Benefits Specialist I

Job Posting Title: Benefits Specialist I ---- Hiring Department: Office of Human Resources ---- Position Open To: All Applicants ---- Weekly Scheduled Hours: 40 ---- FLSA Status: To Be Determined at Offer ---- Earliest Start Date: Ongoing ---- Position Duration: Expected to Continue ---- Location: AUSTIN, TX ---- Job Details: General Notes Be a part of One Great Team—collaborative, resourceful, intentional, and impact-driven. As a Benefits Specialist I, you’ll be more than a policy expert—you’ll be a trusted guide, a problem-solver, and a values-driven leader. You’ll help employees navigate the complexities of leave programs, while also contributing to strategic initiatives that shape the future of our HR services. UT Austin provides an outstanding benefits package, including but not limited to: Competitive health benefits (employee premiums covered at 100%, family premiums at 50%) Voluntary Vision, Dental, Life, and Disability insurance options Generous paid vacation, sick time, and holidays Teachers Retirement System of Texas, a defined benefit retirement plan, with employer matching funds Additional Voluntary Retirement Programs: Tax Sheltered Annuity 403(b) and a Deferred Compensation program 457(b) Flexible spending account options for medical and childcare expenses Robust free training access through LinkedIn Learning, plus professional conference opportunities Tuition assistance Expansive employee discount program, including athletic tickets Free access to UT Austin's libraries and museums with staff ID card Free rides on all UT Shuttle and Austin CapMetro buses with staff ID card For more details, please see: https://hr.utexas.edu/prospective/benefits and  https://hr.utexas.edu/learning-development/resources/employeeexperience . Security sensitive; criminal background checks conducted on selected candidate. Hiring decision is contingent upon applicant clearing checks. Must be authorized to work in the United States on a full-time basis for any employer without sponsorship. Hybrid work available: future option to work 2 days/week remotely Purpose The Benefit Specialist plays a pivotal role in enhancing the employee experience at the University of Texas at Austin by engaging with employees and leaders during the employment lifecycle. This position is ideal for problem-solvers and independent workers who thrive in a dynamic environment. This role contributes to fostering a collaborative environment within Human Resources and the employees, retirees, and surviving spouses we support. Responsibilities Engage with employees to provide solutions to their insurance, retirement, and leave options. Serve as a liaison to manage and resolve issues. Administer and support employees with leave of absence programs such as sick leave, short- and long-term disability, and FMLA. Promote knowledge, understanding, and compliance about our benefits and leave policies through coaching, presentations, and facilitating training sessions. Maintain an up-to-date knowledge of all government regulations and laws and advise employees on company policy, guidelines, and documentation requirements. Maintain positive employee relations with central Human Resources units, insurance carriers, retirement providers, campus Human Resources contacts, and leadership while delivering compassionate customer service. Work on projects and reports to audit transactions and improve workflow efficiencies. Required Qualifications Bachelor’s degree in business, human resources, psychology, sociology, industrial labor relations, and/or equivalent work experience. Minimum 2 years of relevant experience in addressing employee’s benefit and/ or leave   management needs directly with the employee. Ability to manage competing, high priority demands, prioritizing workload, managing projects and multiple responsibilities against strict deadlines. Ability to analyze data, trends, and insights to identify the root cause of the event. Strong written and verbal communication skills, and ability to influence. Ability to handle highly sensitive and confidential situations with objectivity. Relevant education and experience may be substituted as appropriate. Preferred Qualifications Prior benefits and leave experience in a higher education setting. Bilingual Spanish speaking and writing. Knowledge of federal and Texas state labor laws. Salary Range $55,000 Working Conditions Standard office Required Materials Resume/CV 3 work references with their contact information; at least one reference should be from a supervisor Letter of interest Important for applicants who are NOT current university employees or contingent workers:  You will be prompted to submit your resume the first time you apply, then you will be provided an option to upload a new Resume for subsequent applications. Any additional Required Materials (letter of interest, references, etc.) will be uploaded in the Application Questions section; you will be able to multi-select additional files. Before submitting your online job application, ensure that ALL Required Materials have been uploaded.  Once your job application has been submitted, you cannot make changes. Important for Current university employees and contingent workers:  As a current university employee or contingent worker, you MUST apply within Workday by searching for Find UT Jobs. If you are a current University employee, log-in to Workday, navigate to your Worker Profile, click the Career link in the left hand navigation menu and then update the sections in your Professional Profile before you apply. This information will be pulled in to your application. The application is one page and you will be prompted to upload your resume. In addition, you must respond to the application questions presented to upload any additional Required Materials (letter of interest, references, etc.) that were noted above. ---- Employme