Benefits Administrator

Benefits Administrator

1099 Contract Position | 3-Month Term | 15-30 Hours/Week | Remote | Flexible Schedule

Position Summary

We are seeking a self-sufficient and tactical Benefits Administrator to support our human resources department during a critical period. This is a contract position offering flexible work arrangements with remote access, with potential for full-time conversion for the right candidate. You will play a crucial role in administering employee benefits programs, managing benefits inquiries, and supporting leave of absence management while ensuring compliance with federal and state regulations. We are in the midst of open enrollment and need someone who can operate independently and manage high-volume, varied inquiries with minimal oversight.

Team Structure & Context

The Benefits Manager is transitioning out, and the Benefits Analyst is currently out on medical leave. You will be supporting a lean team and working collaboratively with a consultant who is managing portions of the benefits administration role. Payroll is outsourced. This is a highly ad hoc role requiring flexibility and self-direction.

Key Responsibilities
• Manage the benefits mailbox, responding to employee inquiries with solutions. You will be the first point of contact for diverse, high-volume, and sometimes complex benefits questions-ranging from enrollment issues to claims questions to policy clarifications.
• Resolve benefits inquiries at the first and second level of support, demonstrating resourcefulness in finding solutions, escalating appropriately to the benefits consultant or other resources only after exhausting available solutions.
• Administer life insurance, short-term disability (STD), and long-term disability (LTD) programs, ensuring accurate enrollment, premium reconciliation, and claims-support escalation.
• Manage leave of absence programs in conjunction with HR, ensuring compliance with FMLA, ADA, and applicable state leave laws.
• Drive a culture shift within the benefits function-empowering employees to find answers and self-advocate rather than relying on hand-holding. Proactively direct employees to available resources and encourage independent problem-solving.
• Support open enrollment activities with strong attention to detail and accuracy.

Typical Day in This Role

Your day will include responding to benefits mailbox inquiries, researching solutions to complex questions, providing guidance to employees on benefits options and policies, and supporting leave of absence administration. While there is a hand-holding component to this work, you will be expected to be comfortable pushing back-politely and professionally-when employees need to take initiative and search for answers using available resources. Many employees have access to tools and resources but do not advocate for themselves; you will help change that dynamic by encouraging self-sufficiency while remaining supportive and available for genuinely complex issues.

Ideal Candidate Profile

Personality & Work Style
• Tactical and self-sufficient-comfortable working independently without constant supervision
• Resourceful problem-solver who exhausts available resources before escalating
• Proactive and takes initiative to find answers rather than asking for help as a first resort
• Comfortable with ambiguity and ad hoc situations in a lean team environment
• Professional but personable communicator who can balance empathy with accountability

Required Qualifications
• 2+ years of experience in benefits administration, preferably in the US benefits space
• Strong knowledge of FMLA, ADA, and applicable state leave laws
• Experience with high-volume benefits inquiry management
• Excellent attention to detail and organizational skills
• Ability to maintain confidentiality of sensitive employee information
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite and benefits administration systems
• Ability to operate independently and make sound decisions with minimal oversight

Key Challenges You Will Face
• Team members are out for various reasons, requiring you to be highly self-sufficient and able to prioritize effectively
• High-volume and variable benefits inquiries requiring quick thinking and resourcefulness
• Supporting open enrollment while managing ongoing benefits administration
• Driving a culture shift in employee behavior toward greater self-advocacy

Career Advancement Opportunity

This contract position offers the potential for conversion to full-time employment for the right candidate who demonstrates strong performance, reliability, and the ability to make a meaningful impact during this critical period.