Leave of Absence Specialist

Location: Herndon, VA (Hybrid)

Assignment Type: Direct Hire

Pay: $70,000 – $75,000 annually

Schedule: Monday–Friday, 8:00am–5:00pm (flexible 8:30am start). Hybrid schedule: In-office on Tuesdays two additional days of choice.

Note: During open enrollment (October), onsite Monday–Friday.

Benefits: Eligible for medical, dental, vision, and 401(k).

About Our Client

Our client is a long-standing, community-focused organization with decades of success and a strong, supportive workplace culture. They are seeking a Leave of Absence Specialist to join their HR team and support the administration of leave programs and broader benefits initiatives.

Job Description

The Leave of Absence Specialist will play a key role in administering and supporting employee leave and benefits programs. Working closely with the Benefits Manager, this position will focus on managing FMLA, ADA, disability, and related leave programs while also assisting with health, welfare, and retirement plans. The ideal candidate has hands-on leave administration experience as part of a broader benefits function.

Key Responsibilities

• Administer leave programs including FMLA, ADA, STD, and LTD, ensuring timely communication and compliance.
• Support enrollment and administration for health, dental, vision, life, disability, and 401(k) programs.
• Coordinate return-to-work processes and provide guidance to employees and managers on leave-related matters.
• Act as a liaison between employees, HR, managers, insurance carriers, and payroll regarding leave and benefits issues.
• Maintain accurate benefits and leave data within the HRIS (UKG preferred) and generate reports as needed.
• Assist with annual open enrollment, new hire onboarding, and life event changes.
• Partner with leadership on process improvements, compliance initiatives, and benefits program enhancements.
• Oversee benefit invoice reconciliation and coordinate vendor calls.
• Provide training, resources, and support to employees regarding leave and benefits programs.
• Ensure compliance with federal, state, and local regulations (FMLA, ADA, ERISA, etc.).
• Support broader HR projects as needed.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources Management or related field required.
• Minimum 2 years of direct benefits/leave administration experience (not solely as part of a generalist role).
• Strong understanding of FMLA, ADA, STD/LTD, open enrollment, and general benefit operations.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Excel (V-Lookups, Pivot Tables, imports/exports).
• Experience with HRIS systems (UKG preferred).
• Strong communication, attention to detail, and organizational skills.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality in a fast-paced environment.
• U.S. citizenship required.

Additional Details

• Dress code: Business casual
• All equipment provided
• Offer contingent on complete background check (criminal, credit, education, employment, SSN trace)

Perks

• Flexible hybrid work schedule
• Small, collaborative HR team
• Stable role with long-term growth potential