Benefits Specialist

Benefits Specialist

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college.
• Minimum 3-5 years of related benefits experience.
• Knowledge/experience analyzing benefit programs including; 401(k), Retirement, Health & Welfare and Wellness.
• Excellent computer and technical skills, including demonstrated experience with MS Office and HRIS.
• Strong organization/project management skills.
• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple assignments/projects, timelines and to identify project interdependencies, resource needs, potential risks/pitfalls and mitigation plans.
• Strong communication and presentation skills.
• Demonstrated experience in preparing and delivering presentations that convey key concepts and outline recommendations to various levels of management.
• Excellent problem solving and continuous improvement skills.
• Ability to be both an effective team player and self-starter.

Responsibilities

• Supports the design of employee benefit programs by examining and evaluating program design, employee preferences, external benchmarking, costs, regulatory requirements, and competitive advantage. Ensures benefits programs balance competitiveness with affordability.
• Partners with the Total Rewards Director, Americas and broker/consultant in the implementation of new plans. Leads the setup, timeline, coordination with outside vendor partners, and testing of system requirements to administer plans, manages annual open enrollments and ensures seamless of day-to-day benefit program administration.
• Collects, analyzes, and summarizes benefits data and trends of other companies. Determines benefit practices and market prevalence by researching best practices; industry and employment trends; tracking legislation and assessing organizational impact.
• Performs benefits administration tasks, including but not limited to, benefit calculations and payout processing, reconciliation of benefits accounts, preparation of wire transfers/funding for various plans, verification and maintenance of statistical data relative to premiums, claims, and costs; processing of employer health savings account (HSA) contributions, coordination of defined benefit plan accruals, and leave of absence support.
• Prepares and maintains benefit-specific reports, verifies accuracy and distributes as appropriate. Tracks and monitors reports sent by vendors and carriers. Monitors and flags potential issues on reports issued by vendors on various programs. Researches, analyzes and evaluates benefits data from under all programs for the entire employee population.
• Drives operational excellence in the benefits function by identifying and developing alternative methods for optimizing and streamlining related processes and procedures. Focuses on increased efficiencies and improvement of benefits related processes.
• Serves as a ‘super user’ of benefit systems and tools in order to identify best practices, assesses functionality and system requirements, and recommends process improvements as applicable. Ensures data integrity for all benefits processes and programs.
• Partners with global HR team members, recruiters, and management to ensure benefits programs are administered correctly and aligned with company-wide strategic goals and best. Consults cross functional partners and the business on benefits strategy, policies and programs.
• Works with benefits carriers and vendors to resolve complex, non-routine benefits-related requests/issues to closure such as appeals, vendor problems, domestic relations/court orders, etc.
• Maintains in-depth knowledge of benefits policies and procedures as well as relevant industry practices. Supports new employee orientation sessions to relay benefits plan and policy information.
• Develops and builds global benefits knowledge and expertise proactively to identify new trends, concepts and execute future strategies to enhance benefits programs. Stays updated on changes in legislation affecting employee benefits and partners with corporate legal counsel as necessary to interpret statutory changes.
• Audits and researches benefit programs by gathering data from a variety of data sources and systems. Prepares information and conducts audits/tests to ensure plans and processes are in compliance with internal and external requirements. Provides support for annual audits of benefit plans as needed.
• Supports and/or leads special projects as directed. Conducts ad hoc analyses as applicable. Provides surge support for critical HR initiatives as needed.

Preferred Qualifications

• CEBS certification preferred.