Employee Benefits Consultant

The Health & Welfare Benefits Consultant supports the day-to-day operations of the Health & Welfare (H&W) team by providing ongoing administration and oversight of group benefit programs and vendors and serving as a primary contact for vendors and internal HR partners. The successful candidate has experience in benefit plan administration and vendor management, along with strong analytical and problem-solving skills. The role should be a confident communicator with a customer service focused mindset and the ability to work effectively and efficiently both independently and in a team environment. This position will be filled as a grade level 5 or 6 depending on relevant experience. JOB DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES This role will work under the direction of the Supervisor, Health & Welfare to achieve the goals of the H&W team and support alignment with broader Total Rewards priorities, including high-value benefit programs, employee experience, operational efficiency, governance, and data-informed decision making. Benefits Administration Facilitate implementation of new benefit plan design features and update plan documentation, procedures, and related materials to reflect plan design changes Support compliance with legal, regulatory, and contractual requirements related to benefit plans and vendor administration Partner with H&W leadership to develop and deliver benefit-related communications Provide support for complex benefit-related inquiries and escalated participant issues, as needed Maintain effective communication with internal stakeholders on benefits-related matters or requests for benefits and/or vendor support (e.g. presenting at business meetings) Coordinate resolution of member claims, appeals and escalated cases – partner with internal and external resources for timely execution Vendor Management Manage day-to-day relationships with vendors, monitoring trends, issues, and customer service levels, raising appropriate risks, opportunities, and enhancements to leadership Analyze vendor-related issues and recommend solutions Monitor vendor service delivery and data interfaces; identify opportunities to improve operating efficiency using data and trends to inform recommendations Develop and maintain plan and vendor summaries Coordinate plan and vendor audits, identify trends or issues affecting participants and processes, and recommend or implement appropriate follow-up actions Actively monitor, evaluate and report on plan and vendor performance using established key performance indicators Support new vendor selection and current vendor renewal activities Coordinate with vendors, as needed, to support Annual Enrollment processes Support or lead assigned projects to improve customer experience, vendor efficiency, and cost effectiveness Support vendor invoice review and coordination, as needed Total Rewards Alignment Support execution of broader Total Rewards priorities by helping ensure Health & Welfare programs are competitive, sustainable, and aligned with business and workforce needs. Bring an enterprise Total Rewards perspective to day-to-day work by connecting Health & Welfare activities to employee experience, operational effectiveness, and long-term program success and value. Collaborate across Total Rewards, HR, vendors, and internal stakeholders to support integrated solutions and a consistent employee experience across rewards programs. Contribute to a One Team approach by collaborating on initiatives that integrate Health & Welfare, wellbeing, retirement, and other rewards programs where appropriate. JOB REQUIREMENTS Education Bachelor’s degree in HR, business, finance, or related field preferred or equivalent combination of education and experience Experience Must have a minimum of 4 years of progressive experience in employee benefit plan administration, vendor management, or related benefits operations required. Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities Effective critical thinking and problem-solving skills: skilled at relating and comparing data from different sources, identifying issues, securing relevant information, critically evaluating situations, and presenting sound factual reports Confident and skilled to work independently as well as in a team environment Flexible and adaptable – able to learn new technologies and applications quickly Demonstrates effective project management skills – able to multi-task seamlessly Exhibits the highest level of customer service focused on ownership, speed, responsiveness, and accuracy Demonstrates strong communication skills – ensures key stakeholders are updated and informed; experience developing successful working relationships to drive effectiveness Demonstrates behaviors consistent with the Southern Company culture: Safety First, Intentional Inclusion, Act with Integrity, Superior Performance About Southern Company Southern Company (NYSE: SO ) is a leading energy provider serving 9 million customers across the Southeast and beyond through its family of companies. Providing clean, safe, reliable and affordable energy with excellent service is our mission. The company has electric operating companies in three states, natural gas distribution companies in four states, a competitive generation company, a leading distributed energy solutions provider with national capabilities, a fiber optics network and telecommunications services. Through an industry-leading commitment to innovation, resilience and sustainability, we are taking action to meet customers' and communities' needs while advancing our goal of net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. Our uncompromising values ensure we put the needs of those we serve at the center of everything we do and are the key to our sustained success. We are transforming energy into economic, environmental and social progress for tomorrow. Our corporate culture has been recognized by a variety of organizations, earning the company awards and recognitions that reflect Our Values and dedication to service. To learn more, visit . Southern Company invests in the well-being of its employees and their families through a comprehensive total rewards strategy that includes competitive base salary, annual incentive awards for eligible employees and health, welfare and retirement benefits designed to support physical, financial, and emotional/social well-being. This position may also be eligible for additional compensation, such as an incentive program, with the amount of any bonus/awards subject to the terms and conditions of the applicable incentive plan(s). A summary of the benefits offered for this position can be found here . Additional and specific details about total compensation and benefits will also be provided during the hiring process. Southern Company is an equal opportunity employer where an applicant's qualifications are considered without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, genetic information, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other basis prohibited by law. Job Identification: 19957 Job Category: Human Resources Job Schedule: Full time Company: Southern Company Services #J-18808-Ljbffr