Benefits Administrator Jobs in Tucson, AZ
Benefits administrators in Tucson keep health plans, leave and retirement running for public agencies, hospitals and manufacturers. The Arizona State Schools for the Deaf and the Blind has posted a Tucson HR Analyst-Benefits role at $20.67 to $26.37 an hour. Current openings are below, followed by who is hiring and what it pays.
Current Benefits Administrator Openings in Tucson, AZ
Listings marked External are sponsored openings provided by the Jobs2Careers network.
Benefits Administrator Work in Tucson
Benefits is a small specialty in Tucson: the Bureau of Labor Statistics counted about 160 compensation, benefits and job analysis specialists in the metro in May 2023. Much of the work sits inside broader HR jobs, and a lot of it is public sector, where plans connect to the Arizona State Retirement System. The Arizona State Schools for the Deaf and the Blind's Tucson posting is typical: administer health, dental, vision, life, disability, retirement and flexible spending plans, act as liaison with ADOA, ASRS and Risk Management, track leave and send COBRA notices.
In the private sector, Roche Tissue Diagnostics lists Human Resources among the job families at its Oro Valley campus, and hospital HR coordinators, such as the one Carondelet has posted at St. Joseph's on Wilmot Road, support compensation and benefits as part of the job. Pima County, the City of Tucson, the University of Arizona, Banner Health and Tucson Electric Power post through their own job portals, so check those directly alongside the list below.
Top Tucson Employers Hiring Benefits Administrators
These Tucson employers have posted benefits work, or name the HR family it sits in, on their own careers sites:
- Arizona State Schools for the Deaf and the Blind - HR Analyst-Benefits in Tucson, full time, $20.67 to $26.37 an hour, posted on the State of Arizona jobs site.
- Roche Tissue Diagnostics - its Tucson careers site lists Human Resources among the job families at the Oro Valley campus.
Benefits Administrator Salaries in Tucson
- Entry level (benefits coordinator, HR assistant): roughly $40,000 to $50,000 per year.
- Experienced (benefits administrator or analyst): roughly $50,000 to $65,000 per year.
- Senior (lead analyst, benefits manager): roughly $65,000 to $85,000 per year.
These are estimates that vary by employer and experience. Federal wage data put the Tucson median for compensation, benefits and job analysis specialists at about $30.55 an hour (May 2023), and the ASDB posting's $20.67 to $26.37 an hour works out to roughly $43,000 to $55,000 a year. Public employers add ASRS retirement; private employers and larger self-funded plans tend to pay more for experience with compliance.
How to Become a Benefits Administrator in Tucson
Arizona does not license in-house benefits work. The ASDB posting asks for a bachelor's degree in personnel, business or public administration plus one year of HR experience, or three years of HR experience, and prefers a PHR, SPHR, SHRM-CP or SHRM-SCP. Pima Community College's online Human Resources Certificate takes about one year full time. The CEBS designation from the International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans is a voluntary specialist credential. Moving to the broker side and selling coverage requires an insurance producer license from the Arizona Department of Insurance and Financial Institutions.
What the Job Involves
A benefits administrator runs open enrollment, answers employee questions about plans, processes enrollments and changes, reconciles carrier invoices, tracks leaves of absence, sends COBRA notices and keeps payroll deductions right. The job also means working with carriers, brokers and retirement systems, keeping HR records accurate and staying compliant with FMLA, ADA, COBRA and ACA rules.
Skills Employers Look For
- Knowledge of FMLA, ADA, COBRA, ERISA and ACA rules
- Leave tracking and coordination with payroll
- HRIS and benefits enrollment systems
- Excel for invoice reconciliation and reporting
- Clear, patient explanations for employees during open enrollment
- Discretion with medical and personal information
Career Path and Advancement
The Tucson path usually runs HR assistant or benefits coordinator, benefits administrator or HR analyst, senior or lead analyst, then benefits manager and director of total rewards. The ASDB analyst role can act as lead worker over other HR staff, a common first step toward supervision. Payroll and HR generalist jobs are frequent side moves.
Related Careers in Tucson
These Tucson guides cover the closest alternatives for benefits administrators:
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you need a license to be a benefits administrator in Tucson?
Not for in-house work. Arizona has no license for employer benefits administration. If you move to a broker and sell or advise on coverage, you need an insurance producer license from the Arizona Department of Insurance and Financial Institutions.
How much do benefits administrators make in Tucson?
Estimates run from about $40,000 to $50,000 at entry level to $50,000 to $65,000 with experience, and $65,000 to $85,000 for senior roles. The Arizona State Schools for the Deaf and the Blind has posted a Tucson benefits analyst role at $20.67 to $26.37 an hour.
What certifications help a benefits administrator?
The PHR and SHRM-CP are the HR credentials Tucson postings mention most, and the ASDB benefits posting lists them as preferred. The CEBS designation from the International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans is the specialist credential. None is legally required.
Which Tucson employers hire benefits administrators?
The Arizona State Schools for the Deaf and the Blind has posted a Tucson benefits role, and Roche lists Human Resources among its Oro Valley job families. Pima County, the City of Tucson, the University of Arizona, Banner Health and Tucson Electric Power post through their own portals.
Is benefits administration a good fit for a payroll or HR assistant?
Yes. Benefits work leans on the same accuracy, deductions and records that payroll and HR assistants handle every day, and Tucson benefits roles coordinate closely with payroll. A year or two of HR experience plus a PHR or SHRM-CP is the usual step up.
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