"Senior Benefits Specialist & Leave Coordinator"

Senior Benefits Specialist & Leave Coordinator

Job Category: Administrative / Clerical

Requisition Number: SENIO001276

Posted: December 18, 2025

Employment Type: Full Time

Location: On-site
Monmouth University Main Campus
West Long Branch, NJ

Expected Salary: $78,000 - $84,000

Monmouth University is seeking applications for a Senior Benefits Specialist & Leave Coordinator in the Department of Human Resources.

Join our dynamic Human Resources team and contribute to a positive, supportive, and collaborative workplace. In this role, you will work alongside colleagues who value professionalism and teamwork. You will have opportunities to develop your skills, support meaningful projects, and play a part in enhancing the employee experience. If you enjoy building relationships and helping others succeed, we encourage you to consider joining our team.

The Senior Benefits Specialist & Leave Coordinator supports the administration, communication, and compliance of employee health and welfare benefit programs and leave management processes within a higher education environment. This role serves as a primary point of contact for faculty, staff, and administrators regarding benefits enrollment, plan provisions, leave entitlements, and related HR policies. The position ensures accurate documentation, regulatory compliance, and high-quality customer service to support the institution's mission and workforce needs.

This is an in-person, on-campus, non-remote position.

Key Responsibilities

Benefits Administration

• Coordinate daily administration of employee health and welfare benefits including medical, dental, vision, flexible spending accounts, life insurance, short- and long-term disability programs, EAP, Telehealth and retirement programs as well as ancillary benefits and COBRA administration.
• Conducts weekly new employee orientations and provides follow up to new employee inquiries; benefit presentations to special employee populations, retirement and long- term disability retirement consultations, and quarterly retirement seminars.
• Support annual open enrollment activities by preparing materials, hosting informational sessions, and assisting employees with elections.
• Participates in auditing activities on a regular basis.
• Collaborates with the enrollment and administration teams to document processes and maximize efficiencies where possible.
• Maintain accurate benefits data in the HRIS; process qualifying life events, new hires, terminations, and plan changes.
• Reconcile monthly benefit invoices and ensure timely payment and accuracy.
• Assist employees in understanding benefit options, plan provisions, and eligibility guidelines.
• Coordinate with vendors, brokers, and carriers to resolve benefit-related issues.

Leave Management

• Serve as the primary contact for all leave programs including FMLA, ADA/504 workplace accommodations, sick leave, parental leave, workers' compensation, temporary disability and institution-specific leave programs.
• Review, track, and process leave requests; ensure compliance with federal, state, and institutional policies.
• Communicate leave entitlements, required documentation, timelines, and return-to-work expectations to employees and supervisors.
• Maintain accurate and confidential leave files and tracking systems.
• Collaborate with the ADA/504 Coordinator, HR leadership, and supervisors to support interactive process discussions and reasonable accommodations.

Compliance & Reporting

• Ensure all benefits and leave processes adhere to federal, state, and local regulations (FMLA, ADA, NJLAD, ERISA, HIPAA, COBRA, ACA, state leave laws).
• Prepare regular reports on benefits utilization, leave trends, and compliance metrics.
• Maintain up-to-date knowledge of regulatory changes affecting benefits and leave management.
• Ensure accurate and timely compliance with governing statutes and regulations including non-discrimination testing pursuant to Section 125, ACA, 403(b), APBO and PCORI.
• Maintain OSHA records. Submit and post required logs and reports in accordance with established procedures and regulatory requirements.
• Reviews medical documentation and work-related accident reports for completeness and clarity of data to ensure compliance with policy and regulatory requirements, get claim numbers and update all information on the OSHA log.
• Assist with audits, accreditation reviews, and compliance documentation.

Employee Support & Customer Service

• Provide high-quality assistance to employees regarding benefits, leaves, and HR-related inquiries.
• Conduct new-hire benefits orientations and onboarding sessions.
• Communicate clearly and professionally with employees, supervisors, and external stakeholders.
• Assist with developing and updating benefits and leave-related policies, procedures, and resources.

HR Operations Support

• Collaborate with HR colleagues on cross-functional tasks to support payroll, onboarding, and HRIS maintenance.
• Contribute to HR initiatives that promote employee engagement, wellness, and institutional culture.
• Participate in training, committees, and institutional events as requested.
• Manage or contribute to Human Resource projects and related duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or related field.
• HR or benefit-related certification (e.g., SHRM-CP/SCP, CEBS, PHR).
• 4–6 years of experience in benefits administration, leave coordination, or related HR function.
• Knowledge of benefit plans, retirement programs (including 403(b)), FMLA, ADA, and other regulatory requirements.
• Strong knowledge of regulatory requirements related to health and welfare benefits, including ACA, HIPAA, ERISA and others.
• Strong communication, organizational, and analytical skills.
• Demonstrated ability to handle confidential information with discretion.
• Experience using HRIS systems

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in a higher education or unionized environment.
• Familiarity with collective bargaining agreements and shared governance structures.

Questions regarding this search should be directed to: Barbara Santos at bsantos@monmouth.edu or 732-263-5629

Application Materials Required:
Monmouth University requires all applications and supporting documents to be submitted via the university's career portal. In addition to the application, candidates must upload the following documents. Applications will not be considered complete for review until all required documents are uploaded.

• Resume or Curriculum Vitae
• Cover Letter
• Professional References

To apply, visit https://recruiting.ultipro.com/MON1000MON/JobBoard/d4da5ea7-24db-4f02-a484-7497ffffb76d/OpportunityDetail?opportunityId=5be53dd2-82a7-43d3-8db9-746e997f1fd5

Department: Human Resources
Work Schedule: Monday through Friday
Total Weeks Per Year: 52
Hours Per Week: 36.25
Job Posting Close Date: Open until filled

Working at Monmouth University perks – MU offers:

• 403(b) Retirement Plan (8% employer contribution)
• Generous Paid Time Off
• Medical, Dental & Vision Insurance Benefits
• Tuition Remission for employee upon hire
• Tuition Remission for spouse or civil-union partner and IRS dependent after one-year of full-time continuous employment
• Employer paid Short & Long-Term Disability
• Employer sponsored Life Insurance
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP), FSA, Telehealth and more

To view a full list of benefits, visit our benefits page at: Employee Benefits Information | Human Resources | Monmouth University