People Experience Specialist

Stepan Company; Northbrook (IL); On-site; USD 75,000 - 104,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Discretionary Bonus

Medical, Dental, and Vision Insurance

401K with Match

Profit Sharing

PTO

Job summary

Stepan Company in Northbrook, IL is seeking a People Experience Specialist to provide first-level HR support, respond to employee requests, and execute standardized HR transactions in a fast-paced environment. You will maintain accurate employee records in HRIS such as SAP SuccessFactors or Workday, support onboarding and offboarding, and help ensure compliance with policies and data privacy.

This role requires 0–2+ years in HR or a related service environment and strong customer service and

Qualifications

• 0-2+ years of experience in Human Resources or a similar service environment.
• Strong customer service orientation with the ability to respond professionally to employee and manager inquiries.
• High attention to detail and commitment to data accuracy, confidentiality, and follow-through.
• Basic proficiency with Microsoft Office tools, including Excel, Outlook, Teams, and related collaboration tools.

Responsibilities

• Serve as the first point of contact for employee and manager HR inquiries received through the HR service portal, email, or phone.
• Provide clear, professional guidance on HR policies, programs, and procedures using approved documentation, SOPs, FAQs, and knowledge articles.
• Execute standardized HR transactions in HR systems, including new hires, employment changes, job changes, terminations, employee data updates, onboarding administration, offboarding support, and related data requests.
• Maintain accurate and up-to-date employee records in HRIS platforms such as SAP SuccessFactors, Workday, or similar systems.
• Process employee lifecycle activities in line with established service level agreements and established HR operations procedures.
• Log, track, prioritize, resolve, and close HR cases using case management or ticketing systems; maintain complete documentation for audit, reporting, and knowledge-sharing purposes.

Skills

Customer Service

Data Accuracy

HRIS

Microsoft Office

Education

Bachelor's degree in HR/Business

Tools

SAP SuccessFactors

Workday

Oracle

Job description

Established in 1932, Stepan Company is a major manufacturer of basic and intermediate chemicals including surfactants, polymers, as well as specialty ingredients that go into consumer, household, and institutional products such as laundry detergents, shampoos, and surface cleaners. Stepan Company currently has 19 global manufacturing locations and over 2,400 employees. We have a strong record of growth. Our growth allows us to provide meaningful career opportunities and stability to our team members. We have big goals at Stepan and know every team member will be crucial to achieving our objectives. Regardless of function, we are looking for team members who bring with them a growth mindset, an entrepreneurial spirit, and the ability to thrive in an evolving environment.

We celebrate diversity at Stepan and are committed to creating a diverse, inclusive environment. We are proud to be an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetic information, disability, age, veteran status, or any other status protected by applicable law.

Job Description

The People Experience Specialist provides first-level support for HR-related inquiries, transactions, and employee lifecycle processes. This role delivers a consistent, high-quality employee experience by responding to employee and manager requests, executing standardized HR transactions, maintaining accurate employee data, and ensuring work is completed efficiently, accurately, and in accordance with company policies, internal controls, service standards, and applicable local regulations.

Key Responsibilities

• Serve as the first point of contact for employee and manager HR inquiries received through the HR service portal, email, or phone.
• Provide clear, professional guidance on HR policies, programs, and procedures using approved documentation, SOPs, FAQs, and knowledge articles.
• Execute standardized HR transactions in HR systems, including new hires, employment changes, job changes, terminations, employee data updates, onboarding administration, offboarding support, and related data requests.
• Maintain accurate and up-to-date employee records in HRIS platforms such as SAP SuccessFactors, Workday, or similar systems.
• Process employee lifecycle activities in line with established service level agreements and established HR operations procedures.
• Log, track, prioritize, resolve, and close HR cases using case management or ticketing systems; maintain complete documentation for audit, reporting, and knowledge-sharing purposes.
• Apply appropriate judgment to resolve routine inquiries and elevate complex, sensitive, employee relations, compliance, executive, or policy interpretation matters to the appropriate HR team member.
• Follow HR policies, procedures, and internal controls to support consistent, compliant, and auditable service delivery.
• Support compliance with applicable local labor requirements, data privacy expectations, and company policies.
• Assist with audit requests, data quality checks, and review of employee data to identify errors, trends, recurring issues, or process gaps.
• Identify opportunities to improve HR service delivery, knowledge content, standard operating procedures, and recurring transaction workflows.
• Support the rollout of new HR processes, service center initiatives, tools, and system enhancements.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Qualifications

• 0-2+ years of experience in Human Resources, shared services, customer service, administrative support, or a similar service-oriented environment.
• Strong customer service orientation with the ability to respond professionally to employee and manager inquiries.
• High attention to detail and commitment to data accuracy, confidentiality, and follow-through.
• Basic proficiency with Microsoft Office tools, including Excel, Outlook, Teams, and related collaboration tools.
• Ability to manage multiple requests simultaneously, prioritize work, and meet defined service standards or deadlines.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to explain policies and processes clearly.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with HRIS or HCM systems such as SAP SuccessFactors, Workday, Oracle, or similar platforms.
• Exposure to HR processes such as onboarding, benefits administration, payroll support, employee data management, employment changes, or offboarding.
• Experience working in a shared services, HR operations, service center, or case management environment.
• Familiarity with service level agreements, ticketing tools, knowledge base content, audit documentation, and process documentation.

Education

• Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Business, or a related field preferred; equivalent relevant experience may be considered.

Pay Range

$75,000 - $103,500

The salary range for this position is determined by considering a variety of factors such as skills, experience, qualifications, and the location of the position.

At Stepan Company Our Comprehensive Benefits Package Includes

• Discretionary Bonus
• Medical, Dental, and Vision Insurance
• 401K with Match
• Profit Sharing
• Paid Time Off (PTO)
• Short-Term and Long-Term Disability (STD / LTD)
• Dependent Care Flexible Spending Account (FSA)
• Health Savings Account (HSA)
• Paid Parental Leave
• Adoption Assistance
• Reactions – Recognition Program
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP)

Applicants must be authorized to work for any employer in the U.S. We are unable to sponsor or take over sponsorship of an employment Visa at this time.