Benefits Administrator

Benefits Administrator - Contract to Hire Position Overview Our client is seeking an experienced Benefits Administrator to oversee the day-to-day administration of employee benefits, leave-of-absence, retirement, and workers' compensation programs across a multi-state organization. This highly visible position will serve as a primary resource for employees and managers while ensuring programs are administered accurately, efficiently, and in accordance with applicable regulations. The Senior Benefits Administrator will also analyze program data, improve processes, maintain documentation, and collaborate with HR, Payroll, external vendors, and organizational leadership. This is a contract to hire role. Key Responsibilities Benefits Administration Manage the daily administration of medical, dental, vision, life, disability, retirement, and other employee benefit programs. Process benefit enrollments, eligibility changes, terminations, deductions, and other employee updates within the organization's human capital management system. Review and reconcile benefit invoices, employee deductions, arrears, and vendor files to ensure accuracy and timely resolution of discrepancies. Audit automated eligibility and enrollment feeds and coordinate corrections with internal teams and external vendors. Process medical support orders, disability-verification requests, and jurisdiction-specific benefit reporting. Monitor benefit administration activities and recommend improvements to workflows, controls, and employee-service processes. Leave-of-Absence Administration Oversee federal, state, local, and company-sponsored leave programs in partnership with the organization's leave-administration provider. Track employee leave status, documentation, benefit premiums, return-to-work requirements, and intermittent-leave usage. Maintain timely and professional communication with employees and managers throughout the leave process. Partner with HR leadership and business partners to resolve complex or sensitive leave-related matters. Coordinate employee pay and benefit-deduction information with Payroll during each payroll cycle. Educate managers on leave procedures, employee responsibilities, and applicable intermittent-leave requirements. Coordinate the day-to-day administration of workers' compensation claims, including claim intake, documentation, data entry, and follow-up. Communicate with employees, managers, claims adjusters, medical providers, and other external partners regarding claim status and required documentation. Maintain accurate workplace-injury records and required safety logs. Respond to requests from regulatory agencies, insurers, and claims administrators. Monitor claim and injury trends and provide relevant findings to HR leadership. Employee and Vendor Support Serve as a primary point of contact for employee questions regarding benefits, eligibility, claims, deductions, coverage, and leave programs. Research and resolve employee issues independently or in partnership with benefit brokers, carriers, and third-party administrators. Exercise sound judgment when escalating sensitive, complex, or high-impact matters. Build productive working relationships with employees, managers, HR colleagues, Payroll, benefit vendors, and external partners. Reporting, Compliance, and Process Improvement Create and maintain dashboards and reports related to employee leaves, workplace injuries, benefit participation, and other program activity. Extract information from HR systems and analyze data using advanced Excel functions. Identify trends, discrepancies, root causes, and opportunities to improve program administration. Develop and maintain benefits-related procedures, process documentation, employee resources, and manager guides. Deliver training and guidance to employees and managers regarding established benefit and leave programs. Support annual open enrollment, compliance reviews, vendor communications, system testing, plan changes, and other HR initiatives. Maintain accurate records and ensure confidential employee information is handled with discretion. Qualifications High school diploma or equivalent required; an associate's or bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or a related field is preferred. HR or benefits-related professional certification is preferred. Five or more years of experience administering employee health benefits, leave-of-absence programs, retirement plans, and workers' compensation. Experience supporting benefits programs within a multi-state organization is required. Experience supporting a geographically dispersed or hourly employee population is beneficial. Strong knowledge of group health plans, retirement programs, workers' compensation, and federal and state leave requirements. Advanced proficiency with Microsoft Excel, including lookup functions, formulas, data reconciliation, concatenation, and data merging. Experience extracting, reviewing, and analyzing reports from HRIS or HCM platforms. Ability to recognize patterns in data, identify problems and root causes, and recommend practical solutions. Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the judgment to appropriately handle sensitive matters. Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to build effective relationships across all organizational levels. Exceptional attention to detail, organization, follow-through, and prioritization. Ability to manage competing deadlines and respond to time-sensitive matters with urgency. Demonstrated integrity, discretion, and commitment to maintaining confidentiality. Legado Talent provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws. Company Profile: Legado Talent is a national recruiting and executive search firm founded with the purpose of doing recruitment differently. Headquartered in Kansas City and operating nationwide, the company is built on the belief that true recruiting strength comes from exceptional people, service quality, and long-term partnerships with both clients and candidates. Mission & Values To help clients build their legacy by delivering top-tier, passive talent that aligns with business strategy and culture. To treat each client and candidate as our most important partner - with personalized service, integrity, and responsiveness. To bring together industry-leading recruitment expertise with a boutique, consultative approach. Learn more about Legado Talent and our service offerings by visiting #J-18808-Ljbffr