Benefits Specialist

Description:

Mission Statement: Inspired by the Franciscan Values of compassion, dignity and respect, we support persons with developmental and other challenges to achieve their highest quality of life, personal growth and spiritual awareness.

Summary: Under general supervisor of the HR Director, the Benefits Specialist handles daily administration, communication, and compliance for all employee benefits. This role serves as the main contact for employees regarding benefit inquires and issues, aiming to keep our benefits competitive, cost-effective, and aligned with our goal of attracting and retaining skilled staff.

Required Competencies

• Demonstrates adherence to St. Coletta’s Code of Conduct, Franciscan and Business Values at all times.
• Understanding and adhering to all St. Coletta of WI policies and procedures.
• Ability to maintain strict confidentiality.
• Capable of working independently with minimal direction.
• Ability to establish and expertly manage professional and interpersonal relationships with all organizational members and external stakeholders.
• Demonstrates professional-level competency with written and verbal communication skills.
• Possesses a positive and solution-oriented attitude.
• Is open and receptive to new ideas and constructive feedback.
• Demonstrates excellent problem-solving and creative-thinking skills.
• Demonstrates excellent organizational skills and ability to manage multiple projects while meeting deadlines.
• Strong attention to detail and accuracy in processing benefit changes and ensuring their communicated timely to benefit vendors
• Demonstrates flexibility in work assignments and willingness to provide support to staff.
• An in-depth understanding of benefit administration and relevant laws.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities: include the following. Other duties may be assigned.

• Benefits Administration: Manage employee benefits such as health, dental, vision, life insurance, short and long-term disability, 401(k) with match, flexible spending accounts (FSA), tuition reimbursement, and paid time off (PTO).
• Employee Support & Communication: Address benefit questions, assist with claims, and inform employees about plan details. Prepare communication materials for open enrollment and new hires.
• Enrollment Management: Organize annual open enrollment and new hire benefit orientations. Ensure accurate enrollment data in the HRIS for vendors.
• Compliance & Reporting: Ensure plans meet federal and state regulations, including ACA, ERISA, COBRA, HIPAA, FMLA, and Wisconsin laws. Assist with required reporting like Form 5500s.
• Vendor Management: Liaise with insurance carriers, brokers, and TPAs on enrollments, billing reconciliation, issue resolution, and service monitoring.
• Data Analysis & Strategy: Analyze benefits data, track trends, and help with market analysis to suggest benefit plan improvements or cost savings. Monthly benefit census review, ensuring billing accuracy.
• Leave Administration: Manage and process leave requests according to FMLA, parental leave, and other rules.
• HRIS Data Entry: Maintain accurate records for staff benefit access in the HRIS system. Processes internal status change forms, life event elections, COBRA notifications, and ensure deductions are accurate. Verify accurate reporting of form 1095C.
• Wellness Program Administration: Develop and implement wellness initiatives, monitor participation and compliance, and maintain accurate employee records of engagement. Prepare reports on program performance and propose strategies to ensure the program remains relevant and impactful.

Supervisory Responsibilities:

This position has no supervisory responsibilities.

Requirements:

Qualifications: To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Education and/or Experience: Bachelor’s degree in HR, Business Administration, or related field is required. Three to Five years in benefits administration as well as certification in CEBS, SHRM-CP, or SHRM SCP are preferred.

Language Skills: Excellent oral and written communication skills. Ability to create and write correspondence effectively in a highly professional manner.

Mathematical Skills: Ability to calculate figures and amounts such as discounts, interest, commissions, proportions, percentages, area, circumference, and volume. Ability to apply concepts of basic algebra and geometry.

Reasoning Ability: Ability to apply common sense understanding to carry out detailed but uninvolved written or oral instructions. Ability to deal with problems involving a few concrete variables in standardized situations.

Computer Skills: Excellent working knowledge of Microsoft Office suite products; ability to navigate new software to create workflow efficiencies.

Certificates, Licenses, Registrations: Valid driver's license with a past driving record that meets the standards set forth by the organization.

Other Skills and Abilities: Ability to establish and maintain effective professional working relationships. Ability to work as a team player and individually under tight deadlines and have the ability to prioritize and multitask.

Other Qualifications: Preferred experience working with non-profit organizations and adults with diverse abilities.

Physical Demands: The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to talk or hear. The employee is frequently required to sit, use hands to finger, handle, or feel and reach with hands and arms. The employee is occasionally required to walk, climb or balance, and stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception and ability to adjust focus.

Work Environment: The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.