Benefits Specialist

Description: Hilltop is seeking a Benefits Specialist to add to our growing Human Resources team. This person will work closely with the Human Resources team to administer benefits and leave programs and support all Hilltop employees. The ideal candidate is highly detail-oriented and brings a genuine commitment to employee care, with a focus on benefits accuracy, compliance, and the employee experience across Hilltop's five-state footprint.
Hilltop Residential is a world-class real estate investment company that provides unparalleled excellence to our customers and investors. Hilltop Residential was founded in 2017 and currently owns and operates $3 billion of multifamily properties throughout the major markets in Texas and the southeastern United States.
Hilltop is a certified Great Place to Work five years in a row, as well as being named a Top Workplace by the Houston Chronicle. We are searching for motivated and talented individuals to be a part of our growing Hilltop family.
Hilltop Residential Offers Great Benefits!• Competitive Pay • 401k with Company Match • Comprehensive Medical and Dental plans • Paid Vision Plan • Paid Life Insurance • Employee Referral Program • Short and Long-Term Disability • Paid Time Off • Employee Rent Discount Program • Rapidly Growing Company with Opportunities for Growth

Job Responsibilities

• Administer benefits enrollment for new hires and process qualifying life event changes across all Hilltop markets
• Support the HR Manager with the annual open enrollment process, including employee communications, enrollment processing, and post-open enrollment auditing
• Serve as the day-to-day liaison between employees and carriers for benefits and leave related questions and issues
• Reconcile monthly benefits billing across carriers and flag discrepancies for the HR Manager's resolution
• Assist employees with 401(k) enrollment, contribution changes, and general questions, and serve as liaison with the 401(k) vendor and other partners
• Assist with managing the Hilltop Strive tuition reimbursement program, including eligibility review, application processing, and payroll coordination
• Administer leave of absence programs, including FMLA, state-specific leave, short-term disability coordination, and personal leave, ensuring consistent tracking and documentation across Texas, Georgia, North Carolina, Florida, and Tennessee
• Support Paid Time Off policy administration and respond to employee PTO-related questions
• Assist with ADA accommodation requests and the interactive process, including documentation, tracking, and follow-up
• Assist with workers' compensation claims, including tracking, submittal, and follow-up
• Support compliance with federal, state, and local benefits and leave laws and regulations across Hilltop's multi-state footprint
• Respond to employee inquiries related to benefits, leave, and other related HR matters in a timely and confidential manner
• Update employee records in HRIS with benefits and leave-related changes
• Partner with Human Resources Assistant to process employee lease addendums in accordance with the Employee Rent Discount Program
• Assist with employee recognition programs to include the planning of Hilltop's annual award ceremony and party and other employee recognitions throughout the year
• Provide a variety of administrative support to the Human Resources and Recruiting teams as needed

Requirements:

• Bachelor's degree preferred
• One to two years of experience in benefits administration and/or Human Resources required
• Experience with open enrollment and leave of absence administration strongly preferred
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills
• Excellent organizational skills and attention to detail
• Excellent time management skills with a proven ability to meet deadlines
• Ability to act with integrity, professionalism, and confidentiality
• Proficient with Microsoft Office Suite or related software
• Proficiency with or the ability to quickly learn the organization's HRIS system, Paylocity

This position reports directly to the Human Resources Manager and will office in person out of our Corporate Office located at 9651 Katy Freeway, Suite 550, Houston, TX 77024.

Applicants are evaluated on the basis of job qualifications—not race, color, religion, creed, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, veteran, marital or domestic partner status, citizenship or any other status or characteristic covered by federal, state or local law.