Benefits Manager

Overview

The Benefits Manager position is a hands-on leader responsible for designing, planning, implementing, and analyzing benefit programs, policies, practices, procedures across the Benefits program portfolio. Ensures programs are equitable, meet employee needs, comply with legal requirements, and are cost effective. Develops benefits communications, and counsels employees on benefits related issues. Evaluates existing benefits programs against the market to determine competitiveness and stays aware of industry trends and developments, to keep competitive and consider innovative solutions to meet employee and employer needs. The Benefit Manager will build strong working partnerships with vendors, develops comprehensive communication and education that empowers employees to make informed decisions, and seeks to find efficiency in processes wherever possible. The Benefits Manager will provide insight to the Sr Dir Total Rewards on program strategy and participate in renewal and utilization discussions. In addition, this position may have direct reports. This role is critical in ensuring our benefits programs enhances Forefront Dermatology’s ability to recruit, retain, and motivate employees.

Responsibilities

Benefit Administration

• Partners in developing but owns the administration of the employee benefits package, including health, life, disability, and retirement plans.
• Ensures timely responsiveness by providing best-in-class HR service support as the key contact for employees, providers, and leaders.
• Troubleshoot problems and act as an intermediary between employees and insurance carriers when needed.
• Performs and oversees day-to-day benefits administration activities, ensuring accuracy and timeliness.
• Develops and coordinates new employee benefit enrollment (may consist of but not limited to: virtual presentations, sharing of benefit materials, reminder of deadlines, and any necessary follow up).
• Works in a positive capacity with outside vendors but also holds them accountable to timed deliverables.
• Works with the Sr Dir TR to develop a benefit communication strategy, develop collateral for both new hires, annual open enrollment, and any new program launches or program retirements.
• Ensures that invoicing is handled in a timely manner and reconciled appropriately either by oneself or a direct report.
• Strategizes with the Sr Dir TR on the annual open enrollment project plan and takes ownership on key areas and ensures successful follow through.
• Monitor compliance with laws and regulations related to benefits.
• Provide input and feedback based on data and employee interaction, in benefit design meetings and utilization reviews.
• Monitor employee eligibility for benefits in accordance with company guidelines.
• Respond to inquiries, troubleshoot benefit issues, and resolve conflicts.
• Seek to educate and empower the TA team on their benefits knowledge of our plans to accurately represent the program to candidates. Educate the HRBP team so that they are empowered to handle any questions or discussions with the leaders/areas they support. Support each HR function appropriately.
• Work collaboratively with the Payroll and HRIS teams. Be sure that with any large-scale Benefits initiative all interested parties have awareness of their role responsibilities, a timeline, and far enough notice that they can plan accordingly.
• Responsible for HRIS coordination of plan management: accurate data (user info, elections, and premium costs) storage and upload, as well as file feed implementations. Ensure HRIS team has done thorough due diligence of integration testing, system testing and acceptance testing on any new file feeds or plan implementations.
• Responsible for routine and ad hoc reporting and analysis as required: including quarterly experience, claims analysis, financial reporting and annual enrollment reporting.
• Reviews and maintains periodic and timely updates of information to the Benefit owned SharePoint areas (intranet) and any external websites.

Retirement Plan

• Oversee the daily administration of the retirement plans, including enrollments, rollover and distributions and any other actions requiring Benefit Manager support or sign-off.
• Supports the Sr Dir of TR as needed on any strategic planning for the Retirement Plan program as well as fiduciary oversight and Fiduciary Committee management and communication.
• Performs due diligence for adding acquisitions to the Forefront retirement plan program as well as partnering with appropriate parties on any integration or communication planning and implementation related initiatives.
• Owns the timeline and project plan for the retirement plan’s annual audit and any required testing or filing, such as 5500 reports. Will work with brokers and/or accountants/Finance to ensure accuracy and review all final documents with the Sr Dir TR before final submission.
• Works in partnership with Payroll, HRIS and all consulting partners on any compliance activities and required distribution of retirement plan notices.
• Establishes a healthy and collaborate working relationship with the payroll and HRIS teams.
• Seeks to build process efficiency wherever possible.
• Seeks to educate and inform employees on their retirement plan options.
• Seeks to partner with the vendor(s) to offer financial education whenever possible.

Compliance

• Responsible for staying abreast of federal, state and local regulations and make recommendations to the Sr Dir TR on regulatory compliance requirements.
• Work with Canadian Benefits broker to ensure Canadian plan compliance and competitiveness.
• Manage the updates and organize storage of all applicable benefits plan documents (SPDs, etc.), including renewals and revisions.
• Handle all required employee notices and communications within the distribution requirements.
• Perform data collection and oversee various compliance requirements such as non-discrimination testing.
• Manages compliance requirements of self-funded health plan.
• Oversees and coordinates completion of annual ACA reporting requirements, Medicare Part D, and other required reporting.

Clinic Acquisition Diligence & Integration (M&A)

• Conduct pre-acquisition benefits due diligence identifying areas of risk, synergies, and any integration concerns.
• Partner with Integrations and Human Resources Business Partner for Acquisitions, and Sr Dir TR, by providing input on the implementation and communications plan for multiple and simultaneous acquisitions. Consider all integration aspects not only from the employee point of view, but carrier/ vendor requirements and possible HRIS implications.
• Occasional travel to acquisition clinics during onboarding week and serve as a Human Resources representative, to present new employee benefit presentations and support their enrollment with the Integration Team.

Leadership Oversight

• Provides leadership and supervision to the Benefits Coordinator, who will oversee LOA and 1st level employee inquiries, as well as any other team support.
• Personally provide 2nd level inquiry (more complex matters) support to Forefront team members and involve appropriate parties (carriers, finance, payroll, HRIS, legal) where necessary. Anything of a more extreme or complex nature or has a risk of legal action, should be immediately routed to the Sr Dir of TR for 3rd level support.
• Use discernment in keeping the Sr Dir TR notified of any key situations with vendors, Forefront team members, or TR team members.
• Ensure Benefits team members are cross trained to mitigate company risk and allow for healthy work/life balance.
• Ensure benefit standard operating procedures/workflows, templates, and communication collateral, is all up-to-date and available to appropriate parties.
• Be a self-starter who asks “why?” and wonder how things can be better. Use your voice, talent, and knowledge to own the Benefit program administration with passion and thoughtfulness that shows a desire to:
  • Create a great employee experience.
  • Leverage strong business knowledge (and data analytics) in making decisions that move Forefront in a positive direction and show program value.
  • Build programs that empower employees to easily find information, make decisions, eliminate wastefulness, and align with the corporate growth strategy.

Other duties as necessary.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in human resources or a related field (additional years of experience beyond the requirement below can be in exchange for a particular major).
• 5 years of experience in a similar capacity with comprehensive benefits administration background required, including health and welfare and 401(k) plan administration experience including analysis of data, legal compliance and annual reporting requirements. Healthcare experience is preferred.
• Experience in a complex, multi-site, multi-state organization, with some international experience (particularly Canada) preferred.
• Must have experience with self-funded benefit plans.
• Experience with benefits acquisition integrations preferred, particularly in a high growth organization.
• HR or benefits related certification preferred (i.e. PHR/SPHR, SHRM-CP/SHRM-SCP, CEBS).
• Proficient with Microsoft Office and HRIS systems.

For this position, the pay is $130,000 per year. Individual pay is determined by role, level, location, job-related skills, experience, and relevant education, certifications, or training.

Forefront will never request personal information, such as your social security number or banking information, via text or email. In addition, Forefront does not use external messaging applications such as WireApp or Skype to communicate with candidates. If you receive communication or requests of this nature, delete them. Forefront Dermatology is committed to providing equal employment opportunity and maintaining a workplace for employees and applicants that is free from discrimination based upon age, race, religion, color, disability, marital status, sex (including pregnancy), national origin, ancestry, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, genetic information, veteran or military status, or any other status protected by applicable federal, state, or local law. If, because of a medical condition or disability, you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application process, please contact View email address on click.appcast.io to let us know the nature of your request and your contact information.