Benefits Coordinator
Human ResourcesAll Practice AreasAustin, TX, Boston, MA, Charleston, SC, Charlotte, NC, Chicago, IL, Dallas, TX, Harrisburg, PA, Houston, TX, Irvine, CA, Kansas City, MO, Los Angeles, CA, Miami, FL, Nashville, TN, New York, NY, Newark, NJ, Palo Alto, CA, Pittsburgh, PA, Portland, OR, Raleigh, NC, San Francisco, CA, Seattle, WA, Washington, DC, Wilmington, DEJob Description
At K&L Gates, we are looking for smart, imaginative and hard-working people with diverse backgrounds, experiences and ideas to join us. Perhaps our search for talented visionaries and your search for important and impactful work lead to the same place. Position Summary The Benefits Coordinator is a member of the HR Operations Team and serves as a primary front-line resource for partners and employees seeking day-to-day benefits and leave administration support. The role combines employee inquiry resolution and case ownership with transactional benefits administration, day-to-day leave case coordination, and recurring operational responsibilities. Using the firm’s intake and case-management system, the Benefits Coordinator receives, researches, documents, tracks, and resolves benefits and leave inquiries within the coordinator level of responsibility, while recognizing and escalating matters that require strategic Benefits leadership, leave expertise, policy or legal interpretation, vendor intervention, or support from another internal team. The Benefits Coordinator delivers clear, accurate, professional, and empathetic service; helps employees navigate plan and leave information and available resources; maintains complete case documentation; and follows assigned matters through resolution. The role also supports benefit program administration, leave tracking and coordination, data accuracy, required notices, communications, compliance-related processes, and seasonal priorities such as Open Enrollment. Through close partnership with the Operations Team and strategic Benefits team, the coordinator helps improve processes, knowledge resources, and the overall employee benefits and leave experience. Reporting/Organizational Relationship Reports to the Senior Manager, Global Benefits. Maintains a dotted-line reporting relationship to HR Operations Team management. Collaborates regularly with strategic Benefits leaders and specialists, HR colleagues, Payroll and HRIS partners, HR Business Partners, internal business teams, leave and disability administrators, and external benefits vendors. Key Responsibilities Serve as a primary front-line resource for day-to-day benefits and leave questions received through the firm’s established intake channels, providing accurate, timely, professional, and empathetic support. Use the firm’s intake and case-management system, including Dovetail HR Case Management, to receive, categorize, research, document, track, manage, and close assigned benefits and leave inquiries; complete required system training; maintain complete case notes and an appropriate audit trail; use available reporting and analytics tools; and contribute to ongoing improvements in case-management practices. Research and resolve routine to moderately complex questions within established plans, policies, procedures, and coordinator-level authority, translating benefits and leave information into clear, employee-friendly language. Help employees navigate benefit programs, leave processes, documentation requirements, vendor resources, and self-service tools, encouraging effective self-service when appropriate. Maintain ownership of assigned matters through resolution or formal handoff, coordinating follow-up with employees, internal partners, and external vendors and handling sensitive situations with tact, discretion, composure, and sound judgment. Coordinate day-to-day employee leave administration in accordance with established policies, procedures, service expectations, confidentiality requirements, and management guidance. Open and maintain leave cases, including collecting and tracking documentation; monitoring dates, status changes, extensions, return-to-work activity, and outstanding actions; and maintaining accurate trackers, system records, correspondence, and case notes. Provide employees with standard information about leave processes, available benefits, required steps, documentation expectations, and appropriate vendor or internal contacts, without making policy exceptions or legal determinations. Coordinate routine leave communications, notifications, and administrative actions with employees, HR Business Partners, Payroll, HRIS, office administration, managers, and leave or disability vendors in accordance with established confidentiality and need-to-know protocols. Support approved leave status, benefits continuation, payroll-related information, return-to-work updates, and transitions between leave, disability, return to work, and other employment statuses by coordinating required administrative and system steps with the appropriate teams. Follow up with leave and disability vendors regarding claim status, missing documentation, benefit determinations, payments, administrative questions, and unresolved service issues, escalating complex, sensitive, accommodation-related, legal, employee-relations, pay-related, precedent-setting, or unresolved matters to the appropriate subject-matter owner. Exercise sound judgment to distinguish benefits and leave matters that can be resolved at the coordinator level from those requiring strategic Benefits leadership, specialist, HR Business Partner, Legal, Employee Relations, Payroll, vendor, or other internal-team involvement. Escalate matters appropriately with complete background and documentation, coordinate with relevant internal and external contacts, and keep employees informed of status, next steps, and required actions through resolution or formal handoff. Follow established procedures and remain within the role’s authority, avoiding independent interpretation of plan provisions, leave laws, medical information, or policy requirements and not making unauthorized exceptions. Perform benefits processes associated with onboarding and departures, including required benefits notices and follow-up, and assist with processing and validating approved benefits and leave-related changes in the firm’s HRIS and related systems. Provide administrative and transactional support for domestic and international benefits programs, including documentation, recurring processes, employee communications, data, enrollment, invoices, and vendor-related activities in accordance with established procedures. Audit HRIS and vendor reports and investigate routine eligibility, enrollment, leave, vendor, payroll, and data discrepancies to support accurate records and compliance with applicable plan and process requirements, escalating complex or unresolved issues as appropriate. Process benefits invoices and maintain organized records, trackers, supporting documentation, and standard operating procedures in accordance with established approval, payment, retention, and documentation requirements. Draft, review, coordinate, and track recurring employee communications and complete assigned compliance-related operational tasks and reconciliations, including ACA and HIPAA program support, under established procedures and management oversight. Provide operational support for assigned benefits, leave, and employee programs, which may include wellness initiatives, service awards, relocation administration, and other recurring programs retained within the Benefits Operations Team. Support Open Enrollment and other high-volume periods through employee inquiry resolution, case management, communications, data review, testing, coordination, and issue follow-up. Assist with projects, audits, implementations, and other department or cross-functional priorities, adjusting priorities and providing additional coverage during leave cycles, seasonal peaks, deadlines, team absences, and emerging service needs. Identify recurring questions, case trends, process gaps, and confusing plan or policy language and recommend practical improvements to communications, employee resources, procedures, case-management practices, and service delivery. Develop, maintain, and improve benefits and leave knowledge resources, standard responses, support documentation, procedures, and self-service content in collaboration with Operations and strategic Benefits leadership. Appropriately use technology, automation, AI-enabled tools, case analytics, and operational feedback to improve efficiency, accuracy, knowledge management, consistency, employee self-service, and the overall benefits and leave experience; share relevant insights with appropriate partners while protecting confidentiality and exercising sound judgment. Qualifications Required Benefits administration, leave administration, HR operations, HR shared services, or comparable employee service experience. Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to explain benefits and leave process information clearly and in employee-friendly language. Demonstrated customer and service orientation, with the ability to respond professionally and empathetically in sensitive or stressful situations. Sound judgment and the ability to research questions, follow established guidance, recognize the limits of authority, and escalate appropriately. Strong attention to detail and commitment to accurate data, case notes, leave tracking, records, and follow-through. Ability to maintain confidentiality and handle employee, medical, benefits, and leave information with discretion. Ability to manage multiple priorities, deadlines, inquiries, and active leave cases in a fast-paced environment while maintaining accuracy and responsiveness. Comfort learning and working across HRIS, benefits administration, leave or disability vendor, case-management, and Microsoft Office tools, including Excel. Demonstrated curiosity and willingness to learn and adopt new technologies, including AI-enabled tools, to support service delivery, knowledge management, operational efficiency, and continuous improvement. Ability and willingness to support seasonal workload peaks, including Open Enrollment. Preferred Approximately 1-3 years of benefits administration, leave administration, HR support, employee service, or related experience. Working knowledge of health and welfare benefits, retirement programs, eligibility and enrollment processes, disability benefits, common leave processes, and common benefits compliance concepts. Experience coordinating employee leave cases, maintaining leave records, working with leave or disability vendors, or supporting return-to-work administration. Experience with PeopleSoft or another HRIS, a benefits administration platform, a leave-management platform, or an HR case-management system. Experience supporting benefits or leave communications, reconciliations, audits, vendor coordination, or Open Enrollment. Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or a related field, or an equivalent combination of education and relevant experience. Compensation Salary: $63,894 - $ 95,842 / year The compensation salary for this position will be determined during the interview process and will vary based on multiple factors, including but not limited to prior experience, relevant expertise, current business needs, and market factors. ABOUT THE FIRM K&L Gates is a fully integrated global law firm with lawyers located in more than 40 offices. We have experienced dramatic growth in the past decade and now rank among the largest U.S. based law firms in the world. We take pride in constantly striving for innovation, imagination and an entrepreneurial spirit. We come up with big ideas and then roll up our sleeves to get the job done, guiding our clients through their most complex issues in a variety of industry sectors and across multiple regions of the world. The industry recognition the firm has garnered emanates from the foundation of a global community aligned on behalf of our clients. The people at K&L Gates are committed to working together to create a legacy for each other, the firm, our clients, and the communities in which we serve. We thrive in an inclusive and socially conscious environment that embraces diversity and takes a holistic approach to the career evolution of all our professionals. For more information or to view other job opportunities, please click here to go back to our careers page. Notice: We participate in E-Verify in certain Firm locations for purposes of verifying employment eligibility. Please be advised that this position requires successful completion of a background check. In accordance with the Washington State Fair Chance Act, Los Angeles Fair Chance Ordinance, San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, the California Fair Chance Act, and applicable law qualified California and Washington State applicants with criminal history records will be considered. A criminal history will not categorically exclude a candidate from employment, and the Firm will consider relevant factors before making employment decisions based on criminal history information. It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability. BENEFITS K&L Gates offers our personnel a comprehensive suite of benefits to help meet your needs now and in the future. Depending on your eligibility, options for full-time personnel include: EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY The Firm is an equal opportunity employer. It is the policy of the Firm that employment decisions shall be based on merit, qualifications and competence. Employment practices will not be influenced or affected by virtue of a person’s race (including traits associated with race, including hair texture and protective hairstyles such as afros, braids, locks, and twists), religion, creed, color, national origin, ancestry, citizenship, physical disability, mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, marital status, sex, pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding, gender, parental status, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, age, familial status, domestic violence victim status, military and veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law. This policy governs all aspects of employment including, without limitation, recruiting, hiring, compensation, benefits, promotion, assignment, and dismissal. In addition, it is the Firm’s policy to provide an environment that is free of prohibited harassment of any kind including, without limitation, that which is based on sex, race, age, disability, ethnic background, or any other category protected by law (including the categories listed above). The Firm complies with federal and state disability laws and makes reasonable accommodations for applicants and employees with disabilities. If you require reasonable accommodation in completing this application, interviewing, or otherwise participating in the employee selection process, please contact askHR@klgates.com.