onboarding and Pre-Employment

• Track candidate pre-employment steps and help ensure all required onboarding tasks are completed on time.
• Act as the primary contact for candidates during the hiring and onboarding process.
• Prepare onboarding packets and help complete required employment paperwork.
• Set up HRIS profiles and enter employee data with a high degree of accuracy.
• Organize orientation schedules, materials, and new-hire communication.
• Help create a welcoming onboarding experience that supports early employee success.
• Keep onboarding records current and monitor completion of mandatory requirements.

Recruitment and Talent Acquisition Support

• Handle employment verification requests for new and current employees.
• Assist with recruitment outreach, hiring events, and job fairs.
• Support internship program coordination and related administrative tasks.

Employee Engagement

• Help coordinate employee recognition, engagement surveys, wellness efforts, and team-building activities.
• Assist in organizing and promoting appreciation and recognition programs.
• Collect participation data and employee feedback to support engagement efforts.
• Support internal communications such as newsletters and department updates.
• Respond to routine employee inquiries and route more complex matters to the appropriate team member.

HR Administration and Coordination

• Maintain personnel files and employee records in line with agency standards and retention requirements.
• Update employee information in the HRIS when changes occur.
• Support audits, reporting requests, and other data collection work as needed.
• Keep department templates, forms, resources, and standard procedures organized and up to date.
• Assist with organizational chart updates and other department communications.
• Participate in People & Culture meetings and trainings when requested.
• Provide general administrative support to the department.

General Expectations

• Work collaboratively and contribute to a respectful, cooperative team environment.
• Protect confidential information and help maintain a safe workplace.
• Use Microsoft Office tools at an advanced level, including Outlook, SharePoint, Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
• Show strong skills in organization, analysis, project management, and time management while balancing several priorities at once.
• Develop a basic understanding of the youth served, complete trauma-informed training, and apply that perspective with empathy.
• Complete at least two trauma-informed training courses within a 12-month period.
• Take on additional duties as assigned.

Work Location and Schedule

This position is based at the Francisco Campus, 4833 N Francisco Ave, Chicago, IL 60625. A personal vehicle or dependable transportation is required, along with the ability to travel to Lawrence Hall locations across Chicago. The schedule must remain flexible, since career events and recruitment-related activities may happen during evenings or weekends.

Requirements

• A bachelor’s degree is required.
• At least 1 year of experience in human resources, recruiting, administration, or a related area is preferred.
• Strong accuracy and attention to detail when handling employee records, forms, and documentation.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills for working with candidates, employees, leaders, and external partners.
• Ability to develop positive working relationships and collaborate effectively across the organization.
• Strong planning and time management skills, with the ability to juggle multiple deadlines and shifting priorities.
• Consistent follow-through and proactive communication during onboarding to support a strong candidate experience.
• Ability to handle sensitive information with discretion and good judgment.
• Comfort using Microsoft Office Suite and learning HR systems and related technology.
• Commitment to professionalism, integrity, and compliance with both the Human Resources Code of Ethics and Lawrence Hall’s Code of Ethics.
• Strong customer service skills and a professional, caring, responsive approach.
• Valid Illinois driver’s license.
• No history of child abuse or neglect, plus the ability to pass all required background checks and drug screenings.
• Preferred: experience with HRIS platforms, applicant tracking systems, DocuSign, Paycom, or ApplicantPool.
• Preferred: familiarity with Power Automate, workflow automation, or process-improvement tools.

Compensation and Benefits

• Annual salary range: $46,000 to $51,000, depending on experience.
• Average PTO of 17 to 25 days, plus 9 paid holidays.
• Medical coverage with HMO and PPO options.
• Dental coverage with HMO and PPO options.
• Vision insurance.
• 401(k) plan with employer match of up to 5% and auto-vesting.
• Flexible Spending Accounts for medical and dependent care.
• Pre-tax commuter benefits for parking and transit.
• Basic Life and AD&D insurance fully paid by the employer.
• Optional life insurance for employees, spouses, and children.
• Accident and critical illness insurance.
• Short-term and long-term disability coverage.
• Employee Assistance Program fully paid by the employer, offering free counseling and life resources.
• Wellness reimbursement program.
• Employee referral bonus of up to $1,500.
• Continuing Education Units for licensed employees.
• Public Service Loan Forgiveness eligibility.

Additional Information

This is an exempt, full-time position with a requirement to maintain confidentiality, professionalism, and a trauma-informed mindset. The employer encourages applicants to apply even if they do not meet every listed qualification.

Equal Opportunity

Lawrence Hall is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of M/F/D/V.