Hris Specialist Jobs in California
Hris Specialist jobs in California represent one of the most active markets in the country, concentrated in enterprise technology, healthcare systems, entertainment, and financial services, with openings from entry-level HRIS coordinator roles through senior analyst and system administrator positions. The heaviest hiring is in the San Francisco Bay Area, Los Angeles, and San Diego, where large employers such as Kaiser Permanente, Salesforce, and Disney maintain significant people-operations teams and ongoing HRIS needs. The most in-demand specialties in California include Workday and SAP SuccessFactors administration, HR data analytics, and benefits and payroll system integration. Find a role that fits below and apply directly.
Find Hris Specialist JobsOverview
Showing 5 of 7+ Hris Specialist jobs
Senior HRIS and Benefits Specialist
Fred Finch Youth & Family Services | Oakland, CA or San Diego, CA (Hybrid) | Full-Time, Exempt
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Make Your HR Expertise Matter
For over a century, Fred Finch Youth & Family Services has been changing the trajectory of young lives — providing behavioral health, education, and family support services to some of California's most vulnerable youth and families. None of that work happens without the people behind the people: an HR team that takes care of the employees who take care of our community.
We're looking for a Senior HRIS & Benefits Specialist who wants their technical skills to serve something bigger than a system upgrade. You'll be the architect behind the benefits, data, and workflows that let our direct-care staff focus on what they do best — showing up for kids and families every day.
This isn't just a system administration role. It's a chance to build something from the ground up: our UKG implementation still has meaningful configuration and workflow work left from launch, and you'll be the one who takes it from functional to fully optimized — with real autonomy and real visibility to leadership.
What You'll Do
- Serve as primary system administrator for UKG — configurations, security roles, user access, upgrades
- Audit the current UKG implementation and build a prioritized optimization roadmap with the VP of HR
- Design and deploy automated workflows that reduce manual effort across HR
- Administer all employee benefit plans (health, dental, vision, life) and lead annual Open Enrollment
- Serve as primary liaison to carriers, the 401(k) provider, and third-party administrators.
- Manage EDI feeds between UKG and benefit carriers, ensuring accurate, timely, HIPAA-compliant data exchange
- Ensure compliance with ERISA, COBRA, FMLA, ADA, Section 125, and ACA, including required filings
- Build HR reports, dashboards, and analytics; support EEO-1, ACA, and other regulatory reporting
- Train HR staff and end users on HRIS functionality and best practices
What You Bring
- Minimum 5 years of progressive HRIS experience, including hands-on system administration, configuration, and workflow development
- Demonstrated experience managing EDI integrations between an HRIS and benefit carriers or TPAs
- Experience conducting HRIS audits and implementing system improvements
- Direct experience with UKG Pro or UKG Ready
- Bachelor's degree in HR, Information Systems, Business Administration, or related field (equivalent experience considered)
- Strong Excel and data management skills
- Experience implementing or optimizing an HRIS system
- Direct experience UKG Ready
- UKG Pro/Ready certification
- SHRM-CP/SCP, PHR/SPHR
- Experience in a nonprofit, healthcare, or human services setting
Location Requirement
Must reside in Alameda County, San Diego County, or an adjacent California county.
If you're an HR technology professional who wants your work to mean something beyond the system itself, we'd love to hear from you!
Compensation: $93,330 – $119,115.36 annually
Schedule: Monday–Friday, 8:00 am–5:00 pm, hybrid at management's discretion. No fully remote positions at FF.
Join our team as: Senior HRIS and Benefits Specialist
Fred Finch Youth & Family Services (FF) is an Equal Opportunity Employer. FF does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, non-disqualifying physical or mental disability, national origin, veteran status or any other basis covered by appropriate law. All employment is decided on the basis of qualifications, merit, and business need.
Senior HRIS and Benefits Specialist
Fred Finch Youth & Family Services | Oakland, CA or San Diego, CA (Hybrid) | Full-Time, Exempt
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Make Your HR Expertise Matter
For over a century, Fred Finch Youth & Family Services has been changing the trajectory of young lives — providing behavioral health, education, and family support services to some of California's most vulnerable youth and families. None of that work happens without the people behind the people: an HR team that takes care of the employees who take care of our community.
We're looking for a Senior HRIS & Benefits Specialist who wants their technical skills to serve something bigger than a system upgrade. You'll be the architect behind the benefits, data, and workflows that let our direct-care staff focus on what they do best — showing up for kids and families every day.
This isn't just a system administration role. It's a chance to build something from the ground up: our UKG implementation still has meaningful configuration and workflow work left from launch, and you'll be the one who takes it from functional to fully optimized — with real autonomy and real visibility to leadership.
What You'll Do
- Serve as primary system administrator for UKG — configurations, security roles, user access, upgrades
- Audit the current UKG implementation and build a prioritized optimization roadmap with the VP of HR
- Design and deploy automated workflows that reduce manual effort across HR
- Administer all employee benefit plans (health, dental, vision, life) and lead annual Open Enrollment
- Serve as primary liaison to carriers, the 401(k) provider, and third-party administrators.
- Manage EDI feeds between UKG and benefit carriers, ensuring accurate, timely, HIPAA-compliant data exchange
- Ensure compliance with ERISA, COBRA, FMLA, ADA, Section 125, and ACA, including required filings
- Build HR reports, dashboards, and analytics; support EEO-1, ACA, and other regulatory reporting
- Train HR staff and end users on HRIS functionality and best practices
What You Bring
- Minimum 5 years of progressive HRIS experience, including hands-on system administration, configuration, and workflow development
- Demonstrated experience managing EDI integrations between an HRIS and benefit carriers or TPAs
- Experience conducting HRIS audits and implementing system improvements
- Direct experience with UKG Pro or UKG Ready
- Bachelor's degree in HR, Information Systems, Business Administration, or related field (equivalent experience considered)
- Strong Excel and data management skills
- Experience implementing or optimizing an HRIS system
- Direct experience UKG Ready
- UKG Pro/Ready certification
- SHRM-CP/SCP, PHR/SPHR
- Experience in a nonprofit, healthcare, or human services setting
Location Requirement
Must reside in Alameda County, San Diego County, or an adjacent California county.
If you're an HR technology professional who wants your work to mean something beyond the system itself, we'd love to hear from you!
Compensation: $93,330 – $119,115.36 annually
Schedule: Monday–Friday, 8:00 am–5:00 pm, hybrid at management's discretion. No fully remote positions at FF.
Join our team as: Senior HRIS and Benefits Specialist
Fred Finch Youth & Family Services (FF) is an Equal Opportunity Employer. FF does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, non-disqualifying physical or mental disability, national origin, veteran status or any other basis covered by appropriate law. All employment is decided on the basis of qualifications, merit, and business need.
See All 7 Hris Specialist Jobs in California
Find roles in California that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
Find Hris Specialist JobsHris Specialist Jobs by City in California
Where California roles are concentrated, by current openings.
Hris Specialist Job Market in California
A snapshot from current California openings, updated as new roles post.
Who's Hiring
Top Industries Hiring
- Automotive
- Cybersecurity
- Manufacturing
- Technology & Software
- Electronics & Hardware
What California Employers Look For
The qualifications that appear most often in hris specialist jobs across California.
- Bachelor's degree in human resources, information systems, or a related field
- Hands-on experience administering Workday, SAP SuccessFactors, or Oracle HCM
- Proficiency in HR data reporting, dashboards, and workforce analytics tools
- Experience supporting payroll system integrations and California compliance requirements
- Strong understanding of California labor law as it applies to HRIS configuration and auditing
- PHR, SHRM-CP, or a recognized HRIS platform certification such as Workday Pro
Hris Specialist Jobs in California: Frequently Asked Questions
How do you become a hris specialist in California?
Most hris specialist roles in California require a bachelor's degree in human resources, information systems, business administration, or a closely related field. California does not issue a state-specific license for this role, but employers consistently expect platform certifications such as Workday Pro or SAP SuccessFactors certification alongside HR credentials like the SHRM-CP or PHR. Starting as an HR coordinator or HRIS analyst associate is the most common path into a specialist title at large California employers.
How much do hris specialists make in California?
Hris specialists in California earn a median of about $83,500 a year, based on May 2025 Bureau of Labor Statistics wage data, ranging from around $52,770 for the lowest 10% to over $151,410 for the top 10%. Pay rises with experience, specialty, and employer.
Which companies hire hris specialists in California?
Employers hiring hris specialists in California right now include Fortinet, TriCal, and ALPHATEC SPINE, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of August 2026. California's density of Fortune 500 headquarters, major healthcare networks, and large entertainment and tech companies means consistent demand for specialists who can manage enterprise-grade platforms across complex, multi-location workforces.
Which California cities have the most hris specialist jobs?
Fremont, Gilroy, and Oakland have the most hris specialist openings in California. The Bay Area leads because of its concentration of enterprise technology companies and corporate headquarters that run large, complex HR systems, while Los Angeles draws demand from entertainment, healthcare, and financial services firms, and San Diego's openings are driven by its biotech and defense-sector employers that maintain sizable HR operations.
Are there remote hris specialist jobs in California?
Yes, and more than most fields. HRIS work is largely analytical and system-based, making it well suited to remote arrangements. About 25% of hris specialist openings tied to California are remote or hybrid as of August 2026, reflecting how broadly California employers have extended flexibility to this role. System configuration, reporting, and data auditing are the functions most commonly performed fully remotely.
How can I get hired as a hris specialist in California with little or no experience?
The most realistic entry path is to move laterally from an HR coordinator, benefits administrator, or payroll clerk role into an HRIS-focused position. Large California healthcare systems such as Kaiser Permanente and Dignity Health, along with major tech employers, regularly hire HRIS analyst associates or junior system support staff who learn platforms on the job. Earning a Workday or SAP SuccessFactors fundamentals certification before applying gives candidates a concrete edge and demonstrates system readiness even without prior specialist titles.
Where can I find and apply to hris specialist jobs in California?
You can find and apply to hris specialist jobs in California on Migrate Mate, which lists current California openings across industries and metro areas. Search the listings, find roles that match your experience and platform background, and apply directly to the ones that fit.
See All 7 Hris Specialist Jobs in California
Find roles in California that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
Find Hris Specialist Jobs