Human Resources Coordinator

Sonesta International Hotels; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 41,000 - 48,000; Full time

Job summary

Sonesta International Hotels in Chicago is seeking a Human Resources Coordinator to support onboarding, recruitment coordination, employee engagement, HR administration, compliance, training support, and internal communications in a fast-paced hospitality environment.

In this union setting, you’ll handle HR records, respond to policy questions, assist with training, and partner with HR leadership to manage hiring and employee lifecycle.

Qualifications

• Associate or Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, Hospitality Management, or related field preferred.
• 1–3 years of Human Resources, Recruiting Coordination, Administrative, or Hospitality experience preferred.
• Strong organizational and communication skills with attention to detail.

Responsibilities

• Support daily HR operations and administrative tasks across the hotel or business unit.
• Coordinate recruitment, onboarding, and new hire paperwork.
• Maintain employee records and HRIS updates with accuracy and confidentiality.
• Assist employees and managers with HR questions on policies, benefits, payroll, and timekeeping.
• Support employee engagement initiatives and internal communications.
• Assist with training programs and compliance training.
• Partner with HR leadership to support hiring and lifecycle processes.
• Prepare HR reports and audit documentation as needed.
• Ensure compliance with employment laws and company policies.
• Maintain office organization and onboarding materials.

Skills

HR coordination

Recruiting coordination

Administrative support

Hospitality experience

Education

Bachelor's in HR/Business/Hospitality

Tools

Workday

Microsoft Office

Job description

We’re People People. Are you?

We’re Sonesta International Hotels—the 8th largest hotel company in the U.S. (and growing fast).

With a dynamic mix of full-service and focused hotels across major cities, our diverse portfolio of owned, managed, and franchised properties means we’re everywhere our guests need us to be.

But here’s the thing—we’re not just in the business of hotels, we’re in the business of people. We bring service with passion, loyalty with purpose, and create experiences that genuinely connect—delivering quality, value, and memorable stays across 1,000+ properties in eight countries (and counting).

What This Role Is All About

As the Human Resources Coordinator, you’ll be a key part of making that happen.

This is a great opportunity for someone who’s highly organized, people-focused, and excited to grow their HR career in a fast-paced hospitality environment. You’ll support a variety of Human Resources functions including onboarding, recruitment coordination, employee engagement, HR administration, compliance, training support, and employee communications.

Working in a union environment.

No two days look the same in this role — and that’s part of the fun. One moment you could be helping welcome a new employee on their first day, the next supporting leaders with hiring activity, answering employee questions, reporting, or culture initiatives that help bring our People People philosophy to life.

If you’re proactive, collaborative, detail-oriented, and passionate about creating great employee experiences — we’d love to meet you.

What You’ll Be Doing

• Support daily Human Resources operations and administrative processes across the hotel or business unit.
• Coordinate recruitment and onboarding activities including scheduling interviews, processing new hire paperwork, background checks, offer support, and orientation coordination.
• Maintain employee records, HR files, compliance documentation, and HRIS updates with accuracy and confidentiality.
• Assist employees and managers with HR-related questions regarding policies, benefits, payroll, timekeeping, leave requests, and employee programs.
• Support employee engagement initiatives, recognition programs, culture activities, and internal communications.
• Help coordinate training sessions, compliance training, onboarding programs, and learning initiatives.
• Partner with the Director of Human Resources, Payroll, Benefits, and Operations teams to support hiring and employee lifecycle processes.
• Prepare HR reports, staffing updates, turnover reporting, and audit documentation as needed.
• Support compliance with federal, state, and local employment laws, labor regulations, and company policies.
• Assist with employee relations matters, investigations, and documentation processes as directed by HR leadership.
• Maintain office organization, HR supplies, employee postings, and onboarding materials.
• Help create a positive, welcoming, and service-focused employee experience aligned with Sonesta’s People People culture.
• Any other duties as assigned.

What Great Looks Like

• Associate or Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, Hospitality Management, or related field preferred.
• 1–3 years of Human Resources, Recruiting Coordination, Administrative, or Hospitality experience preferred.
• Strong organizational skills with exceptional attention to detail and the ability to manage multiple priorities.
• Bi-lingual in Spanish a plus.
• Excellent communication, interpersonal, and customer service skills.
• Ability to handle confidential and sensitive information with professionalism and discretion.
• Experience working with Microsoft Office, HRIS systems such as Workday, and general HR reporting tools preferred.
• Strong administrative, scheduling, and coordination skills in a fast-paced environment.
• Positive, collaborative, and proactive mindset with a willingness to learn and grow.
• Ability to build strong working relationships with employees and leaders across all levels of the organization.
• A passion for hospitality, people, culture, and creating exceptional employee experiences.

Anticipated Pay Range & Additional Job Information

Pay range is between $30.00 to $35.00 per hour.

Our Commitment to You

Sonesta is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. We consider all qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.