People Experience Specialist

People Experience Specialist

The People Experience Specialist ensures employees have access to equitable, compliant, and sustainable benefits that support well-being, engagement, and retention. This role combines benefits administration, wellness programming, and employee relations to support a strong behavioral health workforce.

Championing a people-first culture, the position manages the full benefits lifecycle while partnering with employees and leadership to address workplace concerns, conduct investigations, and support fair resolutions. This role enhances the employee experience and ensures alignment with organizational goals and evolving regulations.

The People Experience Specialist contributes to KBBH's mission by ensuring employees feel valued, supported, and empowered through best-in-class benefits, wellness programs, and responsive employee relations support. This role actively partners with employees and leadership to address workplace concerns, conduct investigations, and promote a culture of fairness, accountability, and respect.

Essential duties and responsibilities include but are not limited to the following. This job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee. Duties, responsibilities and activities may change, or new ones may be assigned at any time with or without notice.

Benefits Administration & Employee Experience

• Serve as the primary point of contact for all benefits-related inquiries, ensuring a responsive, compassionate, and solution-oriented approach.
• Oversee enrollment, changes, and compliance for medical, dental, vision, retirement, and ancillary benefits.
• Maintain a "meet people where they are" approach to benefits education, offering individualized support through multiple channels (one-on-one meetings, email, Zoom, NEO presentations, and check-ins).
• Implement a 30-day follow-up for new hires and a 12-month check-in for all employees to assess benefit utilization and satisfaction.
• Manage leave administration, including FMLA, OFLA, Oregon Paid Leave ensuring compliance and employee support throughout the process.

Strategic Benefits Planning & Employee Well-Being

• Support the CHRO and collaborate with HR team to assess, design, and optimize benefit offerings to attract and retain top talent in a competitive behavioral health landscape.
• Implement the development and execution of employee wellness initiatives that support mental health, financial wellness, and work-life balance.
• In collaboration with CHRO, implement strategies to increase participation in 403b retirement plan and Providence health plan, with a goal of 80% engagement across all plans.
• In collaboration with the HR team, research and implement behavioral health workforce-specific benefits (e.g., loan repayment programs, mental health support, EAP enhancements) that result in an increased employee retention rating.

Compliance, Reporting & Vendor Management

• Ensure compliance with ERISA, ACA, HIPAA, COBRA, and other federal and state regulations related to employee benefits.
• Maintain accurate records and reporting for benefits programs, supporting HR leadership in budgeting, forecasting, and decision-making.
• Partner with vendors, brokers, and carriers to enhance the employee experience.
• Monitor industry trends and legal updates, proactively recommending adjustments to benefit programs in response to emerging best practices and workforce needs.

Engagement, Communication & Culture Building

• Plan and lead benefits fairs, open enrollment sessions, and ongoing education efforts to ensure employees understand and maximize their benefits.
• Actively engage with leadership and employees to identify evolving benefit needs and areas for improvement.

Employee Relations & Investigations

• Conduct thorough workplace investigations related to employee complaints, policy violations, and misconduct.
• Document findings, recommend appropriate actions, and ensure timely resolution of issues.
• Partner with HR leadership and management to address employee relations matters.
• Assist with disciplinary processes, including drafting documentation and supporting decisions up to and including termination.
• Provide guidance to managers on employee performance issues, conflict resolution, and best practices.
• Promote a positive and compliant workplace culture through proactive employee relations support.

Unemployment & Claims Management

• Manage all unemployment insurance claims, including responding to inquiries and preparing documentation.
• Represent the organization in unemployment hearings.
• Track claim trends and recommend strategies to mitigate risk and reduce claims exposure.

Competencies

• Ethical Leadership - Upholds high moral and professional standards, ensuring transparency, integrity, and fairness in all benefit-related decisions.
• Strategic Thinking - Understands the long-term impact of benefits decisions on employee retention, engagement, and overall organizational success.
• Compassion & Empathy - Demonstrates a people-first approach, recognizing the diverse needs of employees and advocating for solutions that enhance well-being.
• Communication - Effectively translates complex benefits information into clear, accessible, and actionable guidance for employees.
• Data-Driven Decision Making - Utilizes analytics and benchmarking to assess program effectiveness and inform future benefits strategies.

Required Qualifications

• Associate degree in Business Administration, Human Resources, or related field, or 3-5 years of relevant human resources experience.
• 3+ years of experience in HR, with exposure to benefits administration and employee investigations and terminations.
• Experience managing HR processes in a compliant and detail-oriented environment.
• Proficiency in HRIS systems and Microsoft Office Suite.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in behavioral health, healthcare, or non-profit HR.
• Human Resources and/or benefits related certification (CBP, PHR, SHRM-CP)
• Strong knowledge of ADA, FMLA, OFLA, Oregon Paid Leave, HIPAA, ACA, COBRA, 403(b)

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 primarily office-based, with occasional travel. Regularly required to communicate effectively, stand, walk, and use a computer. Must be able to lift and transport up to 25 lbs. for event setup (e.g., benefits fairs, presentations). Driving is a requirement for this position.