Director, Benefits and Leave Administration

Ultimate Staffing Services; Irvine (CA); On-site; USD 130,000 - 145,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Bonus potential

Job summary

Ultimate Staffing Services seeks a Director of Benefits & Leave Administration in Irvine, CA. This senior role leads health/leave programs across multi-state operations with a focus on compliance, vendor management, and people leadership.

The position includes a strong strategic component, collaboration with HR, Finance, Legal, and Executives, and a competitive compensation package with bonus potential.

Qualifications

• 10+ years of progressive benefits and leave administration experience.
• 5+ years of leadership experience.
• Experience with 5,000+ employee organizations.
• Multistate benefits administration experience required.
• Experience with ERISA, ACA, COBRA, HIPAA, FMLA, ADA, LOA.
• IRS filings, Form 5500s, audits, and compliance reporting.
• Experience with self-funded and fully insured health plans.

Responsibilities

• Lead administration and strategy for health and welfare benefit programs.
• Oversee enterprise leave programs including FMLA and ADA.
• Ensure compliance with ERISA, ACA, COBRA, HIPAA, FMLA, ADA, IRS and DOL.
• Manage Form 5500 filings, audits, reporting and regulatory activities.
• Lead annual renewals, open enrollment, and employee communications.
• Manage relationships with brokers, carriers, TPAs, and consultants.
• Analyze claims, utilization, and cost trends for decisions.
• Provide leadership and mentorship to the benefits and LOA team.
• Support benefits integrations during mergers/acquisitions.
• Partner with HR, Finance, Legal, Payroll, and Exec leadership.

Skills

Strategic leadership

Leadership

Stakeholder management

Communication

Team mentorship

Vendor management

Analytical thinking

Regulatory compliance knowledge

Education

CEBS

SPHR

Tools

Excel

Job description

Director, Benefits and Leave Administration (JN -072026-425575) Irvine, California

Salary: USD130000 - USD145000 per year

Job Title: Director, Benefits and Leave Administration

Location: Irvine, CA (Hybrid; onsite preference 4 days/week)

Employment Type: Direct Hire

Salary: $130,000-$145,000 + 20% bonus

Our client, a leading North American employer with a workforce of more than 300,000 employees across the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico, is seeking a strategic and experienced Director of Benefits & Leave Administration to lead health and welfare benefits, leave programs, compliance, and team development in a highly complex, multi-state environment.

This is a high-impact leadership opportunity for a benefits professional who thrives in large-scale organizations and enjoys balancing strategy, compliance, operations, vendor management, and people leadership.

This position supports a highly complex benefits operation that includes multiple employee populations, union and non-union workforces, leave administration programs, and extensive compliance requirements across North America.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead administration and strategy for health and welfare benefit programs
• Oversee enterprise leave programs, including FMLA, ADA, paid leave, military leave, and state-specific leave laws
• Ensure compliance with ERISA, ACA, COBRA, HIPAA, FMLA, ADA, IRS, and DOL requirements
• Manage Form 5500 filings, audits, reporting, and regulatory compliance activities
• Lead annual renewals, open enrollment, and employee communication initiatives
• Manage relationships with brokers, carriers, TPAs, consultants, and outside counsel
• Analyze claims, utilization, and cost trends to support business decisions
• Provide leadership and mentorship to the benefits and LOA team
• Support benefit-related integrations during mergers and acquisitions
• Partner closely with HR, Finance, Legal, Payroll, and Executive Leadership

Qualifications

• 10+ years of progressive benefits and leave administration experience
• 5+ years of leadership experience
• Experience supporting organizations with 5,000+ employees
• Demonstrated success mentoring, developing, and holding teams accountable in a collaborative environment
• Multi-state benefits administration experience required
• Strong knowledge of ERISA, ACA, COBRA, HIPAA, FMLA, ADA, and LOA regulations
• Experience with IRS filings, Form 5500s, audits, and compliance reporting
• Experience managing self-funded and fully insured health plans
• Experience supporting union, SCA, prevailing wage, or highly customized benefit structures
• Advanced Excel and analytical skills
• Proven vendor, broker, and contract management experience
• Strong communication, leadership, and stakeholder management skills

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience supporting large, complex employee populations
• Union, SCA, prevailing wage, or highly regulated workforce experience
• CEBS, SPHR, or related certification

Why Consider This Opportunity?

• Strategic leadership role supporting a workforce of 300,000+ employees
• Opportunity to influence enterprise-wide benefits and leave strategy
• Exposure to executive leadership and key business stakeholders
• Strong team environment with opportunity to mentor and develop staff
• Competitive compensation package including bonus opportunity

Yes, I am currently eligible to work (work permit/visa/citizenship) in the country to which I am applying. No, I am not currently eligible to work (work permit/visa/citizenship) in the country to which I am applying.