P&C Shared Services - People & Culture Associate I

Join the PRIDE and Brookfield Zoo Chicago's mission to ignite emotional connections with wildlife that spark conservation action while leading vital programs to protect endangered species. Our beautiful 235-acre campus offers a living classroom that is home to over 3,500 animals representing 500 species. Brookfield Zoo Chicago is embarking on a groundbreaking, ambitious Next Century Plan to achieve our vision. It is the beginning of an exciting transformative journey!

1. * Provides front-desk support to greet visitors and direct them accordingly. Funnels questions and directs inquiries accordingly. Provides guest/customer greeting functions as point of contact for internal and external guests; uses relationship skills to manage guest/customer expectations. Serves as gatekeeper for AVP and SVP.

2. * Perform the following office tasks:

• Creates, sets up, and maintains employee personnel and benefits files, background check reports, and other HR Department confidential files and records in accordance with HR protocols. Assure all files are current, kept confidential, and safeguarded in accordance with established HR procedures.
• Inventories, logs, scans, and obtains approval of files to be moved to storage and assists in identifying records to be destroyed according to established HR guidelines.
• Answers telephones and responds to internal and external routine and non-routine inquiries and requests based on knowledge of policies, protocols, and practices. Directs incoming calls accordingly.
• Provides assistance and administrative support for new hires, including class logistics, room set up, ensure class materials and roster of attendees is delivered and room is arranged prior to start of class, etc.
• Opens, sorts, and process department mail per standard procedures. Assures all incoming mail is date stamped.
• Serves as the primary back-up for the other HR Associate.

2. * Assists with special projects, handle mailings, employee communications, front-desk coverage and other duties as assigned.

3. * Provides a broad range of administrative support to the AVP and SVP. Organizes, coordinates, and manages schedules, activities, and appointments, assuring necessary materials and information are prepared and available when needed.

4. * Arranges meetings and handles related logistics. Schedules and confirms participants, reserves rooms, arranges for necessary audio/visual equipment, materials, food, materials, advising others of arrangements and schedules as appropriate. Prepares and distributes agendas in advance and other correspondence, materials and related activities as needed.

5. * Provides support for employee events, including staffing events, set-up, take-down, reception, registration, etc. as directed.

6. * Coordinates and organizes instructor-led training programs with internal and contractor facilitators as directed. Reserves space for classes, equipment, and other logistics sufficiently in advance. Sets up and arranges classrooms prior to scheduled start times and ensures all equipment is functioning properly, participant and interactive materials and props are in place, prearranged materials are distributed to participant tables, and trainers have everything needed prior to the start of each class. Collects all materials, evaluations, supplies, etc., and cleans up classroom and stores materials securely at the end of each class. Provides other administrative support needed for Training function.

7. * Provide administrative support to the Talent Acquisition team as needed.

8. Other related duties as assigned.

* Denotes Essential Job Function(s)

POSITION REQUIREMENTS AND SPECIFICATIONS:

• High school diploma or educational equivalent (e.g., GED.) required.
• Minimum four years of previous, comparable administrative, office, or HR experience required.
• Ability to maintain strict confidentiality of highly privileged information.
• Ability to use or quickly learn standard office equipment, including computer and keyboard, calculator, copier, scanner, phone, and software programs including word processing, database, and spreadsheet programs.
• Prior experience with word processing, spreadsheet, and database software required.
• Excellent telephone etiquette and effective customer service and listening skills required.
• Good interpersonal and communication skills essential.
• Good organizational and time management skills required.
• Ability to interact tactfully and effectively with diverse individuals and personalities and difficult individuals. Must communicate with sensitivity.
• Ability to understand and carry out oral and written instructions accurately with little or no supervision.
• Strong proofreading skills and attention to details required.
• Knowledge of basic office procedures and ability to follow established standard business formats.
• English proficiency at a working professional level.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities with strong follow-up and follow-through skills required.
• Cultural competency; experience and/or ability to work and interact effectively with a diverse, multicultural audience.
• Valid driver's license required. Illinois residents must possess a valid Illinois license within 90 days of hire. Valid out-of-state license required for out-of-state residents.

DESIRABLE/PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• Associate degree in human resources, Secretarial Science, or Business Administration strongly preferred.
• Five or more years HR experience in various HR disciplines, including recruitment and HR support preferred.
• Experience with Microsoft Windows, Outlook, Word, and Excel strongly preferred.
• Multilingual ability, Spanish fluency a plus.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: This position description summarizes the primary duties and functions of this position but should not be considered a complete listing of every duty the incumbent may ever be called upon to perform. Incumbent is expected to be proactive and initiate tasks to be completed and to effectively deal with non-routine situations. Represents the department and organization positively and in a professional manner and serves as a gatekeeper for the Vice President. Provides information and service in a timely and responsive manner. Incumbent must gain a solid working knowledge of the organization, policies, department protocols, practices, and procedures to perform successfully and effectively. This position requires an individual who is responsible, dependable, self-motivated, makes good decisions, and who takes initiative. Individual will be expected to occasionally be present and visible at HR and employee events. Overtime and some weekends are required as needed.

OCCUPATIONAL REQUIREMENTS: See Occupational Requirements Form.

BENEFITS INFORMATION:

www.brookfieldzoo.org/custom.czs/files/06/06337b2c-b3db-45a2-8eb2-f8362486bd0e.pdf

We are pleased that you are considering joining our dedicated team at Brookfield Zoo Chicago (BZC). Below is a summary of Brookfield Zoo Chicago's generous employee benefits. Please note, benefits vary based on whether benefits are provided through the Teamsters Union for positions represented by the Teamsters or by Brookfield Zoo Chicago for non-union positions. For non-union positions, some benefits also differ by pay grade classification if noted.

Holidays: Non-union employees are eligible for 8 paid holidays per year.

Medical Insurance: Employees may choose from one of two medical plans: Blue Cross-Blue Shield HMO or PPO Plan. A waiver credit is available to employees who waive enrollment in medical insurance. Coverage begins on the employee's hire date.

Dental Insurance & Vision Care Coverage: A dental plan and an employee-paid vision care plan are available. A waiver credit is offered to employees who waive enrollment in the dental plan. Coverage begins on the employee's hire date.

Mental Health: Support, counseling, and resources for life issues at no cost to the employee. Eligible employees and their immediate family have access to Perspectives, a dynamic Employee Assistance Plan (EAP) which provides 24/7, confidential care and resources to address work and life stressors.

Retirement Savings: A 401(k) savings plan is available for all employees. Choose either pre-tax and/or Roth after-tax contributions. First of the quarter following one year of service, eligible employees receive matching contributions of 50% of the first 6% you contribute.

Employer-paid Income Protection: Short-Term and Long-Term disability benefits are available which provide up to 60% of the employee's base weekly wages for the first 90 days, then up to 60% of the employee's monthly wages if the employee is unable to return to work. Basic Term Life & Basic Accidental Death & Dismemberment Insurance policies each in the coverage amount of 1X the employee's annual salary, plus an additional $10,000 in coverage. Eligible employees are automatically enrolled in these benefits upon hire.

Pre-tax Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs): Brookfield Zoo Chicago believes in helping eligible employees take advantage of pre-tax savings for eligible healthcare and/or dependent care expenses. Eligible employees may set aside pre-tax dollars from their paychecks to save for pre-tax reimbursement of qualified healthcare and/or dependent care expenses.

Voluntary Benefits:

-Supplemental Term Life Insurance - Group Accident Insurance

-Supplemental Accidental Death & Dismemberment Insurance - Group Critical Illness Insurance

-Supplemental Dependent Life Insurance - Identity Theft Protection

Other Benefits & Perks for All Employees (unless otherwise noted)

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• Chicago Zoological Society | Brookfield Zoo, 3300 Golf Rd, Brookfield, Illinois, United States of America