People Operations Specialist II - Leave Management

About This Opportunity

The HR Operations Specialist supports the delivery of employee lifecycle services by interpreting HR policies, resolving cases, partnering with internal teams, and ensuring teammates receive accurate, timely, and compassionate support. This role works closely with HR Business Partners, Centers of Excellence, Payroll, vendors, and other internal teams to help resolve issues and provide consistent end-to-end service.

In this role, you’ll monitor case queues, prioritize work, support continuous improvement, and contribute to knowledge management efforts such as SOP updates, case documentation, and training content. You’ll also help identify opportunities to improve HR Operations, HR Service Center, Leave, and Compliance strategies through feedback, emerging technologies, and a focus on the teammate experience.

What You’ll Do

• Deliver a high-quality teammate experience by providing professional, empathetic, and solution-oriented support.
• Monitor case queues, prioritize workload, and follow through on open items to drive resolution and accountability.
• Interpret and apply HR policies, procedures, and workflows across assigned cases, ensuring consistent and accurate execution.
• Resolve issues efficiently and accurately while balancing policy compliance and teammate care.
• Partner with internal teams such as HR Business Partners, Centers of Excellence, Payroll, and other People & Culture teams to ensure seamless end-to-end service delivery.
• Act as a liaison between teammates, HR teams, and vendors to resolve escalated issues, track resolution status, and maintain positive service experiences.
• Identify process improvement opportunities and participate in knowledge management efforts, including SOP updates, case documentation, and training content.
• Participate in cross-training across multiple content areas to support business continuity and enhance team agility.
• Maintain knowledge of federal and state employment laws and regulations, applying this knowledge to Advocate initiatives and practices to help minimize risk.
• Support continuity and successful delivery of employee lifecycle services across the organization in compliance with labor laws and audit principles.
• Review and improve HR Operations, HR Service Center, HR Leave, and Compliance strategies through emerging technologies, innovative solutions, business feedback, and teammate experience insights.
• Prioritize and manage high volumes of transactions, cases, claims, audits, and emails while meeting service delivery expectations and metrics.

What You’ll Bring

• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Human Resources, Compliance, Technology, or a related field, or equivalent experience.
• Typically requires 2 years of experience in human resources or 6 years of customer service experience.
• Strong communication skills, both over the phone and in writing, with the ability to engage professionally with all levels of the organization.
• High level of integrity, ethics, confidentiality, and customer service.
• Attentive listening skills with the ability to ask thoughtful, probing questions to support problem-solving and appropriate issue escalation.
• Ability to work effectively in high-pressure situations requiring sound decision-making, especially when handling confidential or sensitive matters.
• Strong sense of urgency and accountability for meeting commitments and completing assignments.
• Knowledge of HR content areas, including payroll, leave, compliance, compensation, data management, benefits, onboarding, and core HR operations.
• Critical thinking and multitasking skills in a high-volume environment.
• Ability to consistently deliver high-quality customer service in a professional and compassionate manner.
• Strong decision-making, communication, presentation, and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to build trusted relationships, influence stakeholders, and develop solutions that drive results.
• Self-directed, self-motivated, flexible, and able to take initiative while managing competing priorities and deadlines.
• Strong computer skills, including Microsoft Office, human capital management systems, case management tools, and knowledge management platforms.

Preferred

• Prior experience in an HR Service Center, HR Operations, Leave, Compliance, Payroll, Benefits, or employee support environment.
• Experience using case management, knowledge management, or human capital management systems.
• Experience supporting process improvement, SOP documentation, training content, or HR service delivery enhancements.
• Comfort working in a fast-paced, high-volume environment with multiple competing priorities.