Senior Personnel Specialist, Benefits and New Employee Experience

Job Description and Duties

Join the Covered California team!

Become a part of the Human Resources Branch (HRB) as our next Senior Personnel Specialist! We are in search of someone with a strong background in personnel/payroll transactions, leadership, and providing exceptional customer service to join our Payroll and Benefits Unit.

What Will I Be Doing?

In this role, you will serve as a subject matter expert on benefits administration and onboarding transactions, providing guidance on complex personnel, payroll, and benefits matters while helping ensure compliance with applicable laws, regulations, policies, and bargaining unit provisions. The position is responsible for overseeing complex benefits-related documents and transactions, including health, dental, vision, FlexElect, CoBen, and COBRA, as well as researching and resolving benefits and payroll issues in coordination with internal stakeholders, control agencies, and benefit providers. You will also coordinate new employee onboarding activities and help ensure employees and hiring managers receive timely, accurate, and professional support. If you are an experienced personnel professional who enjoys employee-facing service, technical problem-solving, and working in a fast-paced environment, this is a great opportunity to help deliver a more responsive, specialized, and service-oriented experience for Covered California employees.

At Covered California, we recognize our employees are our most valuable asset. We have a variety of career fields that help make a difference in the lives of Californians, and we’re looking for talented and enthusiastic individuals to join our team! Learn more about why you should join the .

This is a 12-month limited term position, which may be extended up to 24 months or become permanent.

This position is headquartered in Sacramento County, 1601 Exposition Blvd., CA 95815. Business travel may be required, and reimbursement considers an employee’s designated headquarters office subject to regulations and bargaining unit contract provisions. Travel expenses associated with commuting to the employee’s office headquarters location are not reimbursable, other than authorized transit subsidies.

NOTE: To be considered for this job opportunity, applicants must be reachable on an employment list, have transfer eligibility, or have reinstatement eligibility. If you are new to California State service and you do not have list eligibility, you must take the exam for this classification. To gain Senior Personnel Specialist employment list eligibility, please to access the exam bulletin.

NOTE: Possession of minimum qualifications will be verified prior to interview and/or appointment . If it is determined an applicant does not meet the minimum qualifications, the applicant's name may be removed from the eligibility list.

Effective July 1, 2025, in response to the budget deficit, the Department of Human Resources (CalHR) has implemented the Personal Leave Program 2025 (PLP 2025). PLP 2025 requires that each full-time employee working their assigned work schedule receive a 3 percent reduction in pay in exchange for 5 hours of PLP 2025 leave credits monthly through June 30, 2027. 

You will find additional information about the job in the .

Working Conditions

This position may be eligible for telework. In accordance with Government Code section 14200, only employees who reside in California are eligible for telework. The amount of telework is at the discretion of the Department and based on Covered California’s current telework policy. While Covered California supports telework, in-person attendance may be required based on operational needs. Employees are expected to be able to report to their worksite with minimal notification if an urgent need arises, as determined by the Department.

Special Requirements

The Statement of Qualifications (SOQ) is a narrative discussion of how your education, experience, skills, and training meet the minimum and desirable qualifications to qualify you for the position. It also serves as documentation of your ability to present information clearly and concisely in writing. Your Statement must be typed, in Arial 12 pt. font and no more than two pages in length.

Desirable Qualifications

In addition to evaluating each candidate's relative ability, as demonstrated by quality and breadth of experience, the following factors will provide the basis for competitively evaluating each candidate:

• Ability to communicate effectively, both orally and in writing, to establish and maintain cooperative working relations with various control agencies such as the State Controller’s Office (SCO), California Department of Human Resources (CalHR), California Public Employees Retirement System (CalPERS) and Covered California staff

• Demonstrated expertise interpreting and applying complex laws, rules, regulations, bargaining unit provisions, and control agency directives.
• Strong customer service skills.
• Experience serving as a lead or subject-matter expert.
• Skill in benefit administration across multiple bargaining units.
• Ability to maintain a high degree of confidentiality, initiative, and accuracy performing tasks.

Benefits

The State of California offers a comprehensive benefits package that includes Health, Vision, Dental, Retirement, and an array of other options. For more information on the benefits offered by the State of California, please click below:

Pre-Employment Requirements

Background Check: All applicants shall be subject to a pre-employment background investigation. The investigation will consist of completion of a pre-employment questionnaire, fingerprinting, and an inquiry to the Department of Justice and Federal Bureau of Investigation to disclose criminal records.

Incompatible Activities: To maintain our integrity and focus on serving Californians, Covered California adheres to unique conflict of interest restrictions on the outside employment and activities of its board members and staff. If you’re considering a role with us, it’s important to know at the time of your start:

• You must not be employed by or otherwise affiliated with health insurance carriers, other insurers, agents, brokers, health care professionals, health facilities, or health clinics, or trade associations of any of these entities. This also means that you must not hold an active license to sell health insurance in California.
• You must not hold an active license to sell health insurance in California.
• Health care professionals are welcome to join our team, provided you do not receive payment for professional services and do not hold ownership or financial interests in a health care practice.

Required Application Package Documents

The following items are required to be submitted with your application. Applicants who do not submit the required items timely may not be considered for this job:

• Current version of the State Examination/Employment Application STD Form 678 (when not applying electronically), or the Electronic State Employment Application through your Applicant Account at All Experience and Education relating to the Minimum Qualifications listed on the Classification Specification should be included to demonstrate how you meet the Minimum Qualifications for the position.
• Resume is required and must be included.
• Statement of Qualifications -

  Please attach your SOQ to your application. Applications received without a SOQ will not be considered. Resumes and cover letters will not be accepted in place of a SOQ. Please see above “Special Requirements” section for SOQ instructions.