Principal Benefits Strategist

Orange County Transportation Authority; Orange (CA); On-site; USD 96,000 - 146,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Public-sector experience

Inclusive benefits portfolio

Open enrollment leadership

Cross-functional collaboration

Career progression path

Competitive compensation

Job summary

Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA) seeks a Benefits Specialist to administer health, retirement, and deferred compensation programs. You will support enrollment, educate employees, and help drive improvements across benefit offerings.

The role spans open enrollment, regulatory compliance, and vendor coordination, with opportunities to influence program effectiveness and employee well-being in a public-sector setting.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Human Resources, or a related field, or equivalent experience.
• Experience administering employee benefit programs.
• Knowledge of health, welfare, retirement, and deferred compensation programs.
• Ability to interpret benefit plan provisions and regulatory requirements.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with benefits data.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Strong organizational and project management skills.

Responsibilities

• Administer and support employee benefit programs (medical, dental, vision, FSA, retirement, deferred comp).
• Advise employees and management on eligibility, enrollment, coverage, policies, and procedures.
• Support retirement and 457(b)/401(a) programs; assist retirees or separations.
• Coordinate annual open enrollment and related communications/planning.
• Research and resolve benefit issues (eligibility, life events, coverage, claims).
• Develop clear, engaging benefit communications and materials.
• Monitor providers, third-party admins, and carriers for performance and compliance.
• Reconcile enrollments, invoices, budgets, contracts, and POs.
• Assist with ACA reporting and applicable regulations (COBRA, HIPAA, FMLA, CFRA).
• Develop and maintain benefits policies, processes, and analytical tools.

Skills

Analytical thinking

Communication

Project management

Multi-tasking

Regulatory awareness

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration or HR

Tools

Workday

Microsoft Excel

Job description

Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA) seeks a Benefits Specialist to administer health, retirement, and deferred compensation programs. You will support enrollment, educate employees, and help drive improvements across benefit offerings.

The role spans open enrollment, regulatory compliance, and vendor coordination, with opportunities to influence program effectiveness and employee well-being in a public-sector setting.