Benefits Specialist

Department: HR Benefits & Total Rewards ----- Benefits & Total Rewards Position Title: Benefits Specialist Job Family Group: Professional Staff Job Description Summary: The Benefits Specialist will be responsible for the daily administration of employee benefits offered through the University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas Board of Regents, and the State of Kansas. Particularly, benefit programs such as health, dental, vision, flexible spending accounts, health saving and health reimbursement accounts, life insurance, and retirement plans. Job Description: Understand and provide effective communication of benefit plans and information to customers Provide excellent customer service to all employees; be proactive in anticipating needs, go beyond expectations and deliver excellent results. Manage intake items and requests for benefit services. Respond to questions/inquiries in a timely, professional manner. Participate in the administration of benefit programs such as health, dental, vision, flexible spending accounts, health saving and health reimbursement accounts. Proactively communicate benefit status changes to employees as result of a qualifying event, etc. Counsel employees regarding State of Kansas retirement, deferred compensation and other benefit programs. Participate in the administration of employee benefit plans including life insurance, long term disability insurance, the Kansas Board of Regents tax-sheltered annuity retirement plans, the Kansas Public Employee Retirement System (KPERS) defined benefit pension and deferred compensation plans. Process new KPERS enrollments through the KPERS portal, as well as verify and submit adjustments. Process and manage benefit information (i.e., updates) in the appropriate HR system(s) of record. Routinely monitor the MAP portal dashboard so that it is current and up to date. Assist in the planning, and participate in open enrollment, new hire orientations and other benefit-related, educational workshops and seminars for faculty and staff. Partner and foster positive relationships with benefit vendors/providers. Process benefit terminations in the HR system(s) of record and distribute termination letters. Assist with website updates/upgrades in terms of benefit-related content. This position description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. It is only a summary of the typical functions of the job, not an exhaustive list of all possible job responsibilities, tasks, duties, and assignments. Furthermore, job duties, responsibilities and activities may change at any time with or without notice. Work Environment This position will be a combination of in-office and remote work. The primary work location is at the Kansas City campus but may be asked to go to other campuses as needed. Required Qualifications Four years of experience in Human Resources, business, or a closely related field. Education may substitute for experience on a year-for-year basis. Experience with federal and state laws/regulations impacting benefits administration. Experience presenting benefits information to various audiences. Preferred Qualifications Certifications: HR certification in benefits administration (i.e., CBP) is desirable. Work Experience: Experience working in higher education. Experience with Workday. Skills: Communication, both oral and written. Computer Skills, Microsoft Office. Time Management. Attention to Detail. Comprehensive Benefits Package: Coverage begins on day one for health, dental, and vision insurance and includes health expense accounts with generous employer contributions if the employee participates in a qualifying health plan. Employer-paid life insurance, long-term disability insurance, and various additional voluntary insurance plans are available. Paid time off, including vacation and sick, begins accruing upon hire, plus ten paid holidays. One paid discretionary day is available after six months of employment, and paid time off for bereavement, jury duty, military service, and parental leave is available after 12 months of employment. A retirement program with a generous employer contribution and additional voluntary retirement programs (457 or 403b) are available. https://www.kumc.edu/human-resources/benefits.html Employee Type: Regular Time Type: Full time Rate Type: Salary Compensation Statement: The pay range listed for this position is determined by our compensation program using market data and salary benchmarking. A combination of factors is considered in making compensation decisions including, but not limited to, education, experience and training, qualifications relative to the requirements of the position, and funding. At the University of Kansas Medical Center, a reasonable estimate for the starting pay range will be the minimum to midpoint of the posted range, taking into account the combination of factors listed above. Pay Range: $60,800.00 - $91,200.00 Minimum $60,800.00 Midpoint $76,000.00 Maximum $91,200.00