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Employee Benefits Manager
Position Overview
The Illinois Tollway is dedicated to providing and promoting a safe and efficient system of highways while ensuring the highest possible level of service to our customers. Whether it's I-PASS, the Move Illinois Program, open road tolling or keeping you safe with our H.E.L.P. trucks, we are committed to delivering great benefits and services to customers.
The Tollway is a user-fee system – no state or federal tax dollars are used to support maintenance and operations. Operations are funded by toll and concession revenues.
Under the leadership of the Board of Directors and Executive Staff, the Tollway is committed to achieving the following goals: increase collaboration with regional transportation and planning agencies, promote the regional economy, maintain financial integrity, foster environmental responsibility and sustainability, maintain the safety and efficiency of the Tollway system, further transparency and accountability, enhance customer service, and maintain public trust.
Reporting to the Deputy Chief of HR Administration, the Employee Benefits Manager will oversee, direct, and coordinate the administration of the employee benefits programs for the Tollway. The Employee Benefits Manager will serve as a strategic partner in determining the Tollway’s competitive position in employee benefits and develop cost control procedures to assure maximum coverage at the least possible cost to employees and the Tollway.
Essential Job Functions
The Employee Benefits Manager responsibilities include, but are not limited to, the following:
- Administers the Tollway’s benefit programs, health plans, disability insurance, open enrollment, retirement/pension plans, deferred compensation, leave administration, FMLA, Employee Assistance Program (EAP), tuition reimbursement, FSA and other employee related benefits.
- Acts as first point of contact with benefits broker and providers and work with them to identify and implement benefits offered, plan design, and premiums. Prepares Request-for-Proposals to solicit potential benefit providers. Makes recommendations to management for new plans and cost sharing between employer and employee.
- Conducts annual open enrollment at Tollway. Ensures that employees can change their health insurance plans; provide written material on health plans to all employees; conducts enrollment meetings and provide individual counseling to employees.
- Ensures the implementation of new or updated benefit plan designs by working collaboratively with the Office of Information Technology Services, Payroll, and plan administrators.
- Ensures all health insurance, retirement plans, wellness programs, and leave policies—adhere to applicable federal, state, and local laws and regulations
- Prepares and executes, with legal consultation, benefit documentation such as original and amended plan texts, benefit agreements and insurance policies. Instructs administrative agencies outside Tollway to effect changes in benefit program. Ensures prompt and accurate compliance.
- Manages day-to-day benefits activities. Oversees enrollments, terminations to plans, monthly premium payments, and responds to inquiries and complaints. Ensures quick, equitable and courteous resolution of problems.
- Plans, establishes priorities, assigns work, monitors progress and evaluates results of activities and projects in the Benefits team. Continually works to improve overall management of performance within the team. Directs the work of staff. Hires, evaluates, trains, disciplines, and recommends dismissal of staff, as necessary.
- Coordinates periodic workshops on new and existing benefit plans, retirement plans and savings/investment plans.
- Adheres to Tollway Customer Service Excellence standards.
- Performs related duties as assigned.
Qualifications
Education (Required)
- Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or a related field of study or the Equivalent of Education and Experience.
Education (Preferred)
- Master’s Degree.
- PHR/SPHR, and/or CEBS certifications.
Skills and Experience (Required)
- Minimum of six (6) years of progressively responsible relevant benefits experience, or an equivalent combination of Human Resources training and experience required.
- Experience should also include at least three (3) years of experience in a leadership role, including managing staff.
- Experience and/or knowledge in administering benefits plans, including designing, developing or implementing employment benefit, health, retirement and wellness programs and policies, interpreting and negotiating benefits contracts in partnership with senior management, utilizing extensive experience and judgment to plan and accomplish goals.
- Experience and/or knowledge in ensuring benefit plans comply with laws like ERISA, COBRA, HIPAA, ACA, and the Internal Revenue Code.
- Demonstrated willingness to lead, take charge, and accept responsibilities and challenges.
- Ability to think creatively about alternatives and develop new ideas for and answers to work-related problems.
- Must be able to interact with employees at all levels of the organization, in addition to other stakeholders, with professionalism, persuasiveness, and diplomacy; must effectively gain trust, build rapport, counsel, and assess complex situations with a very high level of accuracy.
- A self-motivated professional with a desire to have a major business impact, working in a fast-paced, dynamic environment while keeping pace with changing business priorities.
- Capability of leading projects and implementing initiatives that have game-changing impact and permanency.
- Strong work ethic with impeccable judgment and integrity.
- Knowledge of and experience in the use of technology, including the use of Microsoft Office, statistical software and advanced Web applications.
- Personal commitment to professional growth and to receiving and acting on constructive feedback.
- Demonstrated ability to handle sensitive and confidential information with tact and discretion.
- Excellent and well developed written, verbal and organizational and presentation skills.
Skills and Experience (Preferred)
- Knowledge of the Illinois Tollway system.
- Experience working in unionized labor environment.
- Prior public sector experience.
The Illinois Tollway is committed to creating a diverse environment and is proud to be an equal employment opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, marital status, national origin or ancestry, disability, unfavorable discharge from military services, age, order of protection status, military status, sex or sexual orientation.
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