HR & Benefits Manager

Job Title: HR & Benefits Manager

Reports To: Vice President of Human Resources

Location: Remote - out of Chicago, IL

FLSA: Exempt

About Flex HR: Flex HR is a fast-growing HR outsourcing company with offices in Atlanta and Chicago. We work with companies in a variety of industries to help them manage their human resources and payroll. We are a team of professionals who consistently provide our clients with white-glove customer service. We are looking for a positive, self-motivated, dedicated, skilled, customer-focused, and detail-oriented person to join our team and organization.

Job Summary: We are seeking a dedicated and experienced HR & Benefits Manager to join our team. The HR & Benefits Manager provides daily customer service and HR operational support to our clients and leads their benefits programs, including annual open enrollment. This position will be a trusted advisor to client leadership and employees, working closely with insurance brokers, vendors, and our internal HR and payroll teams to ensure programs meet employee needs, are competitive, comply with legal requirements, and are cost effective. The HR & Benefits Manager will also support personnel actions such as new hire offer letters, onboarding, terminations, employee relations, conflict resolution, leave of absence management, unemployment/workers' compensation claims, multi-state compliance, and policy development.

Job Responsibilities:

• Serve as a trusted advisor and point of contact for clients and their employees • Manage onboarding from offer letter through HRIS/payroll setup • Coach managers on performance improvement plans (PIPs) and support terminations, including state-specific forms and serving as a witness on termination calls • Handle employee relations, conflict resolution, leaves of absence, and unemployment and workers' compensation claims • Oversee benefits for outsourced clients, recommending plan improvements based on market trends and employee feedback • Lead annual open enrollment, from sending the census to brokers through getting elections processed by the first effective payroll date • Work with brokers and vendors on benefit communications and employee education • Assist employees with benefit enrollments, HSA/FSA changes, and 401(k) rollover, loan, and distribution paperwork • Track benefit deductions in payroll platforms and complete monthly invoice reconciliations • Complete periodic audits and maintain accurate client records, the core company data sheet (CCDS), and a six-month open enrollment schedule • Lead quarterly client reviews and virtual office hours, and support employee engagement such as birthday and anniversary updates • Train HR team members on benefits and compliance, and document benefits processes • Ensure multi-state compliance and develop policies and procedures that reflect best practices • Work in multiple payroll and HRIS platforms • Build strong relationships with clients, coworkers, and management, and complete special projects as assigned