Benefits and Compensation Specialist

: Job Title: Benefits & Compensation Specialist Classification: Professional/Full-time Division: Human Resources Department: Office of Human Resources Reports: Associate Vice President, Labor & Employee Relations and Operations FLSA Status: Salaried, Exempt JOB SUMMARY: Reporting to the Associate Vice President, Labor & Employee Relations and Operations (“AVP”) and working closely with the Vice President for Human Resources, the Benefits & Compensation Specialist serves as the first point of contact for centralized benefits administration, and provides support of benefits plan administration, legal compliance, budgeting, and required reporting for all benefits plans. They coordinate the administration of benefits (including FMLA and Flexible Spending Account elections), benefit eligibility, paid time off accruals, retirements, leaves of absence, worker's compensation, organizational changes, employment verification, employee assistance program, and wellness initiatives. Researches the various benefits available to Lincoln and works with the VP for HR and CFO to choose the ones that will best serve the Lincoln's needs. Those needs include helping boost employee attraction and retention, offering benefits; serves as consultant to department leaders; develops, recommends and installs approved, new or modified plans and employee benefits plans and policies and supervises administration of existing plans; and develops cost control procedures to assure maximum coverage at the least possible cost to Lincoln University and its employees. The Benefits & Compensation Specialist administers benefits and compensation related tasks according to University policies and applicable laws; relies on advanced technical skills, related experience, working knowledge, and independent judgment to plan and accomplish individual and department goals; and demonstrates expertise in complex benefits administration and human resources practices. The successful candidate will be a sharp, motivated individual with excellent interpretive, analytic, and high- level written and oral communication skills to achieve the unit's exemplary customer service standards and to complement a high caliber human resources team. This is a benefits-eligible position. ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Collaborate with the HR and Financial Administration teams to identify and evaluate alternatives and recommend strategies for vendor selection and outsourcing for improved service delivery, alignment with financial resources, cost-effective premiums paid by benefits eligible employees, and enhanced benefits offerings.
• Develop relationships and collaborations with key faculty, staff, departments, as well as with internal and external vendors.
• Manages internal and external sources to communicate and educate employees about new programs and resources.
• Primary communicator with employees on benefits related items including open enrollment, promotion of plans/benefits and claim administration
• Assist employees at various stages including new employee's onboarding, change of life events, and status changes and off boarding.
• Demonstrate a consistently high level of customer service when interacting with internal personnel, external agents and visitors; and responding to inquiries via telephone, e-mail and/or regular mail in a timely and professional manner.
• Provide day-to-day administration of various benefits plans by servicing employee inquiries, facilitating claims resolution, processing record changes, database report generation and distribution, set-up and maintenance of automated benefits-related deductions and related information.
• Administer benefits enrollment, paid time off notifications, vendor billing verification, reconciliation, and processing; leaves of absence under FMLA, STD/LTD, and workers compensation; 403(b) plan administration, benefit termination and vacation leave pay-out, unemployment insurance compensation claims, and COBRA.
• Collaborate with Finance/Payroll, as required, for problem solving and ad hoc reporting.
• Administer University's annual benefits fair and wellness initiatives and work with volunteer wellness champions for successful implementation.
• Gather and analyze employee data and related information to determine eligibility for benefits plan participation. Interface with vendors to ensure efficient systems, practices and workflows to minimize employee/HR issues.
• Perform routine audits, including but not limited to, analyzing costs, usage of programs by employees and their families and conduct satisfaction surveys; working with vendors to project future costs and changes in benefit programs; ensuring benefit programs are compliant with changing laws and regulations, and conducting analysis regarding industry trends to stay competitive in the market and retain employees.
• Facilitate benefit overview sessions and exit interviews; and coordinate special events to enhance employees' knowledge and understanding of benefits offerings.
• Review and maintain accurate employee records and ensure data are passed correctly to various vendors, payroll, and accounts payable.
• Utilize advanced technical skills to enhance operational efficiency in processing billing transactions, and preparing and distributing correspondence and reports.
• Participate in professional development activities.
• Complete special and cyclical projects and other related tasks as assigned.

COMPENSATION:

• Create a consistent compensation guideline that matches our work and organizational culture.
• Evaluate position descriptions to determine appropriate job classification and salary.
• Conduct salary and labor market research to define benchmarks.
• Ensure compensation practices are in compliance with current regulations.
• Contribute to the design and implementation of compensation policies and procedures to ensure compliance with governmental regulations and authority policies.
• Reviews and recommends changes to existing compensation plans.
• Provides advice and counsel to executive management and employees regarding compensation and benefits issues.
• Prepare and present reports.
• Other duties as assigned.

SYSTEMS/ANALYTICS:

• Assist in ensuring the current HRIS system as well as the implementation of a new system, and HR related interfaces are fully leveraged for effective and efficient processes.
• Collaborate to build the HR analytics portfolio as needed.
• Contribute to the division's culture of continuous improvement by staying up to date on systems trends, systems functionality, and data accuracy.

EDUCATION:

• Bachelor's degree in human resources administration, human resource management, compensation and benefits or a related field required.
• College courses in accounting and business preferred.
• Specialized training or certification, e.g., SPHR / PHR, SHRM-CP, Certified Employee Benefit Specialist (CEBS) or Certified Benefits Professional (CBP) or Certified Compensation Professional (CCP) highly desirable.

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Six or more years of progressively responsible experience in human resources with emphasis on benefits and compensation administration; two or three years of experience in payroll preferred. A combination of education and relevant experience will be considered.
• Demonstrated working knowledge of and expertise in total compensation best practices, and applicable employment laws and trends;
• Knowledge of and ability to interpret and apply related federal, state, and local laws, ordinances, rules and regulations.
• Experience providing subject matter expertise and counseling others.
• Familiarity with payroll and payroll tax laws;
• Must be detail-oriented, precise, highly organized, results driven and possess the ability to adapt to changes.
• Exceptional analytical, organizational, time management, and interpersonal skills.
• Knowledgeable with Microsoft Suite, virtual collaboration tools (Teams, Zoom, Box); Adobe, etc. preferred and integrated HRIS; and benefit databases.
• Demonstrated ability to protect confidential and/or sensitive information and maintain integrity in record maintenance.
• Ability and willingness to work independently as well as in a team environment; Excellent written and verbal communication skills.

• Ability to effectively communicate and interact, both orally and in writing, with people across diverse backgrounds and cultures preferred.
• Strong customer service philosophy and approach to excellent employee service through in-person interaction and in writing.
• Motivated by working independently and with others in a collaborative manner and possess a “can-do” attitude.
• Stable work history, strong work ethic, and professional image.
• Commitment to individual professional development.
• The selected candidate must successfully clear a criminal history background check.

All applicants must apply online. WORKING CONDITIONS: Work is primarily performed in a university campus environment and on occasion, requires a flexible schedule including evening and weekend work. Travel for administrative work is expected. The employee is subject to inside environmental conditions: protection from weather conditions but not necessarily from temperature changes. PHYSICAL DEMANDS: Moderate lifting up to 20 pounds as frequently as needed to move objects; dexterity to write and manipulate computer keyboard and mouse; ability to hear and speak clearly; and body mobility to stoop, kneel, bend and reach.