HR Associate (Open Enrollment) Special Duty

King County, WA; Seattle (WA); Hybrid; USD 60,000 - 85,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Excellent medical, dental, and vision

Retirement plan

Paid holidays and leave

Flexible schedules and telecommuting

Job summary

King County's Department of Human Resources seeks a Human Resource Associate for a Special Duty Assignment in the Benefits, Payroll and Retirement Operations Section. The role focuses on providing customer service to employees on complex benefits issues, communicating accurate information, and supporting open enrollment during the SDA period ending January 29, 2027.

The ideal candidate is team-oriented, with strong communication and confidentiality, proficient with Microsoft Office 365, and

Qualifications

• Experience in a high-volume call environment with fast-paced deadlines.
• Ability to coach and explain benefits/tools to employees.
• Knowledge of employee benefit programs, practices, and laws.
• Strong problem-solving and analytical skills.
• Ability to research, interpret, and report program information.
• Ability to work independently and in a team.

Responsibilities

• Provide customer service to employees by interpreting benefits information.
• Explain benefits programs to participants.
• Assist with enrollment presentations and troubleshoot online enrollment tools.
• Research and resolve eligibility issues with various resources.
• Escalate claims issues to ensure accuracy.
• Participate in systems testing prior to open enrollment.
• Other duties as assigned.

Skills

Customer service

Presentation skills

Communication

Team collaboration

Time management

Discretion/confidentiality

Pressure handling

Tools

PeopleSoft

Microsoft Office 365

SharePoint

Job description

Summary

This recruitment is open to King County employees only.

It will be used to fill a Human Resource Associate Special Duty Assignment (SDA) that is anticipated to end January 29, 2027.

The Central Employee Services Division (CESD) within King County's Department of Human Resources (DHR) seeks a Human Resource Associate in the Benefits, Payroll and Retirement Operations Section (BPROS). The successful candidate will provide customer service to employees on complex benefits issues by communicating accurate benefits information to employees and responding to general benefits inquiries. This Special Duty Assignment is needed in preparation for and during open enrollment season.

The ideal candidate will be highly team oriented, with a strong ability to provide excellent customer service to both internal and external customers. This is an exciting opportunity to work with the Benefits team and make a difference in serving our employees.

The Central Employee Services Division is a division within DHR that provides integrated services in the areas of Safety and Claims (Workers' Compensation), Disability and Leaves, Balanced You (Well-being) and Employee Giving, Employee Assistance Program, Benefits Strategy, as well as Benefits, Payroll, and Retirement Operations.

Job Duties

To be considered for this opportunity, you must at a minimum, demonstrate the knowledge, skill, and ability to:

• Maintain and communicate appropriate information to program participants and ensure the confidentiality of records is maintained according to established policies.
• Provide customer service to employees by interpreting, communicating, and explaining the County's benefit programs.
• Assist employees via phone and conduct benefit enrollment presentations with technical on-line tools for the benefits programs; troubleshoot PeopleSoft login issues and reset passwords during open enrollment.
• Research, troubleshoot, and resolve insurance benefit eligibility issues. Consult with other staff and many different resources for benefits policy administration.
• Escalate claims issues to BPROS staff to ensure completion and accuracy. Research discrepancies between employee, payroll, benefit provider/s, and government agencies.
• Participate in systems testing prior to open enrollment.
• Other duties as assigned.

Experience, Qualifications, Knowledge, Skills

We are looking for candidates who:

• Have experience in a high-volume call working environment that is fast paced with time-sensitive deadlines and strong customer service requirements.
• Have presentation skills and experience coaching and describing \"how to\" information to technically challenged employees, including experience guiding employees in the use of on-line enrollment tools.
• Have working knowledge of employee benefit programs, practices, and laws.
• Have demonstrated ability to problem solve; analyze, assess, and identify options.
• Have the ability to research, interpret, and report program information.
• Have strong customer service, communication, interpersonal, and collaboration skills, including the ability to work well independently and as part of a team.
• Have strong organizational skills, including effective time management, project management, and planning skills,
• Have the ability to work with individuals from diverse backgrounds, including sensitivity to and knowledge of various ethnic, cultural, and socio-economic groups.
• Are able to remain calm when dealing with customers, with the ability to maintain high degree of confidentiality with sensitive and personal information while demonstrating fairness, respect, and inclusiveness.
• Have an intermediate level proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite 365, to include Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Teams, and SharePoint. Experience using internet-based software programs with demonstrated ability to quickly learn new technology tools.

Desirable Qualifications

• Operational experience with PeopleSoft, Human Resources Management System, or other relational database systems.
• Experience guiding employees in the use of on-line enrollment tools.

Work Schedule

This position is non-exempt from the provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act and therefore overtime eligible. Employees are paid on a bi-weekly schedule, every other Thursday, comprising a 40-hour workweek, normally 8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. This position is represented by Local 117 International Brotherhood of Teamsters – Professional & Technical and Administrative Employees.

This position works a hybrid schedule of remote and onsite work, requiring work in the office at least three days a week. Hybrid work schedules are subject to change based upon operational necessity. Onsite presence will be required during the first weeks of training and the open enrollment period of November 1-15.

Supplemental Information

Who May Apply

This recruitment is open to current King County career service employees who have passed their initial probation or appointed employees. It will be used to fill a Human Resource Associate Special Duty Assignment (SDA) that is anticipated to end January 29, 2027. Acceptance of this SDA by a King County employee is subject to approval by the employee's current/base department based on operational needs. Compensation will be based upon the provisions of the collective bargaining agreement or Coalition Labor Agreement for their base assignment.

King County's Vision, Mission, and ACTIVATE Values unite us.

King County serves residents with a relentless sense of urgency, delivering on commitments with transparency and accountability. We are action-oriented, creative problem solvers who collaborate across roles, engage directly with communities, and challenge the status quo to achieve meaningful impact. As a unified team, we uphold high ethical and stewardship standards, embrace change, stay curious, and continuously improve. Across all interactions, we listen first, act quickly, and stay aligned as a team to earn and sustain public trust. Learn more about our Vision, Mission, and ACTIVATE Values here and visit our Why work at King County page here.

King County is an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Employer

No person is unlawfully excluded from employment opportunities based on sex, race, color, national origin, ethnicity, religious affiliation, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age except by minimum age and retirement provisions, pregnancy, status as a family caregiver, parental status, marital status, military status or status as a veteran who was honorably discharged or who was discharged solely as a result of the person's sexual orientation or gender identity or expression, citizenship or immigration status, genetic information, or other protected class. However, to the extent that distinction or differential treatment on the basis of citizenship or immigration status is authorized by either federal or state law, regulation, or government contract, it is not an unfair practice.

Our EEO policy applies to all employment actions, including but not limited to recruitment, hiring, selection for training, promotion, transfer, demotion, layoff, termination, rates of pay or other forms of compensation.

Benefits

• Excellent medical, dental, and vision coverage options: King County provides eligible employees with options, so they can decide what’s best for themselves and their eligible dependents
• Life and disability insurance: employees are provided basic coverage and given the opportunity to purchase additional insurance for both the employee and eligible dependents
• Retirement: eligible King County employees may participate in a pension plan through the Washington State Department of Retirement Systems and a 457(b) deferred-compensation plan
• Transportation program and ORCA transit pass
• 12 paid holidays each year plus two personal holidays
• Generous vacation and paid sick leave
• Paid parental, family and medical, and volunteer leaves
• Flexible Spending Account
• Wellness programs
• Onsite activity centers
• Employee Giving Program
• Employee assistance programs
• Flexible schedules and telecommuting options, depending on position
• Training and career development programs

For additional information about employee benefits, visit our Benefits, Payroll, and Retirement Page.

This is a general description of the benefits offered to eligible King County employees, and every effort has been made to ensure its accuracy. If any information on this document conflicts with the provisions of a collective bargaining agreement (CBA), the CBA prevails.

NOTE: Benefits for Term Limited Temporary (TLT) or Short Term Temporary (STT) positions, including leave eligibility and/or participation in the pension plan through the Washington State Department of Retirement Systems, will vary based upon the terms and details of the position. Short Term Temporary positions are not eligible for an ORCA transit pass.

For inquiries about the specifics of this position, please contact the recruiter identified on this job posting.