Benefits Specialist

 At Deckers Brands, Together, Every Step is a promise kept that every employee can bring their authentic self, is valued and supported, as a whole person, at work and beyond. Together, Every Step is how we continue to deliver exceptional business results, experience an amazing place to work, and have a positive impact on the communities and world around us.  

Job Title: Benefits Specialist
Reports to: Sr. Manager, Global Benefits
Location: Goleta, CA (Hybrid – Typically 3 times per week in office, Tuesday – Thursday)

The Role 

As a Benefits Specialist II, you’ll help deliver a seamless benefits experience for our employees by supporting the day-to-day administration of benefits, retirement, and leave programs. You’ll be a trusted resource for employees, helping answer questions, resolve issues, and make benefits information easier to understand and navigate. You’ll work closely with internal teams and external vendors to maintain accurate records, reconcile benefit invoices, support compliance requirements, and keep benefits operations running efficiently. This is an opportunity to combine attention to detail, problem-solving, and a people-first approach while contributing to an employee experience where everyone feels valued and supported.

We celebrate diversity--of your background, your experiences and your unique identity. We are committed to ensuring an inclusive and equitable workplace where all of our employees can Come as They Are. We believe that when we bring our different perspectives to work, we are truly Better Together. 

Your Impact 

• Process benefit enrollments, changes, terminations, and dependent eligibility documentation in Workday and vendor systems.
• Support new hire benefits onboarding and respond to employee questions through Freshdesk and the Benefits inbox, partnering with vendors to resolve eligibility, coverage, and claims issues.
• Reconcile benefit invoices, process premium payments, establish and track purchase orders, and partner with Accounting on accruals and period-end reconciliations.
• Coordinate direct billing for employees on unpaid leave.
• Audit benefits and retirement data across Workday, Payroll, and vendor systems, investigating and resolving discrepancies to maintain data accuracy.
• Prepare biweekly benefits-related payroll updates, review retirement plan reports, and support Affordable Care Act eligibility notifications, annual reporting, and employee correspondence.
• Support leave administration by maintaining tracking records, processing leave and return-to-work updates, responding to routine questions, and coordinating leave dates with employees and internal teams.
• Fulfill disability and leave documentation requests and partner with Payroll on earnings information.
• Help deliver annual open enrollment through system updates, employee communications, benefits fairs, meetings, and other program support.
• Distribute benefits and wellbeing materials and collaborate with internal teams and vendors on process improvements and special projects.

Who You Are 

• 2 years+ of benefits and leave administration or related experience, along with strong knowledge of U.S. benefits.
• Undergraduate degree is preferred.
• Certified Employee Benefits Specialist (CEBS) or an equivalent certification is preferred.
• You provide excellent customer service and communicate clearly and thoughtfully, with strong interpersonal skills and attention to detail.
• You use independent thinking and sound judgment to solve problems while knowing when to collaborate or escalate.
• You’re comfortable working independently and as part of a team, building strong cross-functional relationships across the organization.
• You can adapt to changing priorities and increased workloads while staying organized and focused on delivering accurate, timely results.
• You understand the importance of safeguarding confidential and sensitive employee information.
• Highly proficient in Excel, including formulas, lookups, PivotTables and data reconciliation. Must be comfortable working with large data sets and spotting discrepancies. Proficient in all other Microsoft Office Suite, along with experience managing data and working with HR, benefits, or leave administration systems; Workday experience is a plus.
• You value diverse perspectives and bring authenticity, accountability, curiosity, and collaboration to your work.

What We'll Give You –  

• Competitive Pay and Bonuses - We’ve created a variety of competitive compensation programs to foster career development, reward success and to show our employees just how much they’re valued. 

• Financial Planning and wellbeing - No matter what financial goals our employees have set, we want to help them get there. Our plans provide powerful ways to protect income, pay for expenses and invest in the future. 

• Time away from work - Sometimes we need time away to be with family, focus on our health or just simply recharge. Our plans support our employees’ needs to get out, get healthy and come back stronger than ever. 

• Extras, discounts and perks - Being a valued member of the Deckers Brands team means more than just a paycheck. From generous discounts to community-based programs, we offer a variety of cool extras 

• Growth and Development - Deckers Brands was built on the idea of pursuing passion. That’s why we offer extensive opportunities and support for personal and professional development. 

• Health and Wellness - There’s nothing basic about our comprehensive health and wellness programs and offerings. While at work and at play, we aim to support a healthy lifestyle. 

 #LI-AJ1

$66,000.00 - $89,100.00

The salary range posted reflects the estimated minimum and maximum target for new hire salaries for this role in:

Goleta, California

Individual pay will be determined by location and additional factors, including job related skills, experience, and relevant education or training. Your recruiter can share more about the specific salary for your preferred location during the hiring process.

Equal Employment Opportunity
Diversity and inclusion are key to our success. We are proud to be an equal opportunity employer, and our employees are people with different strengths, experiences and backgrounds who share a passion for our brands. We welcome qualified applicants regardless of their race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, national origin, age, military or veteran status, mental or physical disability, medical condition and all the other beautiful parts of your identity.