Senior Benefits & HR Operations Specialist

Job Description

Job Description

Industry: Nonprofit / Healthcare / Professional Association

Location (city, state): Washington, DC

Assignment Type: Contract-to-Hire

Pay: $35–$40 per hour (depending on experience)

Work Schedule: Monday–Friday, 9:00 AM–5:00 PM (flexible); 37.5–40 hours per week. Hybrid schedule with onsite work Tuesday and Thursday. Additional onsite availability may be requested during initial onboarding and training.

Benefits: This position is eligible for medical, dental, vision, and 401(k).

About Our Client:

Our client is a nationally recognized nonprofit professional association serving a large community of healthcare professionals. The organization is dedicated to advancing professional education, supporting clinical excellence, and promoting research and innovation within the healthcare industry. Through educational programs, professional resources, accreditation initiatives, and research publications, the organization works to strengthen the healthcare community and improve patient care.

Job Description:

Our client is seeking an experienced Senior Benefits & HR Operations Specialist to join its People Operations team. This individual will play an important role in overseeing the day-to-day administration of employee benefits, leave programs, wellness initiatives, and general HR operations.

The ideal candidate is a proactive HR professional who enjoys taking ownership of responsibilities, identifying opportunities to improve processes, and serving as a trusted resource for employees and management. This role requires someone who can balance hands-on administrative responsibilities with strategic thinking, using data and technology to strengthen HR operations and enhance the overall employee experience.

The Senior Specialist will work closely with HR leadership and cross-functional partners to ensure accurate, efficient, and compliant HR processes throughout the employee lifecycle.

Key Responsibilities:

Benefits Administration

• Manage the day-to-day administration of employee benefits programs, including medical, retirement, voluntary, wellness, and supplemental offerings.
• Serve as a primary resource for employee questions regarding benefits, eligibility, enrollment, and available resources.
• Coordinate new enrollments, qualifying life events, employee status changes, and benefit terminations.
• Work directly with insurance carriers, brokers, and external vendors to address enrollment, billing, eligibility, and claims concerns.
• Assist with annual open enrollment planning and execution, including employee communications, educational sessions, vendor coordination, system testing, and follow-up audits.
• Conduct regular audits of benefit elections, payroll deductions, vendor invoices, and employee records to maintain accuracy and compliance.
• Review enrollment trends, utilization data, and employee feedback to identify opportunities to improve benefit offerings and service delivery.

Wellness Program Administration

• Coordinate employee wellness programs, educational initiatives, and internal events, including annual benefits and wellness fairs.
• Collaborate with internal departments and outside vendors to encourage employee participation and engagement.
• Track program participation and feedback to assess effectiveness and identify areas for improvement.
• Research industry trends and recommend new wellness initiatives that support employee well-being.

Leave of Absence Management

• Oversee the administration of employee leave programs, including FMLA, ADA accommodations, short- and long-term disability, parental leave, military leave, and workers' compensation coordination.
• Coordinate leave requests and ongoing case management with employees, managers, payroll, HR leadership, and external leave administrators.
• Monitor required documentation, leave timelines, benefit continuation, payroll considerations, and return-to-work processes.
• Maintain accurate and confidential employee leave records in accordance with applicable regulations and internal policies.
• Evaluate leave trends and recommend improvements to processes, compliance, and employee communications.

HR Operations, HRIS & Payroll Support

• Maintain accurate employee information within HR systems through regular audits, data reviews, and reconciliation.
• Review benefit deductions and payroll records to identify and resolve discrepancies.
• Support payroll activities by validating benefit elections, leave-related adjustments, and employee status changes.
• Prepare HR reports and assist with data analysis to support organizational reporting and operational decisions.
• Manage the HR inquiry inbox, responding to employee and management questions related to benefits, leave, payroll, HR systems, and internal policies.
• Provide timely, professional support while identifying recurring questions and opportunities to improve employee resources.
• Assist with onboarding, orientation, employee transitions, and offboarding processes.
• Support HR technology enhancements, system updates, testing, and workflow improvements.
• Create and maintain process documentation, standard operating procedures, training materials, and employee resources.

Compliance & Process Improvement

• Monitor changes in federal, state, and local employment, benefits, payroll, and leave regulations.
• Partner with HR leadership to implement necessary policy and process updates and maintain compliance.
• Analyze HR data and operational metrics to identify trends and recommend improvements.
• Present recommendations to strengthen benefits programs, employee engagement, and overall HR service delivery.
• Identify opportunities to improve workflows, automate manual processes, and maximize HR system capabilities.
• Participate in cross-functional projects, audits, system implementations, and other organizational initiatives.

Qualifications:

• 5+ years of progressive Human Resources experience.
• At least 3 years of direct experience administering employee benefits and HR operations.
• Hands-on experience with benefits administration, leave management, HRIS systems, and payroll-related processes.
• Experience working with HR platforms such as ADP and Oracle preferred.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite.
• Strong understanding of employee benefits, leave administration, and applicable employment regulations.
• Excellent organizational, analytical, and problem-solving skills.
• Demonstrated ability to take ownership of responsibilities and manage competing priorities independently.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to partner effectively across all levels of an organization.
• Ability to exercise sound judgment, maintain confidentiality, and handle sensitive employee matters professionally.
• A proactive mindset with an interest in identifying process improvements and contributing to broader HR initiatives.
• Bachelor's degree preferred; equivalent professional experience will also be considered.
• Experience within a nonprofit association, healthcare, or similar professional services environment is a plus.

Additional Details:

• Contract-to-hire opportunity with the potential for permanent placement.
• Hybrid work arrangement requiring onsite attendance two days per week (Tuesday and Thursday).
• During the initial onboarding period, availability to work onsite up to three days per week may be requested to support training and relationship-building.
• Standard schedule is Monday through Friday, 9:00 AM–5:00 PM, with some flexibility.
• Expected workweek is 37.5–40 hours.
• Overtime is not anticipated and requires supervisor approval.

Perks:

• Opportunity to join a mission-driven nonprofit organization.
• Collaborative and hands-on HR leadership team.
• Exposure to a broad range of benefits, HR operations, and employee experience initiatives.
• Opportunity to take ownership of key HR functions and contribute to process improvements.
• Hybrid work environment.
• Potential for long-term employment through a contract-to-hire arrangement.

Addison Group is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Addison Group provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, marital status, amnesty, or status as a covered veteran in accordance with applicable federal, state and local laws. Addison Group complies with applicable state and local laws governing non-discrimination in employment in every location in which the company has facilities. Reasonable accommodation is available for qualified individuals with disabilities upon request.