Benefits Manager

Description Who We Are: Lowenstein Sandler is one of the most sophisticated law firms in the United States, with over 400 lawyers and 300 business services professionals serving clients from offices in New York, Palo Alto, New Jersey, Utah, and Washington, D.C. We recruit candidates who seek a collaborative, entrepreneurial culture that prioritizes our clients, our colleagues, and the communities where we work and live. Committed to career development and to an inclusive workplace, the firm offers many programs and opportunities for personal and professional growth. We seek professionals for our business services group who share these values. What You Will Do: The Senior Manager of Benefits and Wellness is responsible for managing and planning the day-to-day administration of employee benefits and wellness offerings and opportunities across the firm, including but not limited to the following: Essential Job Requirements: Manage the day-to-day administration of all firm-wide employee benefit programs including medical, dental, vision, life, STD, LTD, reimbursement accounts, commuter, back-up care, EAP, etc.; Review and approve all benefits-related inputs to payroll, ensuring the accuracy of benefit deductions, retroactive deductions, and leave-related payroll impacts. Partner closely with Payroll, HR Operations, and Finance to reconcile benefits and payroll data and resolve discrepancies in a timely manner. Provide guidance and assistance to employees in all firm locations on various employee benefit plans; Keep abreast of industry and/or community trends to determine firm’s competitive position in employee benefits and wellness; Serve as primary point of escalation for complex benefits, benefits related payroll, and eligibility issues. Participate in the design and implementation of benefits programs, researching and suggesting changes to existing programs and/or additional benefit offerings; Ensure Open Enrollment processes are accurate, compliant, and delivered with strong employee experience. Manage the Firm’s Wellness Program and Wellness Committee; conducting an organizational assessment to determine program content, and developing events and initiatives to engage with Firm employees on wellness issues; Manage partner Executive Medical plan, including overseeing claims submission, payment distribution, troubleshooting billing issues, responding to partner inquiries, and reconciling year-end capital charges. Responsible for all government-related forms and filings of benefits, and ensuring HRIS is configured to capture information accurately (including 1094-C/1095-C, Schedule A and Form 5500, Form 720 for PCORI fee, Disclosure to CMS, etc.); Review and coordinate with internal counsel on new and existing vendor contracts, MSA, BAA, and other agreement documents for benefits and wellness related services. Participate in annual budget process by providing cost estimates for all benefits, wellness initiatives, etc.; track expenses over the year and adjust budget as necessary; Document and maintain administrative procedures for all benefits processes; Manage the design and distribution of materials for benefits orientations, open enrollment and summary plan descriptions; develop additional strategies for communicating benefits information/updates/announcements to employees; Manage and develop a small team of benefits professionals, providing coaching, prioritization, and performance feedback; Oversee workload distribution across benefits and leaves to ensure timely, high-quality service delivery; Lead process documentation, standardization, and continuous improvement initiatives, with a focus on scalability and sustainability; Serve as primary point of escalation for complex leaves of absence; oversee the tracking and processing of disability claim cases, paid family leave insurance forms and FMLA correspondence handled by the Benefits Specialist; In conjunction with HR Compliance, serve as the firm’s subject matter expert on leaves, providing guidance on complex cases, regulatory interpretation, and best practices Ensure compliance with HIPAA requirements; coordinate annual HIPAA training and CMS reporting; Interface with insurance brokers and individual carriers to arrange enrollment meetings and to escalate issues when they arise; Manage relationship with COBRA Administrator to ensure timely issuance of all COBRA compliance notices; Manage the open enrollment process by establishing back-end process in HRIS, creating materials to be distributed, coordinate and present for open enrollment information sessions, assisting employees throughout the process and conducting audits of benefits selected and payroll deductions; Serve as lead on automated file feed exports and eligibility file transmission processes. Assist employees with transitioning to Medicare coverage; manage early retiree benefits program; Perform year-end processes including but not limited to Exec Med annual reconciliation, partner deduction audit, leave of absence reports, etc. Responsible for Dayforce benefits administration, including updating forms and information and assisting employees with questions or problems; Ensure timely monthly reconciliation of all carriers’ invoices; perform other analytical work related to benefit billings and reports; Coordinate directly with Payroll and other HR functions on any changes that may affect employee’s pay; establish and maintain appropriate method of tracking information in Dayforce; Ensure that all incident reporting related to employee illness or injuries is completed timely and accurately; coordinate the reporting process to the company’s worker’s compensation insurance carrier as well as property managers (when necessary) and maintain information regarding employee job-related injuries for worker’s compensation and OSHA; responsible to work with the carrier’s case managers for appropriate follow-through and disposition of all worker’s compensation cases; comply with all required Federal reporting statistics and reports concerning Equal Employment Opportunity, OSHA, and other areas; Maintain the firm’s LS Hub Benefits Page and Wellness Page, ensuring all information and materials are up-to-date. Perform other duties and projects, as assigned. Skills, Knowledge, and Abilities: Bachelors’ degree and 10+ years related employee benefits administration experience. SHRM certification and CEBS designation a plus. Law Firm or professional services background preferred. Strong analytical skills and a thorough knowledge of plan designs. Knowledge of all pertinent federal and state regulations, filing and compliance requirements, including ERISA, COBRA, ADA, Section 125, etc. Knowledge regarding administering leaves of absence including FMLA and all state-specific leave requirements as they relate to firm locations. Knowledge of employee benefit programs and ability to be the point of contact. Must be able to comport oneself professionally as a representative of the firm in an array of situations, interacting with all levels of the organization and various external resources. Strong people management and coaching skills, including performance guidance and development. Ability to set clear expectations and provide constructive feedback in a professional manner. Highly proficient computer skills to include database management, reporting, and user assistance. Excellent organizational and time management skills. Excellent follow up skills and ability to prioritize work. Ability to work independently and maintain confidentiality as appropriate. Demonstrate attention to detail and accuracy. Excellent verbal and written communication skills. Must be able to multitask and meet deadlines in a fast-paced and changing environment. Excellent client service skills and ability to work effectively and build relationships with all levels within organization including senior management. Strong knowledge of Microsoft Office, including Excel, and Firm’s HRIS systems. Preferred, but not required: Working knowledge of Dayforce or other similar benefits system. Experience working with Aetna and other providers. Experience working with complex and targeted plans. Office Location: Roseland, NJ (Hybrid) Schedule: Full-time, Monday – Friday, 9:00 am - 5:00 pm Travel Required: Generally minimal travel required. For candidates meeting the requirements, the expected base salary is $160,000 to $180,000. The range provided is the salary that Lowenstein Sandler in good faith believes at the time of this posting that it is willing to pay for the advertised position. Exact compensation will be determined based on individual candidate qualifications and location. Our benefits package includes coverage options for medical, dental, vision, prescription drug, life insurance, disability, FSAs, 401K, and paid time off. Disclaimers: This job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of all activities, duties or responsibilities required by employee. Lowenstein Sandler is not accepting resumes from search firms for this position. Regardless of past practice, all resumes submitted by search firms are to be deemed the sole property of Lowenstein Sandler, and no fee will be paid in the event the candidate is hired by Lowenstein Sandler as a result of the referral. Lowenstein Sandler LLP is committed to equal employment opportunity and providing reasonable accommodations to applicants with physical and/or mental disabilities. We value and encourage diversity and solicit applications from all qualified applicants without regard to race, color, gender, sex, age, religion, creed, national origin, ancestry, citizenship, marital status, sexual orientation, physical or mental disability, medical condition, veteran status, gender identity, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law.