Human Resources Specialist - Benefits

ZS • Chicago, IL

5d • Hybrid

About The Position

ZS is a place where passion changes lives. As a management consulting and technology firm focused on improving life and how we live it, we transform ideas into impact by bringing together data, science, technology and human ingenuity to deliver better outcomes for all. Here you’ll work side-by-side with a powerful collective of thinkers and experts shaping life-changing solutions for patients, caregivers and consumers, worldwide. ZSers drive impact by bringing a client-first mentality to each and every engagement. We partner collaboratively with our clients to develop custom solutions and technology products that create value and deliver company results across critical areas of their business. Bring your curiosity for learning, bold ideas, courage and passion to drive life-changing impact to ZS.
We are seeking an experienced, compliance-focused Benefits Specialist — Compliance, Policy & Leave to join our Global Total Rewards team. This is a global role responsible for benefits compliance, policy authorship, and leave of absence expertise across all regions we support, with primary depth in U.S. federal and state leave law. You will serve as the team's principal regulatory resource — monitoring legislative change, interpreting its impact on our plans and policies, and drafting the policy language that puts it into practice — while partnering closely with Legal on substantive regulatory matters. You will play a key role in delivering seamless and consistent support to employees, fostering trust through empathetic communication and sound, defensible application of policy.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Industrial/Organizational Psychology, or a related field with a strong academic record; JD, paralegal credential, or formal compliance training a plus.
• 5+ years in benefits, with a demonstrated concentration in compliance, regulatory interpretation, and policy drafting.
• Demonstrated ability to author clear, compliant policy language independently, with writing samples or a policy portfolio available.
• Proven expertise in U.S. leave administration and accommodations, including: FMLA, ADA, and HIPAA
• State-specific programs such as NY PFL, CA PFL, NJ TDI
• Working knowledge of the broader regulatory landscape governing benefits plans (e.g., ERISA, ACA, COBRA) and comfort navigating multi-country statutory requirements.
• Experience administering intermittent and long-term leaves, interpreting medical certifications, and managing return-to-work processes.
• Experience supporting multi-country/global benefits programs and policy harmonization.
• Demonstrated success partnering with Legal or compliance functions on substantive regulatory matters.
• Familiarity with HRIS/HCM systems (e.g., Dayforce, SAP, SuccessFactors) and case documentation best practices.
• Strong professional communication skills and discretion in handling confidential matters.
• High attention to detail, sound judgment, and ability to manage ambiguity in novel or precedent-setting cases.
• Candidates must have authorization to work in the United States that does not now or in the future require employer sponsorship.

Nice To Haves

• JD, paralegal credential, or formal compliance training a plus.
• CEBS, GBA, CLMS, or similar professional certification (preferred).

Responsibilities

• Serve as the primary compliance resource for global benefits, monitoring federal, state, and country-level regulatory change and assessing impact on our plans, policies, and practices.
• Collaborate with providers to manage short- and long-term disability claims effectively and empathetically, and own complex leave and health-plan exception cases end-to-end.
• Author, revise, and maintain benefits, leave, and time-off policies — owning the drafting itself — with clear, legally sound, and consistent language.
• Partner closely with Legal as a credible technical counterpart: framing issues, preparing background and recommendations, and translating legal guidance into operational policy and process.
• Own the governance and documentation framework for benefits policies, including version control, approval trails, plan documents, required notices, and audit readiness.
• Serve as subject-matter expert for leave of absence administration (FMLA, ADA, and state-level programs such as NY PFL, CA PFL, NJ TDI), and provide regulatory oversight of statutory leave across other countries.
• Administer accommodations under the ADA and related laws, including reduced-work-schedule requests, distinguishing medical accommodations from other requests.
• Manage leave and accommodation requests by ensuring completeness of documentation, interpreting applicability of leave protections, and guiding employees and managers through the process.
• Use judgment to identify when to escalate complex, sensitive, or precedent-setting cases to Legal or HR leadership.
• Advise HR and regional teams on the correct application of policy, resolving ambiguity and building consistency across countries.
• Track and analyze leave, accommodation, audits, and case data to identify compliance risk, surface policy gaps, and inform recommendations.

Benefits

• Comprehensive total rewards package that supports your health and well‑being, financial future, time away, and professional development.
• Robust skills‑building programs
• Multiple career progression paths
• Internal mobility
• Deeply collaborative culture

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior