People Ops/Benefits Associate

Protect Democracy is seeking a Benefits Associate to join our small, highly collaborative people operations team. This role would support the cross-functional administration and innovation of benefits for a growing organization.

At Protect Democracy, we anchor our work in service to our mission: to prevent American democracy from declining into a more authoritarian form of government. Our mission is the foundation of our work, whether litigation, advocacy, or ensuring that our team has the support they need to continue to meet the urgency of this moment.

This is an excellent opportunity for a candidate eager to learn benefits management, explore various people operations functions, and leave their mark on the systems and processes of a mission-driven organization. Individuals who excel in dynamic environments, find joy in problem solving, and are skilled with people and numbers will thrive in this role. The ideal candidate brings exceptional detail-orientation and communication skills, a flexible, growth-oriented mindset, excitement for benefits work, and enthusiasm for our mission.

We strongly encourage candidates from diverse backgrounds and from across the political and ideological spectrum to apply. A commitment to our mission and cross-ideological strategy for defending our democracy is essential. You can work remotely from any location in the United States. We are accepting applications for this position until December 15, 2024.

The Benefits Associate will:

• Assist with the administration and auditing of several benefit programs, including FSAs, health care, time off and more;
• Help ensure Protect Democracy’s compliance with state-based requirements, which includes collecting and managing large amounts of data;
• Coordinate with our benefits vendors, including our health insurance brokers and COBRA implementation support team;
• Independently identify ways to build and improve on Protect Democracy’s benefits offerings by examining needs, assessing possible solutions, and making concise and realistic recommendations;
• Develop, implement, and test innovative strategies to educate and engage team members on benefits and wellness resources;
• Collaborate to build out and maintain organization-wide policies;
• Act as an integral part of the onboarding and offboarding experience for staff members;
• Support team benefit programs while leveraging our new HRIS (Human Resources Information System) and coordinating across multiple teams to ensure data accuracy and seamless benefits administration;
• Contribute to the overall development of Protect Democracy across all areas and facets of the organization, including impact strategy and organizational culture.

About Protect Democracy

• Flexible work schedule. You can work remotely from any location in the United States; the only location requirement is that yours allows you to complete the demands of the position and mission. All staff are also required to travel at least two times per year to team retreats, as well as occasional project-related travel. (Accommodations to this requirement will be made only in exceptional circumstances.) We currently have staff in Washington, DC, New York, Massachusetts, California, Virginia, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Michigan, Georgia, Utah, Kentucky, Washington, Florida, Illinois, Arizona, New Jersey, New Hampshire, Vermont, Colorado, Maryland, Wisconsin, Louisiana, and Texas. We offer shared workspaces in many of these locations for staff members who enjoy working in an office environment.
• Commitment to a diverse workplace. Protect Democracy is an equal opportunity employer. Our culture principles emphasize that there is strength in diversity as we believe diverse teams are more innovative, creative, and productive. Protect Democracy encourages applications from all qualified individuals without regard to race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, national origin, marital status, citizenship, disability, or veteran status.
• Competitive pay and phenomenal benefits. Our benefits package includes unlimited sick leave and a flexible vacation policy where we encourage team members to take 4-5 weeks every year, along with 12 paid holidays, 4 weeks of paid family medical leave, and 18 weeks of paid parental leave. We also offer a 401(k) plan with up to 6% employer match that vests immediately, full coverage for an excellent health care plan that includes both dental and vision insurance, long-term disability and life insurance for all employees, a home office stipend, and as budget allows, discretionary bonuses.
• Ample opportunities for personal & professional development. Candidates who do not meet all listed criteria should still apply, as our organizational structure focuses on providing mentorship and opportunities for professional growth.

The ideal candidate brings:

• Passion for protecting and improving our democracy;
• Rigorous attention to detail and the highest standards for excellence in execution;
• Proven experience tracking, prioritizing, and balancing a diverse set of responsibilities with competing deadlines;
• Strong writing, research, and communication skills;
• Flexibility and comfort working in a fast-paced environment and pivoting to solutions as the organization grows;
• Sound judgment and discretion, with a high degree of personal integrity, including the ability to manage sensitive and confidential information;
• Enthusiasm for team collaboration and working with people with diverse backgrounds and characteristics, and openness to a diversity of ideas and perspectives;
• Growth mindset and comfort giving and receiving feedback up, down and sideways.

Pluses, but not requirements:

• Experience with benefits administration, human resources, human resources software, or payroll.