Human Resources Operations & Benefits Analyst

Anixter Center•Chicago, IL

5d•$55,000 - $65,000•Hybrid

About The Position

This is a newly created role within the Human Resources team, focusing on being the data and systems backbone. The analyst will ensure employee records are accurate across HR, Payroll, and benefit carriers, provide timely and clear answers about benefits to staff, and transform workforce data into insights for leadership planning. The role involves shaping HR operations and reporting to the Assistant Director of Human Resources, with close collaboration with Payroll, Finance, and IT. This is a full-time, 40-hour-per-week, hourly position, Monday through Friday, 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM, with a potential for a hybrid schedule.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, Data Analytics, or a related field, or an equivalent combination of education and directly related experience.
3+ years of experience in HR operations, HR analytics, or data analysis.
Hands-on experience with open enrollment, invoice reconciliation, and COBRA/FMLA/leave tracking.
Strong Excel skills, including XLOOKUP, pivot tables, and data visualization.
Experience with an HRIS such as ADP, UKG, or Workday.
Working knowledge of ACA, COBRA, FMLA, and HIPAA.
Discretion to handle confidential employee and health information with care.

Nice To Haves

SHRM-CP, aPHR, or PHR certification.
Nonprofit, healthcare, or multi-site human services experience.
A genuine commitment to nonprofit, mission-driven work.

Responsibilities

Serve as a key administrator for the HRIS, troubleshooting user issues, monitoring onboarding and termination workflows, and running regular data audits to maintain accurate employee records.
Act as a responsive contact for staff benefits questions, processing enrollments, qualifying life events, COBRA notices, and retirement plan deferral changes.
Assist in leading the annual Open Enrollment process, including system setup testing, staff communication distribution, and final election audits.
Reconcile monthly carrier invoices against HRIS and payroll deduction records, resolving billing discrepancies with carriers and the benefits broker.
Build workforce reports and analyses in Excel to support executive reporting, headcount forecasting, and budget planning.
Prepare data for compliance filings such as ACA, EEO-1, and retirement plans.
Streamline manual processes, automate spreadsheet tasks, and develop Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) to improve HR operations efficiency.