Human Resources Specialist

Human Resources Specialist – Benefits & Leave

Position Overview

The Human Resources Specialist (HRS) is responsible for the day-to-day administration and ownership of employee benefits and leave programs across Vector Force Development, Vector Services, and Vector Talent Solutions.

Reporting to the Senior Manager, Human Resources, the HRS serves as Vector’s primary internal resource for benefits and leave administration, supporting employees throughout the full benefits lifecycle and administering leaves of absence from initial request through return to work.

The HRS partners closely with employees, HR Business Partners, Payroll, benefit brokers, insurance carriers, third-party administrators, and business leaders to ensure benefits and leave programs are administered accurately, consistently, and in accordance with applicable plan requirements, Company policies, and federal, state, and local requirements.

This role requires strong benefits and leave administration experience, exceptional attention to detail, and the ability to independently manage employee cases while appropriately escalating matters requiring HR judgment, policy interpretation, or higher-level review.

What You’ll Do

Benefits Administration

• Own the day-to-day administration of Vector’s employee benefit programs and serve as the primary HR resource for benefits-related matters.
• Administer medical, dental, vision, disability, retirement, and other Company-sponsored benefit programs.
• Manage benefit enrollment, eligibility changes, qualifying life events, terminations, and employee benefit status changes.
• Serve as the primary point of contact for employee benefits questions, providing accurate and timely guidance regarding eligibility, coverage, enrollment, and available resources.
• Partner with benefit brokers, carriers, vendors, Payroll, and HRIS partners to resolve eligibility, enrollment, coverage, deduction, and administrative issues.
• Own the administrative execution of Open Enrollment, including system preparation, employee communications, enrollment support, data validation, and post-enrollment reconciliation.
• Audit benefit enrollment and payroll deduction data and coordinate corrections for identified discrepancies.
• Coordinate COBRA administration and eligibility transmission with applicable vendors.
• Support benefit renewals, plan changes, implementations, vendor transitions, and employee communications.
• Maintain accurate, confidential, and audit-ready benefit records and documentation.
• Develop and maintain benefit resources, standard communications, procedures, and employee-facing materials.
• Track benefit trends, recurring employee issues, and vendor performance and identify opportunities to improve administration and the employee experience.

Leave of Absence Administration

• Administer federal, state, local, and Company leave programs, including FMLA, applicable state paid and protected leave, parental leave, military leave, bereavement, and other applicable leaves.
• Serve as the primary HR point of contact for employees throughout the leave process.
• Determine applicable leave programs and coordinate required notices, certifications, documentation, deadlines, and employee communications.
• Track leave eligibility, approvals, certifications, extensions, exhaustion dates, benefit continuation requirements, and return-to-work status.
• Maintain appropriate communication with employees and managers throughout the leave process while protecting confidential information.
• Coordinate leave activity with Payroll, HR Business Partners, managers, disability carriers, state agencies, and third-party leave administrators.
• Coordinate benefit continuation and employee premium obligations during applicable leaves.
• Manage return-to-work administration, including required documentation, restrictions, releases, and internal coordination.
• Proactively identify missing documentation, approaching deadlines, leave exhaustion, overlapping leave programs, and potential compliance concerns.
• Maintain complete, confidential, and audit-ready leave files and case documentation.
• Escalate complex leave matters, policy exceptions, employee relations concerns, or matters requiring legal or HR leadership review.

ADA & Workplace Accommodations

• Coordinate the administrative process for employee workplace accommodation requests.
• Serve as an initial point of contact for employees requesting disability-related accommodations.
• Coordinate medical documentation, employee communications, deadlines, and follow-up.
• Support the interactive process in partnership with HR Business Partners and HR leadership.
• Track approved accommodations, restrictions, review dates, and required follow-up.
• Coordinate implementation of approved accommodations with employees, managers, Safety, Risk, and other appropriate stakeholders.
• Maintain medical and accommodation documentation separately and confidentially.
• Escalate complex accommodation requests, potential undue-hardship considerations, or matters requiring legal or policy interpretation.

Compliance, Reporting & Administration

• Maintain working knowledge of applicable benefits and leave requirements, including FMLA, ADA, COBRA, HIPAA, USERRA, and applicable state and local leave programs.
• Monitor regulatory and plan changes affecting assigned programs and escalate potential policy or process changes to HR leadership.
• Conduct routine audits of benefit enrollment, leave cases, eligibility data, required notices, and supporting documentation.
• Maintain benefits and leave trackers, dashboards, metrics, and recurring reports.
• Partner with Payroll to reconcile benefit deductions and leave-related pay or status changes.
• Maintain standard operating procedures for benefits, leave, and accommodation administration.
• Support benefit and leave audits, compliance reviews, reporting requirements, and assigned filings.
• Recommend process improvements that strengthen compliance, efficiency, data integrity, and the employee experience.

What You’ll Bring

• Associate’s or Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, Benefits Administration, or a related field preferred; equivalent relevant experience may be considered.
• Three or more years of direct benefits and leave administration experience preferred.
• Demonstrated experience administering employee benefit programs, including enrollment, eligibility, qualifying life events, Open Enrollment, and vendor coordination.
• Demonstrated experience independently administering employee leaves of absence.
• Working knowledge of FMLA, ADA, COBRA, HIPAA, USERRA, and applicable state leave requirements.
• Multi-state benefits and leave administration experience strongly preferred.
• Experience working with benefit brokers, insurance carriers, disability providers, and third-party administrators.
• Strong organizational and case-management skills with the ability to independently manage multiple deadlines and employee matters.
• Strong attention to detail and the ability to maintain accurate, confidential, and audit-ready records.
• Ability to interpret benefit plans, policies, procedures, and regulatory requirements and communicate information clearly to employees and managers.
• Ability to recognize and appropriately escalate complex or high-risk matters.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office and familiarity with HRIS, benefits administration, leave-management, and payroll systems.

Compensation & Benefits

• The hourly wage for this role is $29.00HR

Vector offers a comprehensive benefits package, including medical, dental, vision, 401(k), paid time off, paid holidays, life insurance, and disability benefits, subject to plan terms and eligibility. This position may also be eligible for additional compensation or incentives, as applicable.

Work Location & Travel

This position is hybrid (WA). Periodic travel to Vector, client, operational, or project locations may be required based on business needs.

Employment Eligibility

Employment is contingent upon successful completion of applicable pre-employment requirements, which may include employment eligibility verification, background screening, drug testing, motor vehicle record review, and position- or client-specific requirements, consistent with applicable law.

Equal Employment Opportunity

Vector is an Equal Opportunity Employer committed to providing equal employment opportunities without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law.

Reasonable Accommodation

Vector provides reasonable accommodation to qualified individuals with disabilities in accordance with applicable law. Applicants requiring accommodation during the application or hiring process may contact Human Resources for assistance.

At-Will Employment

This job description does not create a contract of employment or alter the at-will employment relationship. Employment with Vector is at-will and may be terminated by either the employee or the Company at any time, with or without cause or notice, subject to applicable law.