HR Benefits, Leave & Compliance Specialist

University of Northwestern - St. Paul; Saint Paul (MN); On-site; USD 62,000 - 69,000; Full time

Job summary

The University of Northwestern – St. Paul in Saint Paul, MN seeks a Benefits, Leave & Compliance Specialist to manage leave, disability, accommodations, benefits, and compliance programs.

This role advises employees and leaders, ensuring legal compliance while balancing operational needs and confidentiality. Collaborating with vendors and internal partners, you will drive program administration, process improvements, and return-to-work initiatives, contributing to an excellent employee

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, Healthcare Administration, or a related field; or an equivalent combination of education and directly related experience.
• Minimum of three (3) years of experience administering programs governed by federal and state employment laws and regulations related to leave administration, disability accommodations, employee benefits, workers' compensation, unemployment, or HR compliance.
• Experience independently managing complex employee leave, disability, accommodation, benefits, or compliance cases while maintaining confidentiality and ensuring regulatory compliance.
• Experience interpreting policies and regulations and providing guidance to employees and leaders on workplace, benefits, leave, accommodation, or compliance-related matters.
• Maintain a growing, personal relationship with Jesus Christ, reflect His character in all interactions, and faithfully uphold and embrace Northwestern’s mission, Doctrinal Statement and Declaration of Christian Community

Responsibilities

• Lead leave administration, disability management, workplace accommodations, workers' compensation, and unemployment programs.
• Provide expert guidance to employees and leaders on complex leave, disability, accommodation, and compliance scenarios.
• Collaborate with HR and business partners to ensure consistent policy application and support organizational objectives.
• Support administration of employee benefit and retirement programs; partner with carriers and vendors for accurate delivery.
• Promote compliance with federal, state, and local laws related to benefits, leave, disability, and HR practices.
• Maintain accurate employee data, records, and audit-ready documentation; identify process improvements.

Skills

Spiritual Discernment

Mission Alignment

Strategic thinking

Interpersonal effectiveness

Employee relations & HR knowledge

Confidentiality

Communication skills

Organization & detail orientation

Professional reliability & independent

Background check

Education

Bachelor's degree in HR or related field

Tools

HRIS

Leave management system

Benefits administration software

Case management system

Job description

The University of Northwestern – St. Paul in Saint Paul, MN seeks a Benefits, Leave & Compliance Specialist to manage leave, disability, accommodations, benefits, and compliance programs.

This role advises employees and leaders, ensuring legal compliance while balancing operational needs and confidentiality. Collaborating with vendors and internal partners, you will drive program administration, process improvements, and return-to-work initiatives, contributing to an excellent employee