Associate Director, Benefits And Leaves Of Absence

Summary

Join Dynavax, a biopharmaceutical company, as the Associate Director, Benefits and Leaves of Absence! This fully remote (US-based) role is critical to the Human Resources Department, overseeing all U.S. benefit plans and managing employee leaves of absence. You will ensure compliance, support HR operations, and contribute to a positive employee experience. This position demands a strategic and hands-on approach to benefits administration, including design, implementation, communication, and continuous improvement. You will collaborate with leadership to align benefit strategies with business goals, ensuring Dynavax remains competitive. The role involves managing relationships with benefit providers, communicating with employees, and ensuring compliance with all relevant regulations.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or a related field
• 7-10 years of related work experience managing employee benefit programs and leaves of absence
• Strong knowledge of federal and state regulations related to benefits and leaves, including FMLA, ADA, ERISA, COBRA, and HIPAA
• Collaborative work style with strong customer service orientation
• Skilled in planning, organizing and managing workload and priorities
• Ability to handle sensitive data and maintain confidentiality
• Skilled communicator with excellent listening skills. Ability to effectively communicate on complex issues
• Strong proficiency in MS Word, PowerPoint, Excel and Outlook
• Strong attention to detail
• Ability to sit; stand; walk; reach with arms and hands; lift and move small objects; and use hands to keyboard and perform other office related tasks including repetitive movement of the wrists, hands and/or fingers
• Occasional travel required, as needed

Responsibilities

• Manage and administer all U.S. employee benefit programs, including but not limited to health, dental, vision, life insurance, disability, 401(K) plan, wellness, etc
• Work closely with brokers on insurance renewals and open enrollment evaluating the design, recommendations, and implementation of new benefit programs while ensuring alignment with company objectives and budget constraints
• Participate in market surveys evaluating and comparing existing benefits with peer companies
• Manage relationships with all benefit providers and third-party administrators
• Communicate benefits information to employees and assist them with understanding their options and making informed decisions
• Oversee and manage the entire leaves of absence process, including FMLA, short-term disability, long-term disability, parental leave, and other statutory leaves
• Provide guidance and support to employees and managers regarding leave policies, procedures, and regulations
• Ensure accurate tracking of leaves and proper documentation in compliance with company policies and legal requirements
• Coordinate with payroll and HR team to ensure accurate leave payment and record-keeping
• Ensure compliance with all federal, state, and local regulations related to benefits and leaves of absence
• Serve as primary liaison with Finance team on billing, accounting, or finance support services
• Lead and assist the filing of 5500s, 401(K) audit, non-discrimination testing, and EEO reporting
• Monitor legislative changes and assess their impact on existing programs, update policies and procedures accordingly
• Develop and maintain benefits-related documentation, including plan documents, summary plan descriptions, and employee benefit guides
• Assist with the generation of monthly HR metrics and other ad-hoc employee reporting
• Assist with general HR operations, employee data maintenance, and other projects as needed, contributing to the continuous improvement of HR processes and initiatives
• Other duties/projects as assigned

Preferred Qualifications

• Life Sciences industry experience preferred
• Previous experience with UKG preferred
• Certified Employee Benefit Specialist (CEBS) or similar certification is a plus

Benefits

• Full range of health and welfare insurance benefits
• 401(K) company match
• Paid time off benefits, including 17 paid holidays in 2025
• Stock equity awards
• Participation in our Company’s discretionary annual bonus program
• 100% remote (US-based)