Health Benefits Implementation Specialist

Health Benefits Implementation Specialist

Cobalt Benefits Group is seeking a Health Benefits Implementation Specialist with direct experience implementing self-funded employer health benefit plans within the TPA, health insurance, or employee benefits industry. This position is responsible for managing client implementations from initial kickoff through successful go-live. The ideal candidate brings hands-on experience coordinating complex health benefits implementations, managing project plans and timelines, facilitating client and stakeholder meetings, and partnering across internal operational teams. This is not a general IT, software/platform, HRIS, payroll, or technology implementation position. Candidates should have direct implementation experience within the health insurance, TPA, or employee benefits environment.

This role is eligible for hybrid or fully remote work, depending on candidate location and business needs.

Key Responsibilities

• Own and coordinate implementation projects for new and/or existing self-funded health benefit clients from kickoff through go-live
• Develop, manage, and maintain detailed implementation project plans, timelines, milestones, deliverables, and tracking documentation
• Lead implementation kickoff meetings, status meetings, and other client-facing discussions with client leadership, brokers, vendors, and internal stakeholders
• Gather, document, and validate client requirements related to benefit plan setup and implementation
• Coordinate implementation activities across internal operational teams and external partners to ensure accurate and timely delivery
• Identify project risks, dependencies, delays, and implementation issues and drive them toward resolution
• Manage multiple implementations and competing deadlines while maintaining clear ownership of deliverables and follow-up items
• Communicate project status, risks, decisions, and next steps clearly to clients and internal stakeholders
• Coordinate implementation requirements involving self-funded medical plans and related benefit services such as claims administration, eligibility, HSAs, FSAs, COBRA, and other applicable services
• Build strong working relationships with clients, brokers, vendors, and cross-functional internal teams
• Maintain accurate implementation documentation and contribute to continuous improvement of implementation processes, templates, and standards
• Perform other related duties as assigned

Requirements

• 2+ years of direct health insurance, TPA, or employee benefits implementation experience
• Demonstrated experience implementing or supporting self-funded employer health benefit plans
• Experience managing implementation projects involving multiple internal departments, external partners, and client stakeholders
• Strong project management and project coordination skills, including experience creating and managing project plans, timelines, milestones, dependencies, and deliverables
• Demonstrated experience leading client-facing implementation meetings, kickoff meetings, and stakeholder discussions
• Working knowledge of the self-funded benefits/TPA environment, including areas such as claims administration, eligibility, plan setup, HSAs, FSAs, and COBRA
• Ability to manage multiple concurrent projects and priorities while meeting established deadlines
• Strong written and verbal communication skills with the ability to communicate effectively with client management and internal leadership
• Strong problem-solving skills with the ability to identify implementation risks and drive issues toward resolution
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office, particularly Excel and PowerPoint, and the ability to learn web-based implementation/project-management systems
• Associate's degree or equivalent relevant industry experience
• Willingness to travel up to 10% during peak implementation periods

Benefits

After successfully completing a waiting period, eligible Full-time employees have access to our comprehensive benefits package, including:

• Fantastic medical, dental, and vision insurance*
• Twice annual employer HSA contributions, covering 50% of the HDHP plan's annual deductible!
• Company provided Basic Life and AD&D
• Company paid Short-Term and Long-Term Disability**
• Flexible Spending Accounts*
• 401(k) Retirement Plan with up to a 6% employer-match** WOW! (100% fully vested after 3 years)
• 10+ paid holidays
• Fully Paid half day Summer Fridays
• Generous paid vacation and sick time
• Annual Paid Volunteer Day
• Annual Tuition Reimbursement
• Annual Health and Wellness Reimbursement
• Lots of fun company events

*60 day waiting period

**90 day waiting period

Who We Are

As a trusted third-party administrator (TPA) specializing in self-funded benefit plans, Cobalt Benefits Group (CBG) is committed to helping employers find high-quality coverage at a cost they can afford. We administer self-funded insurance benefits through our four lines of business: EBPA, Blue Benefit Administrators of Massachusetts, CBA Blue, and Great Bay Administrators.

With over 30 years of experience and a dedicated team of more than 300 employees, we work collaboratively to build customized self-funded health plans, manage claim payments and disputes, and administer other specialized programs such as FSAs, HSAs, COBRA, and retiree billing. Join us as we match employers across our region with the right solutions for their employee benefit needs.