Benefits & Payroll Specialist | HR Operations

BestSelf; Buffalo (NY); On-site; USD 36,000 - 40,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Generous paid time off

Health insurance options

Career growth opportunities

Team environment

Job summary

BestSelf in Buffalo, NY is seeking an Employee Benefits & Payroll Specialist to serve as the primary contact for benefits, payroll, and leave inquiries with hands-on administration of leave, payroll support, and workers’ compensation in a fast-paced environment.

The role requires strong customer service, meticulous attention to detail, and the ability to manage multiple tasks. Travel within Western New York and participation in benefit enrollment fairs are expected.

Qualifications

• High School Diploma or GED required; Associate’s or Bachelor’s degree preferred.
• 2+ years of experience in HR, payroll, benefits, or leave administration.
• Hands-on experience processing payroll, benefits, and leave requests.
• Proficiency with HRIS/payroll systems and Microsoft Office Suite.
• Knowledge of payroll, benefits, leave administration, and workers’ compensation processes.
• Familiarity with HRIS/payroll systems (E3/DATIS preferred) and carrier portals.
• Strong customer service, communication, and organizational skills.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities with accuracy and attention to detail.
• Knowledge of federal and state leave laws (FMLA, NYS PFL/DBL, Military Leave) and compliance requirements.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality and handle sensitive employee information (PHI/PII).

Responsibilities

• Serve as the primary contact for employee inquiries related to benefits, payroll, and leave.
• Manage shared inboxes and ticket queues, triaging and resolving requests promptly.
• Support the HR hotline and emergency extension as needed.
• Send new hire welcome emails and onboarding communications.
• Host or co-host benefits, wellness, and employee engagement fairs.
• Coordinate leave explanation meetings with employees and supervisors.
• Process FMLA, DBL, PFL, Military Leave, NYS Prenatal Leave, and Workers’ Compensation claims.
• Submit LOA trackers to Payroll and IT and follow up on required documentation.
• Update monthly leave-of-status reports for leadership and payroll.
• Process benefit enrollments, qualifying life events, and terminations.
• Review timecards for completeness and accuracy.
• Travel within Western New York as needed to attend meetings, give presentations, participate in benefit enrollment fairs, or support department-specific events.
• Completes all trainings required by the agency.
• Performs all other duties as assigned.

Skills

HR knowledge

Payroll processing

Benefits administration

Leave administration

Customer service

Communication

Confidentiality

Education

High School diploma or GED

Associate's or Bachelor's degree preferred

Tools

HRIS/DATIS

Microsoft Office

E3

Job description

BestSelf in Buffalo, NY is seeking an Employee Benefits & Payroll Specialist to serve as the primary contact for benefits, payroll, and leave inquiries with hands-on administration of leave, payroll support, and workers’ compensation in a fast-paced environment.

The role requires strong customer service, meticulous attention to detail, and the ability to manage multiple tasks. Travel within Western New York and participation in benefit enrollment fairs are expected.