People Operations Specialist

We exist so families can get better together. Each night, we keep 181 families close to the care and resources they need through six area Ronald McDonald Houses® and four Ronald McDonald Family Rooms®. Enabling families to stay close to their hospitalized child supports the health and well-being of the child and saves families more than $10 million in hotel and food costs each year. We also operate the Ronald McDonald Care Mobile® program, providing medical care to children in underserved areas. RMHC-CNI is an independent not-for-profit 501(c)(3) organization.

The People Operations Specialist plays a critical role in supporting the mission of Ronald McDonald House Charities of Chicagoland & Northwest Indiana (RMHC-CNI) by ensuring seamless administration of payroll, benefits, talent acquisition, performance management, onboarding, and broader People Operations initiatives.

Reporting directly to the Chief People Officer, this role manages day-to-day People Operations processes, maintains accurate employee records, ensures compliance with policies and employment laws, and delivers exceptional team member experience. The ideal candidate is highly organized, detail-oriented, resourceful, and committed to fostering a positive, mission-driven culture.

Responsibilities

Recruitment & Onboarding

• Post job openings on internal and external job boards and maintain accurate job descriptions.
• Conduct initial phone interviews for select positions and coordinate hiring team scheduling as needed.
• Assist with preparing offer letters, conducting digital reference checks, and initiating background screenings.
• Support onboarding and orientation for new employees, ensuring a smooth and positive experience.
• Prepare welcome materials, order name badges, and enter new hires into People Operations systems.

People Operations & Team Member Support

• Maintain accurate employee records in Paycom and assist with data entry, updates, and reporting.
• Ensure compliance with recordkeeping and retention policies.
• Act as a resource for employees and managers, answering questions related to People Operations policies, payroll, benefits, and procedures.
• Partner with the Chief People Officer to implement People Operations initiatives, policies, and process improvements.
• Support drafting and distribution of People Operations communications, including onboarding instructions, policy updates, and benefit announcements.

Payroll & Benefits Administration Support

• Partner with the Chief People Officer and external payroll vendors to ensure accurate and timely processing of payroll.
• Assist with reviewing employee timecards, entering data, and reconciling payroll adjustments as needed.
• Support benefits administration, working closely with benefits providers and external benefits support, to assist team members with enrollment, changes, and resolving issues.
• Help manage open enrollment, benefit communications, and invoice reconciliation.

Employee Engagement & Recognition

• Assist with the coordination of employee engagement initiatives and recognition programs.
• Provide support for organization-wide employee engagement events.
• Collaborate with colleagues from across the organization to enhance employee experience and foster a positive, inclusive culture aligned with our organizational values.

Compliance & Leave Administration

• Support the administration of employee leaves, including FMLA, short-term disability, and accommodation requests.
• Ensure accurate documentation, and coordinate with payroll and benefits providers as needed.
• Help maintain compliance with federal, state, and local employment laws by assisting with required reporting and audits.

Performance Management & Process Support

• Assist with the planning and execution of annual performance management and compensation processes.
• Proactively identify opportunities for process improvement, recommending enhancements to policies, systems, and tools.
• Serve as back-up to the Chief People Officer when needed, making non-policy decisions.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Organizational Management, Business Administration (with an HR focus), Nonprofit Management (with an HR focus), Psychology, Communications, or a related field preferred.
• Minimum 3 years of Human Resources or People Operations experience, ideally within a nonprofit or mission-driven organization.
• Proficiency with HRIS platforms (recent Paycom experience required).
• Strong Microsoft Office skills, particularly Excel.
• Familiarity with benefits platforms and payroll systems.
• Exceptional attention to detail and accuracy in managing data and records.
• Excellent organizational and time management skills with the ability to prioritize multiple projects.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Solid knowledge of employment laws, benefits programs, and compliance practices.
• Demonstrated ability to handle confidential information and exercise sound judgment in sensitive situations.
• Comfortable working fully on-site with occasional flexibility as needed.

Positions scheduled to work 30 hours or more per week are eligible for the following benefits:

• Medical, Dental, Vision
• Basic Life, Short-term, and long-term disability, voluntary employee/spouse/child life insurance
• Flexible Spending, Dependent Care, and Commuter Benefit Accounts
• Employee Assistance Program
• 401(k)
• PTO

At Ronald McDonald House Charities of Chicagoland and Northwest Indiana, we believe in diversity, equity, and inclusion in the workplace, and we welcome and will consider applications for employment from all qualified candidates, regardless of race, color, gender, national origin, religion, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, genetic information, individuals with disabilities, pregnancy, marital status, status as a protected veteran or any other status protected by applicable law.

Ronald McDonald House Charities of Chicagoland and Northwest Indiana provides reasonable accommodation to qualified individuals with disabilities as part of the application or hiring process or to perform the essential functions of their job. If you need assistance accessing or reading this job posting or otherwise feel you need accommodation during the application or hiring process, please contact workwithus@rmhccni.org. Reasonable accommodations will be determined on a case-by-case basis.