Benefits Analyst II or Senior

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Position Overview

The Benefits Analyst is responsible for the design, analysis, communication and administration of employee benefit programs, including active and retiree plans for health and welfare benefits, the employee wellness program, employee leave programs, retirement programs, and other related programs. May be assigned primary or secondary responsibility for specific benefits programs.

Partners with other members of the Human Resources (HR) team to provide exemplary service and assistance to employees and leaders. Contributes to maintaining competitive and equitable benefits programs for the UNS enterprise. Handles confidential information with care.

Position-Related Responsibilities:

Benefits Administration:

• Administers employee health & welfare plans/programs and trust accounts , including:
  • Employee Health & Welfare: Plan design, modification, communications, employee education, compliance, recordkeeping, reporting, and disclosure.
  • Retiree Health & Welfare: Communications, education, enrollment, premium invoicing, and administration of post-65 benefits to eligible participants.
  • Employee Wellness Program: Plan design, communications, education, and incentives processing.
  • Established Trust(s): Gathers data and performs monthly, quarterly and annual administration of established trust(s), conducts year-end reconciliation of OPEB, and coordinates with third-party vendor and accounting representatives, as needed.

• Administers employee leave programs , including:
  • Manages all administrative aspects of leave claims to include tracking hours used/taken and working closely with Human Resources Business Partnership (HRBP) and Payroll to ensure pay for employees is accurate and correct.
  • Works closely with employees and third-party vendors to ensure all relevant completed medical documentation is submitted for timely review; maintains appropriate contact with all employees on leave and participates in the return-to-work process for employees on leave.
  • Flags potentially fraudulent activity in leave cases and claims; works closely with the HRBP team to identify, research and resolve matters.
  • Partners closely with HRBP's (and Occupational Health Services, as needed) on leave cases and claims; meets regularly with the HRBP team to review claims' status and develops strategies for resolution.
  • Manages Short-Term and Long-Term Disability (STD/LTD) programs and vendor relationships; ensures STD claims are coordinated with FMLA or general medical cases.
  • Prepares and manages benefit premium invoicing for eligible LTD participants; monitors monthly premium invoicing to ensure payments are timely.
  • Produces and manages reporting metrics and analytics for all leave cases; presents reports as requested.

• Administers qualified and non-qualified defined benefit and defined contribution retirement plans , including plan design, modification, communications, employee education, compliance, recordkeeping, reporting, and disclosure.
  • Performs functions in conjunction with Payroll, gathering data and preparing reports for bi-weekly loan updates, 401(k) deferral updates, contribution files, and loads; may partner with the HR Systems & Analytics team to manage data and build reports.
  • Pension:
    • Prepares and reviews pension calculations for all qualified defined benefit plans, conducts pre-retirement and retirement interviews, and secures retirement benefit elections.
    • Partners with vendor to manage the distribution of pension payments.
    • Conducts quarterly settlement threshold testing for pension lump sum values.
  • 401(k):
    • Partners with vendor to communicate events and coordinate individual retirement advisory services.
• Acts as subject matter expert for employee benefit programs in alignment and under the general direction and guidance of HR leadership and the legal department, as necessary; educates employees and responds to questions about benefits programs using standard HR communications channels and protocols.
• Assists in the communication of employee benefits program changes, annual processes (e.g., benefits open enrollment), new hire benefits orientation, plan notices and documents, HIPAA-related mailings, etc.; includes ensuring accuracy of data in relevant systems prior to communication, drafting or providing input to the development of employee communication materials, distribution, and Human Resources (HR) intranet/Benefits portal maintenance.
• Prepares and presents presentations and related materials that support benefits and wellness programs and processes, changes, enrollment, and government-mandated disclosures; conducts individual meetings with employees as needed while maintaining confidentiality (after appropriate employee use of direct access resources and vendor support).
• Partners with vendors, coordinates and leads (or participates in) on-site or remote employee, leader and retiree education sessions, workshops, fairs, and activities sponsored by the Benefits department.
• Resolves employee benefits concerns and disputes, serving as a liaison between the employee or dependent and the plan administrator or insurer (when necessary); proactively provides updates to management as appropriate.
• Plans, develops resources, partners with vendors, and assists with the communication of the annual Benefits Open Enrollment process; provides guidance and support to employees and retirees to complete their enrollment.
• Gathers data and performs analysis in support of actuarial valuations, working with actuaries to ensure timely and accurate reporting and validation of data.
• Prepares and analyzes data to support labor agreement negotiations for TEP, UEE and UEG.
• On behalf of the Benefits team, processes third-party vendor invoicing, reconciling with internal general ledger systems, as required; creates vendor purchase orders and coordinates with internal/external procurement and accounting representatives.
• May be requested to furnish data or analyses that support materials for presentation to the Board of Directors.

Compliance:

• Interprets and administers employee benefit, wellness, and leave programs in accordance with applicable federal and state employment laws (ERISA, ADA, HIPAA, FMLA, USERRA, Pregnancy Discrimination Act, etc.)
• Gathers data and performs analyses in preparation for various compliance filings, reporting and notice requirements governed by the IRS, DOL, SEC and other governing bodies and assists in the execution thereof (e.g., ACA reporting, Medicare Notice of Creditable Coverage, PCORI fees, conducting monthly pension reconciliation for plan accounting (PLAC), 8955 tax extension and 5500 filings, PBGC filing, mailing pension funding notices, conducting non-discrimination testing, etc.)
• Prepares and analyzes data to support audits for TEP, UEE and UEG, and maintains working papers for each audit which document the work performed, conclusions reached, and any findings.
• Partners with HR Compliance to plan, track and execute on compliance activities in a timely and complete fashion; works through HR Compliance as the liaison for internal and external attorneys and auditors with respect to all HR programs and plans.
• Performs analytical support work for Rate Cases for Tucson Electric Power (TEP), Unisource Energy Services Electric (UEE) and Unisource Energy Services Gas (UEG); prepares exhibits and responses to questions from regulatory agencies such as the Arizona Corporation Commission and RUCO.
• Maintains current knowledge and understanding of regulations, industry trends, current practices, and applicable laws regarding benefits administration to ensure compliance.

Tracking, Reporting & Technology:

• Understands and effectively utilizes HR information systems to obtain, store and analyze pertinent data and information within the parameters of job responsibilities; leverages current technology and tools to their fullest, and ensures accuracy and consistency of data inputs to preserve enterprise data integrity.
• Develops, prepares, generates, and analyzes ongoing and ad-hoc special reports pertaining to employee benefit information and data (e.g., benefits costs, price tag and credits, enrollment, benefit plan eligibility/definitions, etc.)
• Prepares leadership reports of requested benefits data, organizing outputs in a user-friendly fashion and customizing the level of detail to meet audience requirements; supports leadership in making informed decisions about benefits programs and practices.
• Participates in HR technology/system design, testing, upgrade, and/or enhancement.

Team Contribution & Collaboration:

• Partners with HRBP's to answer leader and employee questions about benefits.
• Partners with or requests assistance from the HR Solutions Center (HRSC) for transactional support services in alignment with their scope of responsibility.

• Responds to assigned escalated tickets from the HRSC according to service level agreement standards; prioritizes the employee experience and escalates as appropriate.
• Performs personal administrative tasks (e.g., travel arrangements, pro cards, expense reports), calendaring, vendor management, and assigned administrative responsibilities.

• Partners with or requests assistance from the HR Systems & Analytics team for HR systems support, data and reporting needs in alignment with their scope of responsibility.
• Contributes to the design, development, documentation, and continuous improvement of Total Rewards and HR processes and procedures; adheres to approved processes and quality standards.
• Leads or assists with Total Rewards and HR initiatives, programs/processes, and special projects, as assigned.
• This position may provide services to affiliates of the Company subject to the UNS Energy Code of Conduct and the related Policies and Procedures.

Benefits Analyst II:

• Performs moderately complex Benefits functions, as explained in the position-related responsibilities.
• Oversees a small project or phase(s) of a larger project.

• Takes initiative to add to their functional knowledge and demonstrates proficiency in subject matter; requests guidance or approval from more senior Benefits Analysts or the Manager, as needed.

Senior Benefits Analyst:

In addition to Benefits II duties:

• Performs highly complex Benefits functions, as explained in the position-related responsibilities and with minimal supervision.
• Applying significant breadth and depth of functional knowledge, has primary responsibility for complex compensation research, analysis and compliance.
• Oversees multiple projects, one larger project, or even a program which is on-going; can deliver projects to successful completion with minimal guidance.
• Understands business drivers and can deliver solutions which accurately and effectively meet business needs.
• Identifies and overcomes barriers to timely and successful completion of work assigned.
• Identifies process improvements and recommends practices which improve effectiveness.
• Takes ownership of data and can identify, draft and implement validation methodology to ensure that data is accurate on a universal basis.
• Coordinates and expedites problem resolution to ensure efficient and effective completion of assigned tasks.
• Consistently delivers work without errors.
• Readily communicates the status of specific projects, programs and on-going work.

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

(Equivalent combination of education and experience will be considered.)

Analyst II

Minimum Qualifications:

Bachelor's degree in Finance, Accounting, Human Resources Management or comparable area of study.

Minimum of 3 years of experience in benefits or employee leave administration.

Ability to manage small projects or phases of larger projects with some supervision.

Broad-based business knowledge including analysis, project management, research, and report preparation.

Experience working with software applications such as (Hyperion) budgeting and (Workday) human resource management system.

Preferred Qualifications:

Progression towards relevant professional industry certification(s).

Senior Analyst

Minimum qualifications of level II plus:

Minimum of 6 years of experience in benefits or employee leave administration.

Demonstrated proficiency managing medium and/or large projects with minimal supervision.

Ability to recognize opportunities related to business process improvement.

Applies extensive knowledge of concepts, practices, and procedures to handle complex tasks and provides guidance to others.

Preferred Qualifications:

Achievement of relevant professional industry certification(s).

Master's degree in Business, Finance, Accounting, or related field.

Exceptional analysis and innovation skills.