HR Benefits and Operational Programs Specialist

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Overview
The HR Benefits and Operational Programs Specialist serves as the professional operational owner and administrator for assigned benefits processes that require benefits administration knowledge, a strong working knowledge of Workday, authorized use of benefit vendor systems, accurate application of enrollment and operational rules, and coordination across internal and external partners. The position carries assigned processes from intake through completion, including enrollment and benefit-event administration, vendor reports and submissions, COBRA and post-employment benefits, retiree and Medicare operations, reimbursement and payment programs, and cyclical benefits work. The position also identifies opportunities to simplify processes, reduce handoffs, improve controls, automate routine activity, enable self-service, or standardize work and maintains the knowledge, controls, training, and escalation framework needed to support the resulting model.

The role supports recurring and high-volume work such as Annual Enrollment, post-enrollment reconciliation, retirement and hiring cycles, and Child Scholarship, and may provide cross-portfolio support during peak periods. The position may also support employee-facing benefits activities such as orientations, benefits fairs, and other benefits education or service initiatives. The HR Benefits and Operational Programs Specialist works independently within established guidance, provides operational information and training related to assigned processes, coordinates with the Lead regarding priorities and workflow, and works with the appropriate partner when a matter requires policy interpretation, exception approval, specialist case resolution, technical correction, legal review, or payroll action.

Success in the role requires sound judgment, accuracy, organization, discretion, adaptability, and the ability to coordinate work across systems and partners while meeting recurring, cyclical, and time-sensitive deadlines.

Essential Duties:

1. Benefits Administration: Administers assigned benefits processes using Workday, Salesforce, document-management tools, and benefit vendor systems. Reviews eligibility and employment information, documentation, effective dates, elections, event history, and vendor records and completes appropriate administrative actions within established rules, procedures, and authority.

2. Enrollment and Benefit-Event Administration: Processes enrollment changes and corrections and reviews duplicate, rescinded, incomplete, or held benefit events. Determines the appropriate standard sequence and administrative action and evaluates potential effects on coverage, deductions, vendor records, and subsequent benefit events.

3. Vendor Reports and Operational Coordination: Reviews assigned vendor reports, files, requests, and periodic controls; reconciles discrepancies between Yale and vendor records; completes authorized corrections or submissions; and follows through with vendors and internal partners to support accurate and timely outcomes.

4. COBRA and Post-Employment Administration: Administers assigned COBRA-related processes, including coverage corrections, direct billing, dependent loss-of-coverage events, participant classifications, vendor submissions, and related operational requirements. Reviews applicable eligibility, coverage and timing rules, performs authorized corrections, and coordinates with the responsible service area when specialized layoff, separation or policy review is required.

5. Retirement, Retiree and Medicare Administration: Administers assigned retirement, retiree, Medicare, and related benefits processes, completes required system updates and submissions, and coordinates with vendors and internal partners to support accurate and timely operational processing.

6. Reimbursement, Payment and Related Program Administration: Administers assigned reimbursement and payment processes by reviewing documentation, applying established eligibility and reimbursement rules, calculating eligible amounts, initiating payments, and communicating outcomes. Escalates requests that fall outside established requirements or require exception approval.

7. Cyclical and Shared Program Administration: Performs assigned responsibilities for cyclical, high-volume, and shared benefits programs and provides cross-portfolio operational support as business needs and volumes require. Applies defined procedures, priorities, and service expectations and adapts responsibilities as volumes, technology, programs, and service models change.

8. Quality, Data Integrity, and Controls: Reviews reports, records, and process results to identify discrepancies, recurring errors, control gaps, and incomplete work. Completes or coordinates appropriate corrections and supports accurate enrollment, eligibility, vendor transmission, payment, and participant records.

9. Process Improvement, Documentation, and Knowledge Support: Reviews assigned processes, recurring issues, handoffs, controls, and service results to identify opportunities to simplify work, improve accuracy and efficiency, and expand automation or self-service. Maintains procedures, controls, knowledge articles, and employee-facing resources; supports HR Portal content and service improvements; and identifies work that may be appropriate for a more standardized delivery model once documentation, access, training, controls, and escalation paths are established. Coordinates with policy owners, subject-matter experts, HRISS, and knowledge-management partners to validate and implement approved changes.

10. Operational Issue Resolution: Researches participant-specific issues within the assigned portfolio, determines the appropriate standard action, communicates status and next steps, and coordinates completion. Recognizes when a matter has become counseling, appeal, policy interpretation, financial investigation, or technical defect and escalates accordingly.

11. Collaboration, Operational Design, Projects, and Additional Responsibilities: Collaborates with internal and external partners to research issues, coordinate actions, and support accurate outcomes. Provides benefits operational expertise during the design and implementation of new or changing programs, policies, contractual requirements, vendor arrangements, systems, and service processes. Helps translate operational needs into business requirements, rules, exceptions, controls, test scenarios, training needs, and implementation considerations. Participates in functional testing, implementations, high-volume initiatives, and post-implementation monitoring; assumes additional or changing responsibilities as organizational needs evolve; and performs other duties as assigned.

Required Skills and Abilities
1. Strong benefits administration knowledge, with the ability to apply established eligibility, enrollment, effective-date, reimbursement, and vendor-processing rules across varied employee populations.

2. Demonstrated analytical and problem-solving skills, including the ability to review event history, reconcile Workday and vendor records, understand sequencing, and determine appropriate operational action.

3. Strong working knowledge of HR systems and benefit vendor platforms, with demonstrated attention to confidentiality, documentation, data integrity, and downstream coverage and payroll effects.

4. Excellent organizational skills and follow-through, with the ability to manage high-volume cyclical work, competing deadlines, sensitive cases, and multiple external and internal partners.

5. Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to explain rules and procedures clearly, obtain required information, and communicate with tact in sensitive situations.

Preferred Skills and Abilities

1. Ability to identify recurring issues and improvement opportunities; develop and maintain procedures, controls, and operational resources; translate operational needs into process requirements and test scenarios; support automation, self-service, and functional testing; and train or guide others on assigned operational processes.

2. Ability to adapt across related benefits and operational programs, provide cross-portfolio support during peak periods, and manage changing priorities as volumes, technology, programs, and service models evolve.

3. High level of judgment, accuracy, accountability, discretion, adaptability, and ability to work independently.

Preferred Education and Experience

Experience administering health, retirement, COBRA, Medicare, reimbursement, enrollment, or related benefits processes using HR systems and benefit vendor platforms. Experience supporting cyclical benefits work and varied employee populations in a centralized HR environment.

Principal Responsibilities

1. Leads a unit or function, including overseeing and coordinating projects or work processes, and distributes the work of a minimum of two full time employees. 2. Coordinates the work in a unit. Coordinates projects and work processes. Serves as a principle source of information to clients who have business with or interest in the units. 3. Serves as a principle source of information on specialized reproduction techniques and equipment problems. 4. Performs a range of reproduction functions; demonstrates reproduction processes to other staff and visitors. Collects, compiles and evaluates time and production data. Prepares reports. 5. Explains and describes use of specialized computerized digital conversion systems, scanners, imaging and camera equipment. 6. Operates computerized microfilm digital conversion systems, scanners, imaging, and camera equipment. 7. Maintains financial reports, reconciles accounts, and inputs/transfers data based on experience with current University Systems. Reviews accounting records for accuracy and reporting. Prepares reports. Determines methods and materials for production. 8. Reviews unit products for accuracy and completeness. Processes film according to archival standards. Converts materials to digital image. Sets up, tests, operates, disassembles, cleans, maintains, and repairs specialized equipment. 9. Provides client service and technical support related to the program or function. Ensures client and users are provided with appropriate and efficient assistance. 10. May perform other duties as assigned.

Required Education and Experience

Two years of related work experience in the same job family and a Bachelor's Degree in a related field; or an equivalent combination of education and experience.

Job Posting Date

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Background Check Requirements

All candidates for employment will be subject to pre-employment background screening for this position, which may include motor vehicle, DOT certification, drug testing and credit checks based on the position description and job requirements. All offers are contingent upon the successful completion of the background check. For additional information on the background check requirements and process visit "Learn about background checks" under the Applicant Support Resources section of Careers on the It's Your Yale website.

Health Requirements

Certain positions have associated health requirements based on specific job responsibilities. These may include vaccinations, tests, or examinations, as required by law, regulation, or university policy.

Posting Disclaimer

The hiring rate of a role is determined in accordance with the provisions outlined in the respective collective bargaining agreement.

The intent of this job description is to provide a representative summary of the essential functions that will be required of the position and should not be construed as a declaration of specific duties and responsibilities of the position. Employees will be assigned specific job-related duties through their hiring department.

The University is committed to basing judgments concerning the admission, education, and employment of individuals upon their qualifications and abilities and seeks to attract to its faculty, staff, and student body qualified persons from a broad range of backgrounds and perspectives. In accordance with this policy and as delineated by federal and Connecticut law, Yale does not discriminate in admissions, educational programs, or employment against any individual on account of that individual’s sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, race, color, national or ethnic origin, religion, age, disability, status as a special disabled veteran, veteran of the Vietnam era or other covered veteran.

Inquiries concerning Yale's Policy Against Discrimination and Harassment may be referred to the Office of Institutional Equity and Accessibility (OIEA).

Note

Yale University is a tobacco-free campus.

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