Are you ready to make an impact?
West Monroe is seeking a full-time
Senior Benefits & Leave Specialist to join our Shared Services function. Reporting to the Manager of HR Operations, the ideal candidate will be able to work in a fast-paced environment and handle multiple tasks simultaneously. Our next Senior Benefits & Leave Specialist will be responsible for applying business knowledge and human resources expertise. They will assist in providing a wide range of HR support and advice and will work within the team to support the needs and priorities of the business and drive proactive, strategic, forward-thinking solutions to employee and organizational issues.
Responsibilities Include, But Are Not Limited To
- Administer and manage complex leave of absence cases from intake through resolution, including FMLA, ADA, state and local leave laws, workers’ compensation coordination, parental leave, personal leave, and military leave.
- Serve as a subject matter expert on federal, state, and local leave regulations, ensuring compliance with all applicable laws, company policies, and internal procedures.
- Provide guidance and consultation to employees, managers, HR Business Partners, and leadership regarding leave processes, accommodations, return-to-work requirements, and policy interpretation.
- Independently manage high-risk, escalated, or sensitive employee leave and accommodation cases requiring advanced judgment, discretion, and problem-solving.
- Coordinate and facilitate the interactive process for accommodation requests in partnership with HR, Legal, managers, and external vendors as appropriate.
- Review medical documentation and certifications to determine leave eligibility, accommodation needs, and return-to-work readiness while maintaining confidentiality and compliance standards.
- Partner closely with third-party administrators, payroll, benefits, and HR teams to ensure accurate leave administration, timely communication, and seamless employee support.
- Monitor leave case timelines, documentation, and approvals to ensure adherence to service level expectations and regulatory deadlines.
- Identify trends, risks, and process improvement opportunities related to leave administration and employee accommodations; recommend and implement solutions to enhance efficiency and employee experience.
- Configure, maintain, and optimize Workday leave and accommodation workflows, business processes, notifications, approvals, and reporting.
- Partner with HRIS and technology teams to troubleshoot system issues, improve automation, and enhance employee and manager self-service experiences.
- Identify opportunities to streamline leave administration processes through Workday enhancements and workflow optimization
- Support audits, reporting, and compliance reviews by maintaining accurate and complete case documentation and records.
- Lead and facilitate the ADA interactive process, including assessment of accommodation requests, collaboration with managers and HR partners, and evaluation of reasonable accommodation options.
- Provide consultative guidance to leaders on accommodation-related employee relations risks and compliance considerations.
- Assist in developing, updating, and communicating leave policies, procedures, templates, and training materials.
- Develop and analyze leave and accommodation metrics, trends, and dashboards to identify operational risks, improve employee experience, and support strategic decision-making.
- Mentor and provide guidance to junior leave specialists and team members, serving as a resource for complex case consultation and best practices.
- Participate in cross-functional projects, system implementations, and process enhancement initiatives related to leave management and employee experience.
- Deliver a high-touch, empathetic employee experience by guiding employees through sensitive leave and accommodation situations with professionalism, compassion, and responsiveness.
- Maintain a high level of professionalism, empathy, and confidentiality when supporting employees through sensitive or complex situations.
- Day-to-day administration of health and welfare plans, and support of related wellness programs
- Employee H.S.A. audit and management, including partnering with payroll to ensure accurate payroll processing and reporting.
- Holding meetings to discuss the details of a benefits program with employees and orientating new employees in terms of benefits.
- Develop communications to explain changes in benefits to employees and answering employee queries about benefits policies.
- Ensure accuracy of all new benefits enrollments for US, Costa Rica and UK including enrollments related to life events.
- Provide employees and managers with an available first point of contact for questions and guidance on fundamental HR topics and issues, including regular monitoring of the HR Service now Benefits and Generalist groups.
Requirements
- Strong working knowledge of federal, state, and local leave laws and regulations, including FMLA, ADA, PWFA, workers’ compensation, and paid family/medical leave programs.
- Experience administering leave and accommodation programs across multiple states with varying regulatory requirements strongly preferred.
- Demonstrated experience managing complex and escalated leave and accommodation cases with a high level of accuracy, professionalism, and confidentiality.
- Deep expertise in leave administration, accommodations, benefits coordination, and employment compliance required.
- Direct experience partnering with or administering leave programs through New York Life preferred, including familiarity with vendor case management processes and escalations.
- Strong experience utilizing Workday HRIS, including leave administration workflows, reporting, case tracking, and employee data management.
- Experience leveraging HR technologies
- Proficient in Microsoft Office tools, with advanced excel skills
- Prior knowledge of principles and practices of human resources
- Demonstrable experience with, or knowledge of state and federal laws and regulations with regard to the processing of health and retirement benefits.
- Experience in managing leave of absence, time-off, and workers’ compensation programs.
- In-depth understanding of state and local laws governing leave such as ERISA, HIPAA, COBRA, and FMLA to ensure compliance.
- Strong oral and written communication skills, including the ability to present, influence and collaborate
- Strong analytical, organizational, and interpersonal skills with the capability to prioritize tasks and work quickly and accurately with minimal supervision
- Demonstrated ability to drive HR processes and to deliver high quality HR services in a fast paced, high change environment
- Strong skills at building relationships with various levels in an organization
- Strong facilitation, influencing and conflict resolution skill
- A commitment to inclusion and diversity, and openness to new ideas and perspectives
Education/Training/Experience
- Bachelor’s degree (or equivalent) in Human Resources, business or related field strongly preferred
- A minimum of (5) or more years of experience in Human Resources, preferably in a professional services or management consulting firm
Based on pay transparency guidelines, the salary range for this role can vary based on your proximity to one of our West Monroe offices (see table below). Information on our competitive total rewards package, including our bonus structure and benefits is here. Individual salaries are determined by evaluating a variety of factors including geography, experience, skills, education, and internal equity.
Employees (and their families) are covered by medical, dental, vision, and basic life insurance. Employees are able to enroll in our company’s 401k plan, purchase shares from our employee stock ownership program and be eligible to receive annual bonuses. Employees will also receive unlimited flexible time off and ten paid holidays throughout the calendar year. Eligibility for ten weeks of paid parental leave will also be available upon hire date.
Seattle or Washington, D.C.
$90,200—$106,100 USD
Los Angeles
$94,500—$111,100 USD
New York City or San Francisco
$98,800—$116,200 USD
A location not listed above
$85,900—$101,100 USD
Other consultancies talk at you.
At West Monroe, we work with you.
We’re a global business and technology consulting firm passionate about creating measurable value for our clients, delivering real-world solutions.
The combination of business and technology is not new, but how we bring them together is unique. We’re fluent in both. We know that technology alone is not the answer, but how we apply it is. We rely on data to constantly adapt and solve new challenges. Actions that work today with outcomes that generate value for years to come.
At West Monroe, we zero in on the heart of the opportunity, getting to results faster and preparing people for what’s next.
You’ll feel the difference in how we work. We show up personally. We’re right there in the room with you, co-creating through the challenges. With West Monroe, collaboration isn’t a lofty promise, but a daily action. We work together with you to turn vision into clear action with lasting impact.
West Monroe is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer
We believe in treating each employee and applicant for employment fairly and with dignity. We base our employment decisions on merit, experience, and potential, without regard to race, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, age, religion, disability, veteran status, or any other characteristic prohibited by federal, state or local law. To learn more about diversity, equity and inclusion at West Monroe, visit www.westmonroe.com/inclusion. If you require a reasonable accommodation to participate in our recruiting process, please inquire by sending an email to recruiting@westmonroe.com.
Please review our current policy regarding use of generative artificial intelligence during the application process.
If you are based in California, we encourage you to read West Monroe’s Notice at Collection for California residents, provided pursuant to the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) and linked here.
