Benefits and Leave Specialist

Benefits and Leave Specialist Reports to: People and Culture Lead Remote – US (with preference for an east coast timezone) About Us Textile Exchange is a global non-profit driving positive impact on climate change across the fashion and textile industry. It guides a growing community of brands, manufacturers, and farmers towards more purposeful production from the very start of the supply chain. By 2030, its goal is to guide the industry to achieve a 45% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions within fiber and raw material production. Its focus is holistic and interconnected, accelerating the adoption of practices that improve the state of our water, soil health, and biodiversity too. For real change to happen, everyone needs a clear path to positive impact. That’s why Textile Exchange believes that approachable, step-by-step instruction paired with collective action can change the system to make preferred materials and fibers an accessible default, mobilizing leaders through attainable strategies, proven solutions, and a driven community. At Textile Exchange, materials matter. To learn more, visit TextileExchange.org. Working at Textile Exchange We work remotely with a team located in 20+ countries. We are a diverse group committed to harnessing the strengths of the global textile industry to accelerate change toward climate and other key environmental goals. We work collaboratively on important environmental issues around the world by working and interacting with farming groups, processors, brands, retailers, and environmental experts in the textile and fashion industries around the world. We offer an opportunity to join a cutting-edge global environmental nonprofit and to help strengthen the impact of our organization. Position Summary The Benefits & Leave Specialist administers Textile Exchange's benefits, leave of absence, time-off, and workers' compensation programs. This role has primary ownership of U.S. benefits and leave administration; involvement in international programs is limited to coordination with our Employer of Record (EOR), escalation support, annual plan review, and communication as needed. The role maintains compliance with applicable regulations and organizational policies and supports accurate employee data and payroll-related processes. The role partners with employees, managers, vendors, and our EOR provider to deliver consistent, compliant, and effective benefits and leave administration across the organization. Primary Duties and Responsibilities Benefits Administration Lead end-to-end administration of U.S. employee benefits programs, including open enrollment, life event processing, eligibility administration, employee education, new hire orientation, and annual 1095 reporting Serve as primary administrator for the benefit platform, Ease, and manage day-to-day relationships with U.S. benefit vendors and carriers Ensure benefit enrollments and payroll deductions are accurately reflected in BambooHR and vendor systems Audit U.S. benefits data to identify and resolve discrepancies Prepare benefit invoices for Finance processing and ensure timely submission As needed, serve as an escalation point for international staff who are unable to get timely responses from our Employer of Record (EOR), working directly with the EOR representative to resolve outstanding questions Review proposed international benefit plan changes during annual renewal/open enrollment and provide approval or feedback to the EOR Prepare benefits information and documentation to support employee onboarding and hiring processes for both U.S. and international hires Leave & Time-Off Administration Administer U.S. employee leave programs, including parental, medical, statutory, and accommodation-related leaves Coordinate international leave administration with employer-of-record partners and external vendors Maintain leave policies and procedures in alignment with federal, state, and local regulations Communicate leave processes, timelines, and documentation requirements to employees and managers Develop and maintain leave-related SOPs, forms, and internal documentation Administer global time-off programs, including PTO, sick leave, and holiday policies Maintain BambooHR time-off configurations, accruals, and related system settings Audit and reconcile time-off balances between BambooHR and external systems, including Remote Partner with Payroll & People Systems to support accurate U.S. payroll processing related to leave and time-off administration Workers’ Compensation, Payroll & Vendor Coordination Coordinate U.S. workers’ compensation administration, claims support, and annual audit activities Ensure compliance with applicable U.S. leave, benefits, and workers’ compensation regulations Conduct payroll quality assurance reviews and provide payroll backup support as needed Projects & Process Improvement Create and maintain benefits resources, SOPs, and SharePoint content Maintain workers’ compensation coding and leave configurations within BambooHR Conduct benefits audits, surveys, and operational process reviews Identify and implement process improvements related to benefits, leave, and employee administration Minimum Qualifications 3+ years of benefits, leave administration, or total rewards administration Knowledge of U.S. leave laws including ADA, paid family leave, and state leave programs Strong organizational, communication, and problem-solving skills High attention to detail and ability to manage sensitive employee information confidentially Ability to exercise sound judgment and manage multiple priorities independently Ability to collaborate effectively with employees, vendors, and cross-functional teams Based in the United States Preferred Qualifications Eastern Time Zone Experience with BambooHR and Ease/Employee Navigator or similar systems preferred Experience working within a global, distributed team environment Experience working remotely Employment Package Full-Time Position, 40 Hours a Week Required travel: <5% Annual Salary Range: $65,000 - $80,000 USD Please note that whilst w e are a remote first organization currently based in the following states: AZ, CA, CO, DC, FL, GA, IL, MD, MN, MO, MT, NC, NH, NJ, NM, NV, NY, OH, OR, PA, RI, SC, TX, VT, WA, WI, WY At present we are not looking to recruit in states we are currently not registered in