People & Culture Coordinator (550 Madison) at Cote Korean Steakhouse - 550 Madison

The People and Culture Coordinator plays a key role in fostering a positive and inclusive workplace for hourly employees at our 550 Madison location. This exempt position supports day-to-day employee relations, conducts P&C conversations under the Director’s guidance, and ensures consistent, fair, and compliant handling of workplace matters.

The role also provides operational and administrative support to the management team, including accounting and cash reconciliation, hiring and onboarding, payroll, communications, compliance, permitting, and supply management. Additional responsibilities include maintaining organized office and storage spaces, fielding inquiries, and assisting with other tasks as directed.

This position requires an approachable, professional communicator who is committed to employee engagement, workplace fairness, and upholding company values.

Essential Job Duties & Responsibilities:

Job duties and responsibilities include, but are not limited to the following:

Employee Relations & Compliance: 

• Serve as the primary point of contact for hourly employee relations issues across 550 Madison locations, ensuring timely and effective resolution of concerns.
• Facilitate employee conversations regarding attendance, performance, conduct, and other employment-related topics in a manner aligned with company values and legal compliance.
• Conduct initial investigations into workplace complaints, including interpersonal conflicts, misconduct allegations, and policy violations; escalate and partner with the Director of People Operations as needed.
• Coach and support managers and supervisors in handling day-to-day employee relations concerns, documentation, and appropriate disciplinary actions.
• Provide on-the-ground P&C  presence during shift changes, high-volume times, or sensitive situations to proactively address employee concerns.
• Support new hire onboarding and orientation efforts by reinforcing workplace expectations and being a resource for new hourly employees.
• Ensure consistent application of policies and procedures, helping hourly employees and supervisors understand company policies and how they relate to workplace expectations.
• Collaborate with the Director of People Operations to update and implement hourly employee handbooks, SOPs, and P&C best practices.
• Track and analyze trends in employee concerns, attendance, turnover, or workplace conflicts; provide reports and insights to the Director to inform strategic planning.
• Assist with compliance audits and preparation related to labor laws, including wage and hour practices, meal/rest breaks, and posting requirements.
• Participate in exit interviews for hourly team members, identifying themes and areas for improvement across teams and locations.
• Maintain confidential, detailed documentation of employee relations issues, ensuring accuracy, objectivity, and compliance with internal and legal standards.
• Provide P&C coverage and leadership presence under the Director of People Operations guidance, maintaining consistency in approach and communication with teams.
• Assist with training and coaching sessions related to conflict resolution, team communication, or workplace behavior for hourly employees or line-level supervisors.

Operations & Office Administration:

• Organizes and maintains the appearance of the office space and all back of house storage areas.
• Maintains and enforces office rules & guidelines.
• Processes gift card sales and responds to credit card chargebacks.
• Issues employee locker assignments and audits the locker records monthly. Organizes quarterly locker clean outs. 
• Creates donation certificates at the direction of the GM. 
• Maintains office supply inventory and reordering.
• Oversees office equipment including printers, copy machines, computers, paper shredders, and iPads. Places services calls and troubleshoots issues. 
• Liaises and places service calls with IT for all IT and tech issues. 
• Responsible for keeping office and operational supply purchases at budget.
• Performs monthly audit of company permits to ensure restaurant permits are up to date, and fire safety and annual inspections. Reports upcoming expirations and issues to the General Manager and Chef de Cuisine. 
• Assists with additional tasks as dictated by the management team.
• Responsible for training new employees as assigned.

Payroll & Benefits:

• Assists with payroll administration and benefits enrollment. Organizes records of benefits participation, personnel transactions such as hires, promotions, transfers, and performance reviews.
• Creates daily payroll reports and audits hourly time cards, schedules, and end of the night shift report for payroll accuracy. 
• Creates payroll reports i.e overtime reports, worked hours, spread of hours for management.
• Records and processes all employee reimbursements/receipts at the approval of Finance. 

Standards:

• Display knowledge of the brand, culture, and product.
• Demonstrate the Company’s core values of people, learning, culture, relationships, sustainability, and stewardship.
• Maintain professional and respectful behavior when in contact with guests, management, and teammates.
• Present a polished personal appearance, adhering to company grooming standards outlined in the Employee Handbook. 
• Adhere to all company policies and procedures outlined in handbooks, manuals, and other company documents.
• Attend and participate in all scheduled meetings, training sessions, and continuing education activities.
• Take care of all company property.
• Maintain safety standards.
• Comply with federal, state, and local laws and regulations.

Qualifications:

• Must have the ability to read, speak, understand, follow written directions, and verbal instructions in English.
• Must be reachable by email and able to communicate via phone as well.
• Communicates information effectively and efficiently. 
• Excellent organizational skills and attention to detail.
• Possesses a positive, results-oriented, team-player mentality.
• Ability to perform job duties and responsibilities well and maintain professionalism and composure under pressure and in a high-paced and at times stressful environment.
• Ability to under pressure and maintain professionalism when working under stress.
• Knowledge of workplace safety procedures and local Department of Health standards.
• Food Handler’s Certification or the ability to obtain in accordance with federal, state, or local regulations and/or Company policy.
• Ability to operate phones.
• Fluency in written and spoken Spanish preferred.
• Familiarity with restaurant management software such as point of sales, reservations management, inventory management, Microsoft Office, and Google Workspace. 
• 1+ years of experience using ADP WorkforceNow.
• 1+ years of proven administrative experience.
• Working understanding of human resource principles, practices, and procedures.
• Must be able to communicate feedback professionally with all team members. 
• Excellent interpersonal skills.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to apply principles of logical or scientific thinking to a wide range of intellectual and practical problems.
• Proficient with payroll software.
• Demonstrates positive leadership characteristics, which inspires team members to meet and exceed standards.