Associate Director, Benefits & Employee Wellbeing

If you are a current Barnard College employee, please use the internal career site to apply for this position.

Job:

Associate Director, Benefits & Employee Wellbeing

Job Summary:

Reporting to the Executive Director for Human Resources, the Associate Director, Benefits & Employee Wellbeing will oversee the Colleges benefits strategy by continuously monitoring market trends, taking a long-term view on plan design, recommending enhancements and delivering programs that meet the diverse needs of Faculty & Staff. Managing the day-to-day plan administration, enhancing processes and procedures, and coordinating with the appropriate internal resources, brokers and other external vendors, the Associate Director will develop a “best in class” suite of benefits for all Faculty & Staff.

Job Description:

Plan Administration 

• In partnership with the Executive Director, Human Resources and Finance, oversee the design and administration of the College’s employee benefits programs for faculty and staff, including, but not limited to, retirement, medical, dental, disability, life insurance, tuition, flexible spending accounts, worker’s compensation, COBRA and unemployment. Oversee plan administration in accordance with plan provisions, documentation, legal and regulatory requirements to ensure ongoing operational compliance.

• Oversee and manage Open Enrollment, ensuring a smooth transition for benefits eligible employees from one calendar year to the next.  

• Provides consultative subject matter expertise, advice, and guidance regarding benefits matters to College, building strong partnership and collaborations with all levels across the College to ensure benefits offerings align with and support overall employee wellness, organizational goals      and HR strategies.   Responsible for ensuring high quality Benefits customer service through the effective management of all plan administration, communication, education and customer service activities for all community members.

• Research, analyze and recommend financially sound benefits packages that are cost effective while meeting employee needs in a changing benefits environment.  Work with consultants and benefits providers to formulate proposals and solve problems.

• Modify existing programs according to findings, using existing knowledge or prevailing practices, emerging types of benefit packages, and customary benefits offered in higher education settings to identify progressive offerings that meet the needs of the community. 

• Manages vendor relationships and negotiates plan coverage, services, and costs with carriers and brokers.

Compliance 

• Assure compliance with federal, state and local regulations, including, but not limited to ERISA, HIPAA, FMLA, and COBRA.  Supervise preparation of reports and applications required by law to be filed with federal and state agencies, such as Internal Revenue Service, Department of Labor, insurance commissioners and other regulatory agencies. 

• Monitor, review and analyze changes to state and federal laws pertaining to benefits, and report necessary or suggested changes to senior leadership e.g., impact of DOMA, ACA.

• Prepare and execute, with legal consultation, benefit documentation such as original and amended plan texts, SPDs, benefit agreements and insurance policies.  Instruct insurance carriers and other administrative agencies outside the College to affect changes in benefit programs.  Ensure prompt and accurate compliance.

Leave and Accommodation Administration and Management 

• Manages all leaves of absence, including but not limited to Family Medical Leave, Workers Compensation, Paid Family Leave and Short and Long Term Disability, ensuring that employees are aware of their responsibilities and of any documentation and notice required to qualify for and to take leave.

• Maintains reasonable communication with employees on leave to facilitate smooth and timely return to work; relays communication between employees and their managers during leave within reason. Provider managers updates, as appropriate.  

• Oversees the return-to-work process for employees returning from extended FMLA, Paid Family Leave, workers compensation, or other leave(s).

• Facilitates other leave requests, which may include accommodation requests under the ADA.

• Responsible for managing the 3rd who administers all leave programs, ensuring high quality and high touch service
   

Project Management and Committee Participation 

• Serve as benefits lead on Benefits and Wellness related projects, including but not limited to automate benefits billing, reports and leaves. Develop benefit information and statistical and census data for actuaries, insurance carriers, and management.

• Initiate, plan and implement robust wellbeing programs that connect Faculty & Staff to the College and community, provide education for physical, mental and financial wellness and improve employee engagement.

• Partner with Labor Relations and the Office of General Counsel Lead efforts to design and develop alternative union benefit scenarios in advance of collective bargaining and during negotiations. 

• Serve as the subject matter expert on all relevant benefits related committees, including the Retirement Committee and the Joint Faculty & Administrators Benefits committee (JFAB) comprised of faculty and administrative staff; use this forum as a way to propose critical benefit changes.

• Participate in the quarterly 403(b) Investment Committee along with other nominated HR, Finance and Faculty participants and the investment advisor. 

Communication and Customer Service

• Develop and improve upon methods to communicate benefits programs to all employees, including but not limited to Open Enrollment and changes to benefits programs.  

• Serve as lead content developer, leveraging expert knowledge to ensure technical accuracy of communications.

• Provide strategic input on customer service delivery, e.g., out of the box thinking ongoing and specific to projects, i.e., during open enrollment.

Team Management 

• Oversees a Benefits Analyst, motivating and developing the team, delegates effectively and manages performance effectively, creating and communicating a vision that motivates them to pursue high standards of excellence.

• Perform special projects and related duties as assigned by the Executive Director for Human Resources. 

Skills, Qualifications & Requirements:

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

• Must be detail-oriented with excellent interpersonal, problem solving oral and written skills, and the ability to communicate effectively with all levels of staff and management, including the ability to relay complex information in a manner understandable to a wide variety of constituencies.

• Experience in providing accurate, timely and responsive support on complex problems, with the ability to coach employees and management through complex, difficult, and emotional issues

• Ability to make recommendations regarding resolution of employee related problems or issues, by using sound judgment that is consistent with standards, practices, policies, procedures, regulation or government law.

• Ability to prioritize multiple projects/deliverables, work with a sense of urgency, to meet deadlines

• Strong customer service skills; a welcoming and cooperative manner, in working with all levels of faculty, staff and external visitors, including vendors;  Able to collaborate, influence and command the respect and confidence of campus partners and have the capacity to deal with a wide range of relationships and situations

• Strong organizational skills; evidence of self-motivation; demonstrated ability to plan, schedule and work both independently and in teams.

• Ability to set priorities and to manage multiple projects and deadlines.

• High degree of professionalism and discretion in contacts with management and team members.

• The successful candidate must have sound judgment, with an open and collaborative style that encourages teamwork and cooperation, and be a strong role model and coach

• Must have a passion for excellent customer service and commitment to exceptional quality.

• Strong organizational skills required, with the ability to work  independently with little supervision, meet deadlines, as well as serve as a productive team member

• Excellent computing skills, including experience with a comprehensive HRIS system as well as the Microsoft Office suite of products.  
   

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree and a minimum of five (5)years of progressive experience in Benefits/Work Life/Employee Wellness 

• Demonstrated ability to partner and move projects and programs forward independently, yet in collaboration with key stakeholders.
   

Preferred Qualifications:

• PHR, SPHR, SHRM-CP, SHRM-SCP, CEBS certification

• Advanced degree in a relevant field

• Experience in higher education

Salary Range: $115,000 - $125,000

The salary of the finalist selected for this role will be set based on a variety of factors, including but not limited to departmental budgets, qualifications, experience, education, licenses, specialty, and training. The above hiring range represents the College's good faith and reasonable estimate of the range of possible compensation at the time of posting.

Company:

Barnard College

Time Type:

Full time