Skip to main content

This job has expired

Benefits Specialist

Employer
Norwalk Public Schools
Location
Norwalk, CT, US
Salary
Competitive
  • Position Type:
    Human Resources

  • Date Posted:
    3/3/2021

  • Location:
    Central Office

  • Date Available:
    03/29/2021

  • Closing Date:
    04/03/2021

  •    Additional Information: Show/Hide

    2020-2021 SCHOOL YEAR
    BENEFITS SPECIALIST
    CENTRAL OFFICE

    POSITION DESCRIPTION
    MUST HAVE EXTENSIVE BENEFITS EXPERIENCE
    The incumbent is an experienced partner providing subject matter knowledge for supporting Benefits in the design, development and delivery of programs and services intended to meet the needs of the Norwalk Public Schools. Provides specialized, qualitative, and analytical consultative support in the planning, and integrating of benefit plans, programs and projects, including strategy, philosophy and policy development; assists in the review and modification of specific programs, manages relationship with external service providers, plan provisions, tools, analytics and procedures. Develops and disseminates employee-related communication and educational materials, participates in audits; performs evaluative analysis of plans and their impacts; and facilitates district­ wide or Talent Office-sponsored special projects or initiatives.

    ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

    Health & Wellness Benefits
    • Resolve issues requiring deep functional expertise of employee health benefit programs and plans
    • Interface with benefits vendors and administration outsourcers regarding individual employee claims/cases
    • Provide feedback and recommendations regarding the impact of health benefit changes
    • Provide and compile health benefit data for provider reporting, health benefit forecasting, and benefits planning
    • Suggest methods to update, simplify, and enhance processes, procedures, and technologies.
    • Develop & support broad wellness program for district with ongoing communications via district newsletters, mailers and other marketing efforts regarding flu clinics, healthier lifestyle through fitness and dietary programs that align to the district's wellness philosophy.
    • Provides qualitative, analytical and consultative support in the planning, defining, integrating and validating of Benefit programs philosophy, strategy and approach. Researches and identifies best practices and assists in designing, developing, reviewing, modifying and costing specific programs, projects, tools, plan provisions and procedures.
    • Develops locally defined policies and administrative procedures, as warranted in concert with respective collective bargaining agreements.
    • Coordinates and oversees open enrollment program (i.e., rate renewals, plan changes and communication) and transition to new plan year to ensure effective implementation of annual benefits cycle; compiles benefit selection and associated cost information; interfaces with vendors to obtain and exchange information and provide clarification of system benefit administration issues; and ensures readiness of payroll systems, benefits administration modules and interfaces to auxiliary systems to ensure the timely and accurate exchange of eligibility and enrollment data.

    Data Analysis & Systems Management
    • Develop reporting and dashboard analytics to support business needs.
    • Analyzes detailed benefit cost data to understand cost and utilization trends and provides timely insight into cost drivers and identification of new improvement opportunities
    • Utilizes relational databases, business intelligence and desktop analytical reporting tools to access data and develop standard and ad-hoc reports and summaries that support department projects and initiatives.
    • Conducts analyses and modeling, accesses utilization trends, identifies risks, develops projections, determines opportunities and prepares summaries of findings.
    • Lead collaboration with fellow HR team members as well as Payroll, Finance and IT to ensure accurate, timely and efficient processing of business transactions.
    • May lead project team(s) for system upgrades, enhancements, evaluations and data integration.
    • Documents and maintains setup details for all system configurations.
    • Analyzes current processes and makes recommendations/implement improvement.
    • Identify new functionality and recommend/implement changes.
    • Participates in audit processes to ensure data accuracy and plan administration compliance. Identifies information and system audit opportunities. Identifies trends and escalates potential issues.

    Communication
    • Develops, explains and disseminates related communication and educational materials. Engages colleagues in group presentations/seminars on programs, policies, changes or issues. Participates in measuring program effectiveness and service delivery efficiency.
    • Reviews, updates, and communicates existing benefits policies to determine continued fit with the organization and provides recommendations for updates to most effectively administer consistent with collective bargaining agreements.
    • Follow established policies and practices to resolve questions and issues on employee (disability) claims using resource information on policies, plans, employee data and claim data from the vendor.

    Project Management
    • Manages project management resources to meet project objectives for benefit programs, automated enrollment modules and related plan administration/information services. Identifies information and system audit opportunities; manages audit process to ensure data accuracy and compliance.
    • Leads and participates in organization-wide or Human Resources-sponsored special projects or initiatives. Develops project plans with major milestones and critical paths to facilitate project control, as needed. Responsible for meeting scope, deadline and budget objectives. Reports project status to appropriate internal and external stakeholders to solicit administrative support for project success. Coordinates evaluation of project processes and outcomes, and participates in the design of corrective actions in order to maintain quality standards and increase probability of success initiatives.
    • Manages vendors and service provider relationships to ensure the completion of assignments, resolution of outstanding claims and administrative disputes, and the effective and efficient reporting to Chief Talent Officer.

    REQUIRED KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES
    • Experience developing and implementing total rewards programs, policies and procedures preferred
    • General knowledge of HR policies/processes, compensation and total rewards programs
    • Knowledge of compensation and total rewards governance, compliance and reporting requirements
    • Sensitivity in working with confidential information
    • Proven teamwork capabilities
    • Strong oral and written communication skills
    • Excellent project management skills, including planning and organizational skills
    • Attentive to details and deadlines; ability to manage multiple initiatives
    • Ability to effectively work independently and identify when to engage others
    • Strong computer skills, including Excel, PowerPoint,
    • Advanced level knowledge of trends and developments in benefits, policies, including relevant legal issues,
    • Has developed conceptual and practical expertise in own discipline
    • Capable of making decisions within guidelines and policies
    • Impacts a range of standard and non-standard customer, operational, process, project or service activities
    • Is accountable for small projects or programs with manageable risks and resource requirements
    • Establish and maintain effective relationships with the clients to gain their trust and respect
    • Must be able to drive continuous organizational effectiveness and improvement activities and best practices
    • Experience with multiple clients, dealing with a broad range of HR-related functions
    • Strong project management and organizational skills, bias for action and results orientation
    • Strong problem solving and conflict resolution skills
    • Excellent communication and interpersonal skills required with strong customer service orientation. Ability to communicate ideas and directives clearly and effectively both orally and in writing
    • Ability to get along with team members, employees, staff, external and internal customers
    • Ability to think strategically and to understand underlying business and organizational issues
    • Ability to work autonomously with little daily guidance
    • Proven ability to manage a wide variety of HR programs, change management and roll-out of HR initiatives
    • Proven ability to build effective partnerships with leadership teams and employees
    • Proven ability to change the business through creative problem-resolution, policy creation or lean efforts
    • Has the ability to perform complex analytics, identify trend analyses and interpret data, driving business recommendations
    • Must be able to deal with ambiguity and cope with change
    • Demonstrated proficiency with Microsoft Word, PowerPoint and Excel
    • Performs other duties as assigned by Chief Talent Officer and his or her designee

    QUALIFICATIONS
    • Undergraduate degree in a related field. Graduate degree preferred and/or 8 10 years of related progressively responsible experience directly consulting on compensation and/or benefits-related work
    • Fluency in Spanish is an asset
    • Such alternatives to the above qualifications as the Superintendent and/or Board of Education may find appropriate

    Days: Monday Friday
    Bargaining Unit: Position is unaffiliated
    Work Year: 12 Months
    Benefits: Medical, Dental, Vision

    Apply at
    www.norwalkpublicschools.org
    Click "Employment"

    NORWALK IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER
    It is the policy of the Norwalk Board of Education to ensure equal educational opportunity for all students and to prohibit unlawful discrimination because of race, color, religion, creed, age, marital status, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, or physical and mental disability in the school district's educational program and activities; and to prohibit unlawful discrimination in employment because of race, color, religion, creed, age, marital status, national origin, gender; gender identity or expression, sexual orientation or physical and mental disability.

    1/12/2021

    Get job alerts

    Create a job alert and receive personalized job recommendations straight to your inbox.

    Create alert