Senior Benefits Specialist

Senior Benefits SpecialistSolera is a global leader in data and software services that strives to transform every touchpoint of the vehicle lifecycle into a connected digital experience. In addition, we provide products and services to protect digital transactions annually for approximately 235,000 partners and customers in more than 90 countries. Our 6,500 team members foster an uncommon, innovative culture and are dedicated to successfully bringing the future to bear today through cognitive answers, algorithms, and automation. For more information, please visit solera.com.The RoleThe Senior Benefits Specialist is responsible for driving the day-to-day administration of employee benefit, leave, and HR-side immigration support programs for the United States and Canada. This role serves as the primary operational point of contact for employees, HR partners, payroll, and external vendors, ensuring benefit, leave, and immigration-related processes are completed accurately, timely, and in alignment with company policy and applicable requirements. The Specialist is expected to independently manage recurring processes, identify and resolve routine issues, and escalate complex, high-risk, or policy-sensitive matters to the Benefits Manager. This role requires strong attention to detail, sound judgment, vendor coordination skills, and the ability to manage sensitive employee matters with professionalism and discretion.What You'll DoServe as the primary day-to-day point of contact for US and Canada benefit and leave administration questions from employees, HR partners, payroll, and internal stakeholders, including monitoring and responding to requests submitted through the Jira ticketing system and the shared benefits inboxDrive day-to-day administration of FMLA, ADA, state leave, company leave, and Canada leave processes in partnership with the third-party administrator, HR, payroll, and the Benefits ManagerWork with employees and the third-party leave administrator to track leave usage, key deadlines, return-to-work timing, accommodation status, and employee status changes with high accuracyCoordinate return-to-work and accommodation processes in partnership with HR, management, the third-party administrator, and the Benefits ManagerExplain complex leave policies in clear, empathetic, and employee-friendly language while escalating complex, high-risk, or policy-sensitive matters appropriatelyPrepare and validate payroll inputs related to benefits and leave, including calculating and tracking paid parental leave payments (US and Canada), short-term disability payments (Canada), spousal incentive HRA reimbursements, and required benefit deduction adjustmentsPartner with payroll to ensure accurate wage replacement, benefit deductions, and employee status updates during leaveOwn day-to-day operational administration of the 401(k) plan, including monitoring HRIS integrations, reviewing recordkeeper data, validating enrollment and eligibility updates, and coordinating issue resolution with payroll, HRIS, and the recordkeeperAudit semi-monthly deferral changes to ensure HRIS and payroll accurately reflect changes from the recordkeeper's systemMonitor employee changes to ensure 401(k) eligibility status is updated timely, including transfers between US and international company locationsSupport compliance-related activities for the 401(k) plan, including data preparation, vendor coordination, audit support, non-discrimination testing support, and Form 5500 process coordinationReview and submit funding files, investigate and resolve demographic or data file issues, and respond to recordkeeper service requests, escalating risks or unresolved issues as neededServe as the primary day-to-day resource for employee 401(k) questions, escalating complex plan interpretation or compliance matters as appropriateDrive operational execution of annual Open Enrollment for the US and Canada, including coordinating with vendors and internal stakeholders, supporting HRIS set up and testing, preparing and drafting employee communications, delivering or coordinating employee education sessions, responding to Tier 1 and Tier 2 inquiries, troubleshooting enrollment issues, and auditing payroll deductionsLiaise with benefit, leave, retirement, and wellness vendors to coordinate recurring administration, resolve routine issues, track deliverables, and escalate service concernsCreate, review, and submit benefit vendor invoices for processing, ensuring appropriate documentation, timely submission, and follow-up to resolve discrepanciesReview and submit HSA funding and contribution files, ensuring data accuracy, timeliness, and reconciliation with payroll and HRIS recordsProvide HR-side immigration administration support, including coordinating H?1B lottery submissions, sponsorship request intake and tracking, PERM application support, EAD validation and renewal follow-up, and immigration status updates in partnership with employees, HR, legal, recruiters, and external counselSend new hire benefit communications, address questions, and assist with enrollment as necessaryMaintain updated benefit information on SharePoint and HRIS, ensuring materials are current, accurate, and accessibleOrganize and deliver employee benefits education sessions and develop presentations for new hire orientation, open enrollment, and targeted communicationsCoordinate recurring benefit education webinars with internal communications teams and external vendorsIdentify process gaps, data issues, employee-impacting risks, and vendor delays; recommend solutions and escalate appropriatelyContribute to development and implementation of internal process improvements and approved automation solutions in line with company policiesStay informed on emerging tools and collaborate with leadership to identify compliant opportunities to enhance internal processesWhat You'll BringRequired:Bachelor's degree3–5 years of progressive experience in benefits and leave administrationDirect experience supporting US benefit programsExperience working with HRIS and payroll/benefits administration systems; Workday and ADP requiredExperience serving as a day-to-day point of contact for employees, HR partners, payroll, and vendorsWorking knowledge of US leave requirements, including FMLA, ADA, and state leave programsExperience coordinating vendor files, integrations, audits, issue resolution, and recurring benefit administration processesStrong Excel skills, including VLOOKUP, pivot tables, and data validationStrong communication and customer service skills with the ability to explain complex topics clearlyStrong judgment and discretion when handling confidential employee, medical, leave, payroll, and benefits informationAbility to independently manage recurring deadlines, identify risks, and escalate appropriatelyPreferred:Experience supporting Canada benefits and leave programsExperience supporting HR-side immigration administration (H?1B, PERM, EADs, renewals)Knowledge of Technologies / Platforms / ComplianceWorkday (HRIS) and ADP (payroll and benefits administration)Jira or similar ticketing systemsMicrosoft Office Suite (Excel, SharePoint, OneDrive, Teams, PowerPoint)US leave regulations (FMLA, ADA, state leave programs) and familiarity with Canada leave practices401(k) administration, including nondiscrimination testing and Form 5500 processesPayroll processes related to benefits, wage replacement, and deductionsVendor integrations, funding files, and benefits administration operationsEQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER The Solera group is an equal opportunity employer and complies with all applicable federal, state, and local fair employment practices laws.