[Hiring] Benefits Consultant @Cisco

Role Description

This role is open to candidates in all US locations except for NYC metro and the San Jose Bay metro.

The Global Benefits team at Cisco is dedicated to empowering our employees by providing comprehensive, competitive, and inclusive benefits programs. As a member of our U.S. Benefits team, you will join a group of passionate professionals focused on operational excellence and employee advocacy. We thrive in a fast-paced, collaborative environment and seek individuals with a growth mindset who are eager to adapt, innovate, and prioritize data-driven decision-making to support the well-being of our global workforce.

Your Impact

In this role, you will serve as a subject matter expert for leave, disability, and accommodations programs, ensuring operational excellence, compliance, and a superior employee experience. You will partner in driving team strategies and support the overall benefit experience addressing our diverse workforce. By anticipating challenges, leveraging emerging technologies, and solving complex problems, you will maintain oversight of program compliance in complex arrangements and foster a culture of high-level service.

What You'll Do

• Program Administration & Compliance: Manage the end-to-end administration of leave programs (including FMLA, ADA, disability, workers’ compensation) while ensuring strict adherence to current and changing regional, local, and federal laws.
• Employee Support & Advocacy: Monitor and partner in employee support, delivering differentiated experiences through concierge and external vendor coordination for issues, escalations, and care needs.
• Expert Guidance: Resolve complex issues and provide clear guidance to employees on benefit plan interpretation, maintaining deep subject matter expertise to respond effectively to inquiries.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Collaborate frequently with senior management, IT, payroll, and change management teams within our complex, matrixed global organization to resolve process gaps and improve service delivery. Support LOA-related workflows, including offboarding and reasonable accommodations.
• Change Management & Communication: Conduct comprehensive change management initiatives for significant alterations to benefits offerings. Support benefits communication efforts by drafting and promoting related programs, including updating internal resources such as intranet pages, benefits guides, support platforms, and annual state communications.
• Data-Driven Optimization & AI Integration: Analyze leave, disability, and accommodation data to identify trends and improve program effectiveness. Proactively leverage AI tools to enhance productivity, drive content engagement, and streamline process improvements.
• Financial & Audit Oversight: Maintain program budgets, review and approve vendor invoices, and investigate/resolve discrepancies to ensure accurate and timely payments. Maintain rigorous oversight of business reporting and internal controls, ensuring data integrity and financial accuracy for all leave and sick leave programs. Manage auditing requirements related to disability program processes.
• Program Management: Assume responsibility for other related benefit programs as required, such as life, disability, and/or survivor support.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business, or a related field, or equivalent practical experience.
• 5+ years of experience in benefits administration, with a specialized focus on leave, disability, and accommodations.
• In-depth knowledge of FMLA, ADA, ERISA, HIPAA, and regional/state-specific leave laws.
• Proven ability to manage relationships with third-party vendors and external partners.
• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel (e.g., VLOOKUP, pivot tables) and the Microsoft Office Suite (Word, PowerPoint, Visio). Ability to quickly learn and efficiently use various online vendor portals and benefits administration systems.
• Proficiency in HRIS systems (such as Workday) and case management tools.

Preferred Qualifications

• Professional certification (e.g., CEBS, PHR, or SHRM-CP).
• Experience managing benefits programs in a large, multinational technology organization.
• Demonstrated success in leading process improvement initiatives for complex HR programs.
• Experience with disability plans and coordination with workers' compensation programs.
• Demonstrated application of AI technologies to optimize HR workflows and improve operational efficiency.

Benefits

• Medical, dental and vision insurance.
• 401(k) plan with a Cisco matching contribution.
• Paid parental leave.
• Short and long-term disability coverage.
• Basic life insurance.
• 10 paid holidays per full calendar year, plus 1 floating holiday for non-exempt employees.
• 1 paid day off for employee’s birthday, paid year-end holiday shutdown, and 4 paid days off for personal wellness determined by Cisco.
• Non-exempt employees receive 16 days of paid vacation time per full calendar year.
• Exempt employees participate in Cisco’s flexible vacation time off program.
• 80 hours of sick time off provided on hire date and each January 1st thereafter.
• Optional 10 paid days per full calendar year to volunteer.