OPT Benefits Manager Jobs
Benefits Manager jobs are open to F-1 OPT students with degrees in human resources, business administration, or a related field. Most roles qualify as specialty occupations for H-1B visa sponsorship. Your 12-month OPT window, or 24-month STEM extension if eligible, gives you time to prove your value and secure long-term sponsorship.
Find OPT Benefits Manager JobsOverview
Showing 5 of 318+ Benefits Manager jobs
See all 318+ Benefits Manager Jobs
Sign up for free to unlock all listings, filter by visa type, and get alerts for new Benefits Manager roles.
Get Access To All JobsStatewide IL (Benefits Management and Data Analytics Manager)5010 BUS/ADMINV ASSOC 2
Hiring Department: Division of Specialized Care for Children
Location: Springfield, IL USA
Requisition ID: 1042233
FTE: 1
Work Schedule: 8AM-4:30PM
Shift: Days
# of Positions: 1
Workplace Type: Hybrid
Posting Close Date: 8/20/2026
Salary Range (commensurate with experience): $73,000.00 - 83,000.00
About the University of Illinois Chicago
UIC is among the nation’s preeminent urban public research universities, a Carnegie RU/VH research institution, and the largest university in Chicago. UIC serves over 34,000 students, comprising one of the most diverse student bodies in the nation and is designated as a Minority Serving Institution (MSI), an Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institution (AANAPSI) and a Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI). Through its 16 colleges, UIC produces nationally and internationally recognized multidisciplinary academic programs in concert with civic, corporate and community partners worldwide, including a full complement of health sciences colleges. By emphasizing cutting-edge and transformational research along with a commitment to the success of all students, UIC embodies the dynamic, vibrant and engaged urban university. Recent “Best Colleges” rankings published by U.S. News & World Report found UIC climbed up in its rankings among top public schools in the nation and among all national universities. UIC has nearly 260,000 alumni, and is one of the largest employers in the city of Chicago.
This position is intended to be eligible for benefits. This includes Health, Dental, Vision, Life Insurance, a Retirement Plan, Paid time Off, and Tuition waivers for employees and dependents.
Position Summary
Supervises Benefits Management Unit, designates and oversees unit assignments. Provides expertise in public/private insurance statutes, regulations and trends as they relate to the University of Illinois at Chicago – Division of Specialized Care for Children (UIC-DSCC). Coordinates all ongoing activities related to the development, implementation, maintenance of, reporting on and adherence to the organization's policies and procedures that support the protection of sensitive and high-risk data as required by federal and state laws and the University and DSCC information security and privacy policies and directives. Supervises the DSCC Data Team by providing guidance and oversight to quality improvement reporting, such as the Scorecard, managed care metrics, family survey data, care coordination reporting tools, etc.
Duties & Responsibilities
-
Supervise BMR and Data Team staff, complete annual performance reviews, hire and discharge employees as appropriate, and perform related duties as assigned. Develop the BMR and Data Team staff, including regular meetings, team building opportunities, and professional development opportunities. Provide direction and oversight to BMR and Data Teams. Participate in leadership and management meetings and training as applicable.
-
Review and interpret State and Federal legislation, administrative rules, and programs related to public funding sources for health insurance and the implications to UIC-DSCC. Monitor public and private insurance industry trends and incorporate them in benefit management strategies. Advise senior administration regarding UIC-DSCC policies and assist in the development of internal operating procedures for benefit management of all programs administered by UIC-DSCC. Participate in Interagency meetings to stay current and advocate on Medicaid policy and programming. Attending external meetings, trainings, and/or conferences to continue education regarding health insurance and healthcare policy and keep abreast of changes. Cultivates relationships with community partners and outside agencies/entities for the purpose of benefits management. Develop and implement benefit management training modules and informational tools for DSCC staff and families, or the general public, on health insurance. Conduct presentations at regional offices and/or web-based presentations as needed. Analyze health insurance benefits for all DSCC participants and prepare a monthly report. Prepare and compose correspondence, technical assistance, surveys, reports, and miscellaneous tasks as assigned.
-
Monitor and provide guidance to DSCC staff on policy and procedure as it relates to the usage of data. Oversee the organization and distribution of surveys for family engagement & satisfaction. This includes analyzing survey results and distributing this information back to DSCC leadership. Oversee the facilitation of meetings that provide information to appropriate audiences with the goal of improvement based upon data. Partner with the IT Team in providing accurate data through reporting tools that guide care coordination activities. Contribute to data infrastructure development and improvement, including data quality control and automation. Manage and oversee the collection, audit, and changes of data from various sources (surveys, program databases, external datasets). Providing team education around data use and data dictionaries when appropriate. Analyze data related to Connect Care program enrollment and reconciliation of monthly Connect Care program enrollment. Oversee file distribution and analysis for managed care data files.
-
In conjunction with the DSCC IT team, complete information security and privacy risk assessments and surveys per University compliance regulations. Conduct ongoing compliance monitoring activities and other compliance and operational assessment functions in coordination with the DSCC’s security and privacy policies.
-
Ensure compliance with security and privacy practices and consistent application of sanction policies for failure to comply with security and privacy policies for all individuals within DSCC, including the extended workforce.
-
Work with DSCC senior management, key departments, and committees to ensure DSCC has and maintains appropriate privacy and confidentiality consent, authorization forms, and information notices and materials that align with University, DSCC, and legal practices and requirements.
-
Oversees, directs, delivers, and ensures delivery of initial security and privacy awareness training and orientation to all employees, interns, volunteers, contractors, business associates, and other appropriate third parties in compliance with UIC regulations.
-
Works cooperatively with DSCC operational teams to support patient rights to inspect, amend, and restrict access to protected health information when appropriate.
-
Maintains current knowledge of applicable federal and state privacy laws and accreditation standards, and monitors advancements in information security and privacy controls to improve organizational compliance.
-
Serves as information security and privacy liaison to the organization for all departments and appropriate entities.
Minimum Qualifications
-
Bachelor's degree in business administration, management, or a field related to the position.
-
Five years of professional business, financial, and/or managerial work experience.
(NOTE: A Master’s Degree in an area consistent with the duties of the position may be substituted for one (1) year (12 months) of work experience.)
A bachelor’s degree in nursing, social work, computer science, statistics, or a related field is required.
Five years of professional experience in social service or clinical settings.
Preferred Qualifications
-
Supervisory Experience preferred
-
HIPAA Experience preferred
To Apply: For fullest consideration click on the Apply Now button, please fully complete all sections of the online application including adding your full work history with specific details of your duties & responsibilities for each position held. Fully complete the education, licensure, certification and language sections. You may upload a resume, cover letter, certifications, licensures, transcripts and diplomas within the application.
Please note that once you have submitted your application you will not be able to make any changes. In order to revise your application you must withdraw and reapply. You will not be able to reapply after the posting close date. Please ensure the application is fully completed and all supporting documents have been uploaded before the posting close date. Illinois Residency is required within 180 days of employment.
The University of Illinois System is an equal opportunity employer, including but not limited to disability and/or veteran status, and complies with all applicable state and federal employment mandates. Please visit Required Employment Notices and Posters to view our non-discrimination statement and find additional information about required background checks, sexual harassment/misconduct disclosures, and employment eligibility review through E-Verify.
The university provides accommodations to applicants and employees. Request an Accommodation
Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools may be used in some portions of the candidate review process for this position, however, all employment decisions will be made by a person.
Statewide IL (Benefits Management and Data Analytics Manager)5010 BUS/ADMINV ASSOC 2
Hiring Department: Division of Specialized Care for Children
Location: Springfield, IL USA
Requisition ID: 1042233
FTE: 1
Work Schedule: 8AM-4:30PM
Shift: Days
# of Positions: 1
Workplace Type: Hybrid
Posting Close Date: 8/20/2026
Salary Range (commensurate with experience): $73,000.00 - 83,000.00
About the University of Illinois Chicago
UIC is among the nation’s preeminent urban public research universities, a Carnegie RU/VH research institution, and the largest university in Chicago. UIC serves over 34,000 students, comprising one of the most diverse student bodies in the nation and is designated as a Minority Serving Institution (MSI), an Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institution (AANAPSI) and a Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI). Through its 16 colleges, UIC produces nationally and internationally recognized multidisciplinary academic programs in concert with civic, corporate and community partners worldwide, including a full complement of health sciences colleges. By emphasizing cutting-edge and transformational research along with a commitment to the success of all students, UIC embodies the dynamic, vibrant and engaged urban university. Recent “Best Colleges” rankings published by U.S. News & World Report found UIC climbed up in its rankings among top public schools in the nation and among all national universities. UIC has nearly 260,000 alumni, and is one of the largest employers in the city of Chicago.
This position is intended to be eligible for benefits. This includes Health, Dental, Vision, Life Insurance, a Retirement Plan, Paid time Off, and Tuition waivers for employees and dependents.
Position Summary
Supervises Benefits Management Unit, designates and oversees unit assignments. Provides expertise in public/private insurance statutes, regulations and trends as they relate to the University of Illinois at Chicago – Division of Specialized Care for Children (UIC-DSCC). Coordinates all ongoing activities related to the development, implementation, maintenance of, reporting on and adherence to the organization's policies and procedures that support the protection of sensitive and high-risk data as required by federal and state laws and the University and DSCC information security and privacy policies and directives. Supervises the DSCC Data Team by providing guidance and oversight to quality improvement reporting, such as the Scorecard, managed care metrics, family survey data, care coordination reporting tools, etc.
Duties & Responsibilities
-
Supervise BMR and Data Team staff, complete annual performance reviews, hire and discharge employees as appropriate, and perform related duties as assigned. Develop the BMR and Data Team staff, including regular meetings, team building opportunities, and professional development opportunities. Provide direction and oversight to BMR and Data Teams. Participate in leadership and management meetings and training as applicable.
-
Review and interpret State and Federal legislation, administrative rules, and programs related to public funding sources for health insurance and the implications to UIC-DSCC. Monitor public and private insurance industry trends and incorporate them in benefit management strategies. Advise senior administration regarding UIC-DSCC policies and assist in the development of internal operating procedures for benefit management of all programs administered by UIC-DSCC. Participate in Interagency meetings to stay current and advocate on Medicaid policy and programming. Attending external meetings, trainings, and/or conferences to continue education regarding health insurance and healthcare policy and keep abreast of changes. Cultivates relationships with community partners and outside agencies/entities for the purpose of benefits management. Develop and implement benefit management training modules and informational tools for DSCC staff and families, or the general public, on health insurance. Conduct presentations at regional offices and/or web-based presentations as needed. Analyze health insurance benefits for all DSCC participants and prepare a monthly report. Prepare and compose correspondence, technical assistance, surveys, reports, and miscellaneous tasks as assigned.
-
Monitor and provide guidance to DSCC staff on policy and procedure as it relates to the usage of data. Oversee the organization and distribution of surveys for family engagement & satisfaction. This includes analyzing survey results and distributing this information back to DSCC leadership. Oversee the facilitation of meetings that provide information to appropriate audiences with the goal of improvement based upon data. Partner with the IT Team in providing accurate data through reporting tools that guide care coordination activities. Contribute to data infrastructure development and improvement, including data quality control and automation. Manage and oversee the collection, audit, and changes of data from various sources (surveys, program databases, external datasets). Providing team education around data use and data dictionaries when appropriate. Analyze data related to Connect Care program enrollment and reconciliation of monthly Connect Care program enrollment. Oversee file distribution and analysis for managed care data files.
-
In conjunction with the DSCC IT team, complete information security and privacy risk assessments and surveys per University compliance regulations. Conduct ongoing compliance monitoring activities and other compliance and operational assessment functions in coordination with the DSCC’s security and privacy policies.
-
Ensure compliance with security and privacy practices and consistent application of sanction policies for failure to comply with security and privacy policies for all individuals within DSCC, including the extended workforce.
-
Work with DSCC senior management, key departments, and committees to ensure DSCC has and maintains appropriate privacy and confidentiality consent, authorization forms, and information notices and materials that align with University, DSCC, and legal practices and requirements.
-
Oversees, directs, delivers, and ensures delivery of initial security and privacy awareness training and orientation to all employees, interns, volunteers, contractors, business associates, and other appropriate third parties in compliance with UIC regulations.
-
Works cooperatively with DSCC operational teams to support patient rights to inspect, amend, and restrict access to protected health information when appropriate.
-
Maintains current knowledge of applicable federal and state privacy laws and accreditation standards, and monitors advancements in information security and privacy controls to improve organizational compliance.
-
Serves as information security and privacy liaison to the organization for all departments and appropriate entities.
Minimum Qualifications
-
Bachelor's degree in business administration, management, or a field related to the position.
-
Five years of professional business, financial, and/or managerial work experience.
(NOTE: A Master’s Degree in an area consistent with the duties of the position may be substituted for one (1) year (12 months) of work experience.)
A bachelor’s degree in nursing, social work, computer science, statistics, or a related field is required.
Five years of professional experience in social service or clinical settings.
Preferred Qualifications
-
Supervisory Experience preferred
-
HIPAA Experience preferred
To Apply: For fullest consideration click on the Apply Now button, please fully complete all sections of the online application including adding your full work history with specific details of your duties & responsibilities for each position held. Fully complete the education, licensure, certification and language sections. You may upload a resume, cover letter, certifications, licensures, transcripts and diplomas within the application.
Please note that once you have submitted your application you will not be able to make any changes. In order to revise your application you must withdraw and reapply. You will not be able to reapply after the posting close date. Please ensure the application is fully completed and all supporting documents have been uploaded before the posting close date. Illinois Residency is required within 180 days of employment.
The University of Illinois System is an equal opportunity employer, including but not limited to disability and/or veteran status, and complies with all applicable state and federal employment mandates. Please visit Required Employment Notices and Posters to view our non-discrimination statement and find additional information about required background checks, sexual harassment/misconduct disclosures, and employment eligibility review through E-Verify.
The university provides accommodations to applicants and employees. Request an Accommodation
Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools may be used in some portions of the candidate review process for this position, however, all employment decisions will be made by a person.
See all 318+ OPT Benefits Manager Jobs
Sign up for free to unlock all listings, filter by visa type, and get alerts for new OPT Benefits Manager Jobs.
Get Access To All JobsTips for Finding OPT Sponsorship as a Benefits Manager
Target employers with HR infrastructure
Large and mid-size companies with dedicated HR departments are far more likely to sponsor Benefits Managers than small businesses. Look for organizations with 500 or more employees, where benefits administration is a defined, ongoing function requiring specialized expertise.
Emphasize your specialty occupation fit
Benefits Manager roles qualify as H-1B visa specialty occupations when a degree in HR, business, or finance is a genuine requirement. Make sure your resume connects your specific degree field to the technical demands of the role, not just general business experience.
Get SHRM certified before applying
A SHRM-CP or SHRM-SCP credential signals professional seriousness and strengthens your specialty occupation case for future H-1B sponsorship. Many employers see certification as a proxy for long-term commitment, which matters when they're evaluating sponsorship risk.
Raise sponsorship early in the process
Bring up OPT work authorization and your sponsorship timeline in the first substantive conversation with a recruiter. This filters out employers unwilling to sponsor and saves both parties time before an offer is extended and expectations are set.
Highlight compliance and regulatory knowledge
Benefits Managers must navigate ERISA, ACA, and FMLA compliance. Demonstrating familiarity with U.S. benefits regulations in your cover letter and interviews signals you can handle the role's legal complexity, which strengthens your case for employer investment in sponsorship.
Build relationships in total rewards teams
Many Benefits Manager hires come through internal referrals within compensation and total rewards functions. Connecting with benefits analysts and HR operations professionals in your network can surface sponsorship-friendly openings before they are posted publicly.
Benefits Manager OPT: Frequently Asked Questions
Do Benefits Manager jobs qualify for OPT work authorization?
Yes. Benefits Manager roles typically qualify for F-1 OPT when they are directly related to your degree field, such as human resources, business administration, or finance. Your employment must be at least 20 hours per week and in a role that USCIS would recognize as consistent with your major area of study.
Can F-1 OPT students get H-1B sponsorship for Benefits Manager roles?
Benefits Manager positions generally meet the H-1B specialty occupation standard because the role requires at least a bachelor's degree in a specific field like HR or business. Employers with established HR and legal teams are most likely to sponsor. Search Migrate Mate to find Benefits Manager openings at companies with a demonstrated history of sponsoring OPT workers.
Do Benefits Manager jobs qualify for the 24-month STEM OPT extension?
Most Benefits Manager roles do not qualify for the STEM extension on their own because HR and business administration are not STEM-designated fields. However, if your undergraduate degree was in a STEM field and the Benefits Manager role involves significant data analytics, compensation modeling, or HR technology, a case could be made. Verify your degree's CIP code against the official STEM OPT list with your DSO.
What types of employers are most likely to sponsor Benefits Managers on OPT?
Employers in healthcare, financial services, technology, and professional services tend to have the HR infrastructure and legal resources needed to support OPT and H-1B sponsorship for Benefits Managers. Companies with 500 or more employees and a dedicated total rewards or benefits function are the strongest candidates. Smaller organizations rarely have the bandwidth or experience to manage sponsorship.
When should I start looking for Benefits Manager jobs on OPT?
Begin your search at least three to four months before your OPT start date. Benefits Manager roles often involve longer hiring timelines due to seniority and compliance responsibilities. Starting early gives you time to find sponsorship-friendly employers without the pressure of an expiring authorization window. Migrate Mate filters jobs by OPT eligibility, which makes the process more efficient.