Benefits Specialist Jobs in New York
Benefits Specialist jobs in New York are among the most active in the country, concentrated in financial services, healthcare, and large corporate headquarters with demand from entry-level benefits coordinators through senior benefits managers and directors. The deepest hiring is in New York City, with secondary markets in Buffalo and Albany, where employers like JPMorgan Chase, New York-Presbyterian, and IBM have long-standing benefits teams. The most in-demand specializations are health and welfare plan administration, 401(k) and retirement plan compliance, and leave management under New York State and City leave laws. Find a role that fits below and apply directly.
Find Benefits Specialist JobsOverview
Showing 4 of 30+ Benefits Specialist jobs
About MCU:
At Municipal Credit Union, we believe that an incredible culture helps create a happy and motivated team that works hard to achieve the best results for themselves and their members. For more than 100 years, MCU has provided affordable financial products and convenient services to a membership base that is now comprised of over 600,000 individuals. With each new generation we have the pleasure of interacting with, we maintain the credit union promise of people helping people.
Our Mission:
To help hard-working New Yorkers build better tomorrows
Our Vision:
Be New York's most loved financial institution by helping our members build their best financial futures
Overview: The Senior Specialist, Compensation & Benefits is responsible for the administration and analysis of compensation and benefits programs, including market benchmarking, salary planning, incentive programs, and regulatory compliance. This role partners with HR and business leaders, providing recommendations that strengthen the organization's total rewards strategy. The position requires advanced analytical skills, advanced Excel, independent judgment, and the ability to manage multiple vendors and projects.
Specific duties include, but are not limited to, the following:
Compensation Administration
- Administer compensation programs and processes, supporting alignment with business objectives, market competitiveness, and internal equity.
- Conduct job evaluations, job leveling, market pricing, and compensation benchmarking using survey data and external sources, including market data and ad hoc surveys, to support organizational compensation strategies.
- Support annual compensation planning activities, including salary planning, merit increases, promotional increases, market adjustments, and incentive programs.
- Administer and maintain U.S.-based salary structures, job architecture, pay ranges, compensation guidelines, and related pay practices and policies.
- Analyze compensation data, workforce trends, and market intelligence to provide recommendations to leadership.
- Partner with HR and business leaders to provide compensation analysis and guidance on organizational changes, compensation recommendations, and workforce planning initiatives.
- Develop and present compensation analyses, reports, dashboards, workforce analytics, and executive summaries to support decision-making.
- Ensure compliance with all applicable compensation regulations, wage and hour requirements, pay transparency laws, and internal controls.
- Conduct compensation audits to support key governance and compliance requirements: pay equity reviews, regulatory reporting, as well as ongoing compliance initiatives.
- Identify and recommend process improvements, automation opportunities, and best practices within compensation administration.
- Analyze pay equity and internal alignment, and present trends and recommendations to HR and business leaders.
- Partner with HR Business Partners, Talent Acquisition, and business leaders to provide compensation guidance for new hires, promotions, transfers and off-cycle adjustments.
- Ensure data accuracy by validating inputs, reconciling discrepancies, and maintaining reporting integrity across systems.
- Maintain job descriptions, including pricing new roles and updating documentation for compliance and organizational changes.
Benefits Responsibilities
- Administer and support U.S. benefits programs end-to-end for the ongoing administration and improvement of health, welfare, retirement, leave, wellness, and voluntary benefit programs.
- Manage day-to-day relationships with benefit providers, brokers, consultants, and third-party administrators to ensure effective plan administration, reporting and service delivery.
- Coordinate annual benefits open enrollment as well as Wellbeing fairs and activities, including planning, implementation, employee communications, and vendor coordination.
- Analyze benefit program effectiveness and recommend enhancements that support employee well-being, engagement, and organizational goals.
- Administer employee benefit enrollments, life event changes, eligibility administration, and complex benefit issue resolution elevating solutions for process improvements.
- Partner with Payroll, HRIS, Finance, and external vendors to ensure accurate benefit processing, reporting, and reconciliation.
- Ensure compliance with benefits-related regulations, including ERISA, ACA, COBRA, HIPAA, Section 125, retirement plan requirements, and applicable state regulations.
- Conduct benefits audits, regulatory filings (5500), plan testing, and internal control reviews.
- Support the maintenance and administration of benefit policies, procedures, employee communications, and standard operating procedures, ensuring the ongoing processes are complaint with all US States rules and regulations.
- Analyze benefits utilization, trends, and costs to provide recommendations that support effective plan management and cost containment.
- Support benefits implementation projects, vendor transitions, and new program rollouts.
- Provide guidance to employees, managers, and HR team members on all benefit matters including but not limited to SOPs.
Requirements:
- Bachelor’s degree in human resources or business administration/management required.
- 5-7 years’ experience in compensation and benefits administration, including experience performing complex analyses and supporting projects and programs.
- SHRM Certified Professional (SHRM-CP) or SHRM Senior Certified Professional (SHRM-SCP) certified credential preferred. CCP or CBP preferred or in process of obtaining.
- Strong knowledge of employee benefits and applicable laws.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
- Excellent organizational and time management skills.
- Advanced proficiency in Excel and Microsoft Office Suite or similar software.
- Ability to perform effectively in a high-volume environment, while maintaining an elevated level of accuracy and attention to detail.
- Strong technological proficiency.
Why you'll be a good fit:
Our Core Values are an integral part of who we are and who we hire. By living our Core Values, every day, we continue to attract the best and brightest talent, achieve unsurpassed results and continuously challenge ourselves to be better than yesterday. These values are at the heart of our organization and within every teammate. To be a great fit, you’ll bring the following
Results - We are passionate about winning.
Agility - We proactively anticipate, respond and pivot to ensure MCU wins.
Integrity - We operate with the highest ethical standards and highest degree of honesty.
Belonging - We cultivate a culture of inclusion and teamwork.
Ownership - We take personal responsibility and hold ourselves accountable for the results.
Why You’ll Love Working Here:
The pay range for this position is between $99,800 - $134,730 annually. Actual base pay offered may vary depending on a number of factors such as job-related knowledge, skills, experience, and location. Employees in this position may also be eligible for a discretionary bonus, 401(k) with an 6% employer match per pay period. Benefits for this position include Medical, vision, dental, life, and disability insurance, flexible paid time off and 11 paid holidays annually.
Municipal Credit Union (MCU) is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Municipal Credit Union provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state or local laws.
We are committed to hiring, training, cultivating, promoting, and celebrating an environment where we have a welcoming and fulfilling place for all people to call home. Diversity of race, thought, sexual orientation, age, veteran status, religion, and disability will empower us to thrive as individuals, as teams, and as an organization.
About MCU:
At Municipal Credit Union, we believe that an incredible culture helps create a happy and motivated team that works hard to achieve the best results for themselves and their members. For more than 100 years, MCU has provided affordable financial products and convenient services to a membership base that is now comprised of over 600,000 individuals. With each new generation we have the pleasure of interacting with, we maintain the credit union promise of people helping people.
Our Mission:
To help hard-working New Yorkers build better tomorrows
Our Vision:
Be New York's most loved financial institution by helping our members build their best financial futures
Overview: The Senior Specialist, Compensation & Benefits is responsible for the administration and analysis of compensation and benefits programs, including market benchmarking, salary planning, incentive programs, and regulatory compliance. This role partners with HR and business leaders, providing recommendations that strengthen the organization's total rewards strategy. The position requires advanced analytical skills, advanced Excel, independent judgment, and the ability to manage multiple vendors and projects.
Specific duties include, but are not limited to, the following:
Compensation Administration
- Administer compensation programs and processes, supporting alignment with business objectives, market competitiveness, and internal equity.
- Conduct job evaluations, job leveling, market pricing, and compensation benchmarking using survey data and external sources, including market data and ad hoc surveys, to support organizational compensation strategies.
- Support annual compensation planning activities, including salary planning, merit increases, promotional increases, market adjustments, and incentive programs.
- Administer and maintain U.S.-based salary structures, job architecture, pay ranges, compensation guidelines, and related pay practices and policies.
- Analyze compensation data, workforce trends, and market intelligence to provide recommendations to leadership.
- Partner with HR and business leaders to provide compensation analysis and guidance on organizational changes, compensation recommendations, and workforce planning initiatives.
- Develop and present compensation analyses, reports, dashboards, workforce analytics, and executive summaries to support decision-making.
- Ensure compliance with all applicable compensation regulations, wage and hour requirements, pay transparency laws, and internal controls.
- Conduct compensation audits to support key governance and compliance requirements: pay equity reviews, regulatory reporting, as well as ongoing compliance initiatives.
- Identify and recommend process improvements, automation opportunities, and best practices within compensation administration.
- Analyze pay equity and internal alignment, and present trends and recommendations to HR and business leaders.
- Partner with HR Business Partners, Talent Acquisition, and business leaders to provide compensation guidance for new hires, promotions, transfers and off-cycle adjustments.
- Ensure data accuracy by validating inputs, reconciling discrepancies, and maintaining reporting integrity across systems.
- Maintain job descriptions, including pricing new roles and updating documentation for compliance and organizational changes.
Benefits Responsibilities
- Administer and support U.S. benefits programs end-to-end for the ongoing administration and improvement of health, welfare, retirement, leave, wellness, and voluntary benefit programs.
- Manage day-to-day relationships with benefit providers, brokers, consultants, and third-party administrators to ensure effective plan administration, reporting and service delivery.
- Coordinate annual benefits open enrollment as well as Wellbeing fairs and activities, including planning, implementation, employee communications, and vendor coordination.
- Analyze benefit program effectiveness and recommend enhancements that support employee well-being, engagement, and organizational goals.
- Administer employee benefit enrollments, life event changes, eligibility administration, and complex benefit issue resolution elevating solutions for process improvements.
- Partner with Payroll, HRIS, Finance, and external vendors to ensure accurate benefit processing, reporting, and reconciliation.
- Ensure compliance with benefits-related regulations, including ERISA, ACA, COBRA, HIPAA, Section 125, retirement plan requirements, and applicable state regulations.
- Conduct benefits audits, regulatory filings (5500), plan testing, and internal control reviews.
- Support the maintenance and administration of benefit policies, procedures, employee communications, and standard operating procedures, ensuring the ongoing processes are complaint with all US States rules and regulations.
- Analyze benefits utilization, trends, and costs to provide recommendations that support effective plan management and cost containment.
- Support benefits implementation projects, vendor transitions, and new program rollouts.
- Provide guidance to employees, managers, and HR team members on all benefit matters including but not limited to SOPs.
Requirements:
- Bachelor’s degree in human resources or business administration/management required.
- 5-7 years’ experience in compensation and benefits administration, including experience performing complex analyses and supporting projects and programs.
- SHRM Certified Professional (SHRM-CP) or SHRM Senior Certified Professional (SHRM-SCP) certified credential preferred. CCP or CBP preferred or in process of obtaining.
- Strong knowledge of employee benefits and applicable laws.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
- Excellent organizational and time management skills.
- Advanced proficiency in Excel and Microsoft Office Suite or similar software.
- Ability to perform effectively in a high-volume environment, while maintaining an elevated level of accuracy and attention to detail.
- Strong technological proficiency.
Why you'll be a good fit:
Our Core Values are an integral part of who we are and who we hire. By living our Core Values, every day, we continue to attract the best and brightest talent, achieve unsurpassed results and continuously challenge ourselves to be better than yesterday. These values are at the heart of our organization and within every teammate. To be a great fit, you’ll bring the following
Results - We are passionate about winning.
Agility - We proactively anticipate, respond and pivot to ensure MCU wins.
Integrity - We operate with the highest ethical standards and highest degree of honesty.
Belonging - We cultivate a culture of inclusion and teamwork.
Ownership - We take personal responsibility and hold ourselves accountable for the results.
Why You’ll Love Working Here:
The pay range for this position is between $99,800 - $134,730 annually. Actual base pay offered may vary depending on a number of factors such as job-related knowledge, skills, experience, and location. Employees in this position may also be eligible for a discretionary bonus, 401(k) with an 6% employer match per pay period. Benefits for this position include Medical, vision, dental, life, and disability insurance, flexible paid time off and 11 paid holidays annually.
Municipal Credit Union (MCU) is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Municipal Credit Union provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state or local laws.
We are committed to hiring, training, cultivating, promoting, and celebrating an environment where we have a welcoming and fulfilling place for all people to call home. Diversity of race, thought, sexual orientation, age, veteran status, religion, and disability will empower us to thrive as individuals, as teams, and as an organization.
See All 30 Benefits Specialist Jobs in New York
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Find Benefits Specialist JobsBenefits Specialist Jobs by City in New York
Where New York roles are concentrated, by current openings.
Benefits Specialist Job Market in New York
A snapshot from current New York openings, updated as new roles post.
Who's Hiring
Top Industries Hiring
- Healthcare & Medical Services
What New York Employers Look For
The qualifications that appear most often in benefits specialist jobs across New York.
- Certified Employee Benefits Specialist (CEBS) designation recognized by New York employers
- Bachelor's degree in human resources, business administration, or a related field
- Hands-on experience administering health, dental, vision, and retirement plans
- Working knowledge of ERISA, ACA, and New York State Paid Family Leave regulations
- Proficiency with HRIS platforms such as Workday, SAP, or ADP Workforce Now
- Strong analytical skills for benefits data reporting, auditing, and open enrollment support
Benefits Specialist Jobs in New York: Frequently Asked Questions
How do you become a benefits specialist in New York?
Most benefits specialist roles in New York require a bachelor's degree in human resources, business, or a related field, followed by experience in HR or benefits administration. New York does not issue a state license for benefits specialists, but the Certified Employee Benefits Specialist designation through the International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans is widely expected by New York employers, particularly in financial services and healthcare. Familiarity with New York State Paid Family Leave and New York City-specific leave ordinances gives candidates a meaningful edge.
How much do benefits specialists make in New York?
Benefits specialists in New York earn a median of about $83,200 a year, based on May 2025 Bureau of Labor Statistics wage data, ranging from around $58,740 for the lowest 10% to over $131,110 for the top 10%. Pay rises with experience, specialty, and employer.
Which companies hire benefits specialists in New York?
Employers hiring benefits specialists in New York right now include Comunilife, Meridio, and Somnia, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of November 2026. New York's high concentration of financial institutions, hospital systems, and global corporate headquarters means hiring is consistent year-round across a wide range of organization sizes.
Which New York cities have the most benefits specialist jobs?
New York, Bronx, and Buffalo have the most benefits specialist openings in New York. New York City dominates because it is home to the largest concentration of Fortune 500 headquarters, major hospital networks, and financial institutions in the state, while Buffalo and Albany reflect significant healthcare systems and state government employers that maintain dedicated benefits teams.
Are there remote benefits specialist jobs in New York?
Yes, and more than many HR roles, since benefits administration is largely analytical and systems-based work that does not require on-site presence. About 64% of benefits specialist openings tied to New York are remote or hybrid as of November 2026, reflecting the desk-based nature of the role. Open enrollment support, plan auditing, and vendor management are the functions most frequently offered on a fully remote basis.
How can I get hired as a benefits specialist in New York with little or no experience?
The most realistic entry path is an HR coordinator or HR assistant role at a large New York employer, where benefits administration is part of the broader generalist scope. Major hospital systems such as Northwell Health and NYC Health and Hospitals regularly post HR associate roles that include benefits exposure, and many large financial firms onboard HR professionals into rotational programs that include benefits. Completing the CEBS foundational coursework before applying signals commitment and is a practical differentiator for candidates without direct benefits experience.
Where can I find and apply to benefits specialist jobs in New York?
You can find and apply to benefits specialist jobs in New York on Migrate Mate, which lists current openings across New York City, Buffalo, Albany, and the surrounding areas. Find roles that fit your experience and specialization and apply directly to the employers posting them.
See All 30 Benefits Specialist Jobs in New York
Find roles in New York that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
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