Benefit/Payroll Specialist

About the Organization

GLIDE is a nationally recognized center for social justice, dedicated to fighting systemic injustices, creating pathways out of poverty and crisis, and transforming lives. Through its integrated comprehensive services, advocacy initiatives, and inclusive community, GLIDE empowers individuals, families, and children to achieve stability and to thrive. GLIDE is on the forefront of addressing some of society’s most pressing issues, including poverty, housing and homelessness, and racial and social justice. GLIDE’s mission is to create a radically inclusive, just, and loving community mobilized to alleviate suffering and break the cycles of poverty and marginalization.

About the Role

Reporting to the Assistant Director for HR & Payroll, the Benefits and Payroll Specialist will play a critical role in supporting GLIDE's leave administration, enrollment of employee benefits during onboarding, and payroll operations. In this role, you will be fully immersed in all aspects of benefits administration, payroll support, leave administration/management, onboarding new hires into benefit programs, and providing all employees with steady support. You will work with the hiring team to coordinate onboarding logistics, support staff through leave administration, and ensure coordination of wages, union dues, and other payroll-related tasks.

Key Qualities

• Detail-oriented, highly organized, and able to thrive in a fast-paced environment.
• Expertise in benefits, payroll, and leave of absence administration.
• Ability to manage competing priorities with minimal supervision.

Responsibilities

Leave of Absence Administration

• Serve as the primary administrator and support for employee leave programs including FMLA, CFRA, Paid Family Leave (PFL), San Francisco Paid Parental Leave Ordinance (SFPPLO), and short-term and long-term disability programs.
• Act as the point of contact for all staff for LOA administration.
• Manage leave requests from intake through return-to-work, including employee meetings, eligibility review, documentation collection, tracking, and communications.
• Coordinate with third-party administrators, healthcare providers, managers, and employees throughout the leave process.
• Track leave balances, entitlements, documentation, disability integrations, and benefit continuation requirements.
• Prepare and process leave-related payroll calculations, EDD documentation, disability paperwork, wage replacement coordination, and benefit continuation activities.
• Maintain leave administration records and reports while ensuring compliance with applicable laws and organizational policies.

Benefits Administration

• Serve as a reliable resource and point of contact for all benefit-related employee questions regarding commuter benefits, FSA programs, 403(b) plans, EAP offerings, COBRA, disability benefits, and other employer-sponsored programs.
• Conduct new hire benefits orientations and educate employees regarding benefit eligibility, enrollment procedures, and qualifying life events.
• Establish a system for checks and balances.
• Administer all employee benefit programs and resources (e.g., medical, dental, vision, retirement, COBRA, and ancillary benefits).
• Process benefit enrollments, terminations, waivers, and life event changes accurately and timely.
• Maintain and routinely audit benefit plan configurations and employee enrollment records within ADP Workforce Now and vendor systems.
• Reconcile monthly benefit invoices and administrative fees to ensure accurate payroll deductions and employer contributions.
• Support implementation and internal coordination of open enrollment (OE) process, if needed.

Payroll Administration

• Assist with the preparation and processing of semi-monthly payroll for approximately 230+ employees.
• Support ADP onboarding activities related to creating ADP profiles and troubleshooting issues.
• Regularly review payroll data for accuracy, including employee deductions, union dues, benefit elections, tax withholding changes, and retirement plan contributions.
• Support the processing of timecards to ensure timely and accurate processing when needed.
• Assist with payroll audits, reconciliations, reporting, year-end payroll activities, and ongoing compliance reviews.
• Document payroll procedures and support cross-training efforts within the department.

Onboarding and HR Administration

• Facilitate and manage onboarding workflows within ADP Workforce Now and other HR systems.
• Coordinate onboarding documentation including I-9 verification, E-Verify, direct deposit setup, timekeeping procedures, policy acknowledgements, and employment documentation.
• Initiate and monitor employment background checks and related onboarding activities when needed.
• Support employee offboarding processes and related HR transactions.
• Stay current on federal, state, and local employment laws affecting payroll, benefits, leave administration, and HR compliance.
• Serve as backup for the Senior Payroll Specialist, as needed.
• Perform other duties as required.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in human resources, Business Administration, or a related field preferred; PHR Certification a plus.
• Working knowledge of payroll processing, benefits administration, wage, and hour rules.
• Minimum three (3) years of progressively responsible experience in payroll processing, benefits and leave of absence administration, and providing baseline human resources support.
• 3+ years’ experience administering employee benefit programs and leave of absence programs.
• Direct experience managing the administration of FMLA, CFRA, COBRA, ADA, disability programs, workers' compensation, and California employment practices.
• Ability to handle sensitive employee information with discretion and professionalism.
• Advanced proficiency using Microsoft Excel, including data analysis, formulas, reconciliations, and reporting.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, time, and project management skills.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Experience managing multiple priorities and competing deadlines in a fast-paced environment.
• Experience working with ADP Workforce Now or similar HRIS/payroll systems strongly preferred.

Physical Requirements

• Ability to work on a computer and see details of objects at close range.
• Ability to hear within normal range and communicate effectively in person, by telephone, or through virtual meeting platforms.
• Finger dexterity and the ability to use standard office equipment.
• Ability to sit or stand comfortably and navigate throughout office spaces via elevator or stairs.

Pay

$80,000 - $85,000 a year

Schedule

This is a full-time (40 hour/week), exempt position.

Work Environment

GLIDE’s buildings are located in the Tenderloin neighborhood. GLIDE maintains an "open door" policy to the community and its clients, who frequently enter and leave the building.