Benefits and Leave Manager

Merit HR (Merit Resource Group); United States; On-site; USD 110,000 - 125,000; Full time

Job summary

Merit HR (Merit Resource Group) is seeking a Benefits & Leaves Manager to lead our benefits program for 900+ employees, guiding strategy, design and employee experience. This role emphasizes self-funded medical plans, broker/TPA partnerships, compliance, and a service-oriented HR approach.

Location is fully remote with occasional travel to South San Francisco. You will supervise two benefits/leaves professionals and collaborate across HR to support a mission-driven organization serving children,

Qualifications

• 5 years of HR/benefits experience with health and welfare plans.
• Hands-on experience with self-funded/self-insured medical plans preferred.
• Understanding of claims, funding, plan design and vendor management.
• Experience with retirement plans, ideally a 403(b).
• Strong knowledge of California leave and accommodations requirements.
• Experience leading or mentoring benefits/leave professionals.

Responsibilities

• Lead a comprehensive benefits program including medical, dental, vision, life insurance, wellness, COBRA and a 403(b) retirement plan.
• Manage a self-funded medical plan, partnering with the broker and TPA on claims trends, funding, plan performance and design.
• Analyze data and identify opportunities to improve benefits, manage costs and strengthen the employee experience.
• Lead annual open enrollment and benefits communications.
• Manage relationships with brokers, carriers, TPAs and other benefits partners.
• Ensure compliance with ACA, ERISA, HIPAA, COBRA and other applicable requirements.
• Provide leadership for leave administration including FMLA/CFRA/PDL and CA leave requirements.
• Guide ADA/FEHA accommodations and the interactive process.
• Oversee workers’ compensation and return-to-work processes.
• Lead and develop the team supporting day-to-day administration of benefits and leaves.

Skills

Benefits/HR strategy

California leave requirements

People leadership

Job description

Some benefits roles are primarily about administration. This one is about stewardship, strategy and service.

We are partnering with a large, well-established California non-profit to find an experienced Benefits & Leaves Manager to lead benefits for a workforce of more than 900 employees doing deeply meaningful—and often emotionally demanding—work with children, youth and families.

This is an excellent opportunity for a benefits professional who understands the complexity of a self-funded health plan and enjoys working closely with a strong broker, TPA and other partners to make smart decisions around plan performance, cost, design and employee experience. The role supervises a team of two.

Just as important, this organization believes HR is there to serve the people who make its mission possible. The HR team is described as collaborative, supportive and refreshingly low-ego. They are looking for someone who brings both technical depth and a genuine service mindset.

What You’ll Lead:

Benefits Strategy & Administration

• Lead a comprehensive benefits program including medical, dental, vision, life insurance, wellness, COBRA and a 403(b) retirement plan
• Manage a self-funded medical plan, partnering with the broker and TPA on claims trends, funding, plan performance and design
• Analyze data and identify opportunities to improve benefits, manage costs and strengthen the employee experience
• Lead annual open enrollment and benefits communications
• Manage relationships with brokers, carriers, TPAs and other benefits partners
• Ensure compliance with ACA, ERISA, HIPAA, COBRA and other applicable requirements

Leaves, Accommodations & Workers’ Compensation

• Provide leadership and oversight for leave administration, including FMLA, CFRA, PDL, disability and other California leave requirements
• Guide ADA/FEHA accommodations and the interactive process
• Oversee workers’ compensation and return-to-work processes
• Lead and develop the team supporting the day-to-day administration of benefits and leaves, allowing you to focus on the more complex issues, decisions and program leadership

What We’re Looking For:

• 5 years of HR/benefits experience, including significant responsibility for health and welfare plans
• Hands-on experience with a self-funded/self-insured medical plan strongly preferred
• An understanding of claims, funding, plan design and vendor management—not simply benefits enrollment and administration
• Experience with retirement plans, ideally a 403(b)
• Strong knowledge of California leave and accommodation requirements
• Experience leading or mentoring benefits/leave professionals
• Openness to coming onsite for meetings as needed, anticipated to be quarterly in SSF.
• Comfort supporting a large, geographically dispersed employee population
• Strong analytical skills coupled with the ability to explain complex benefits issues in a practical, approachable way

The Person Matters Here:

• Technical expertise is essential, but how you operate matters just as much.
• This is an HR team that values partnership over ego. The right person will be collaborative, thoughtful, responsive and genuinely service-oriented—someone who recognizes that benefits and leave programs become particularly important when employees themselves are doing difficult work in service to others.
• A commitment to diversity, inclusion and the mission of supporting children, youth and families is important. This organization believes differing perspectives, cultures and lived experiences make both the workplace and the services it provides stronger.

Why Consider It?

You’ll have the opportunity to take meaningful ownership of a sophisticated benefits portfolio while joining an experienced HR team where you have support rather than having to do everything yourself.

For someone who enjoys the intersection of benefits strategy, financial stewardship, vendor partnership, compliance and employee service, this is a role with both substance and purpose.

Location:

Fully remote; California candidates only. There will be occasional travel to company headquarters in South San Francisco.

Compensation:

$110k – $125k annually