Benefits Specialist

About North Park Founded in 1891, North Park University is a Christian university affiliated with the Evangelical Covenant Church. Located in Chicago, North Park serves students from across the country and around the world through education in the liberal arts, professional studies, and theology. Mission The mission of North Park University is to prepare students for lives of significance and service through education in the liberal arts, professional studies, and theology. Vision Building on our core institutional identity of being Christian, city-centered, and intercultural, our vision is to create a university of uncommon character and enduring excellence, where faith, learning, and service meet. Position Summary The Benefits Specialist administers the University's employee benefit, retirement, and leave programs. The position manages benefit enrollments, employee education, vendor and payroll coordination, billing reconciliations, required notices and reporting, plan audits, and benefits records. The Benefits Specialist serves as a primary resource for employees with benefit and leave questions and ensures that transactions are timely, accurate, confidential, and consistent with plan terms and applicable requirements. Duties And Responsibilities Benefits Enrollment and Employee Support Administer medical, dental, vision, life, disability, flexible spending, dependent care, health savings, parking, transit, and other assigned employee benefit programsGuide new employees through benefit enrollment, respond to questions, monitor enrollment completion, and process elections accurately in the benefits enrollment platform and Ellucian ColleagueProcess qualifying life event changes, coverage terminations, dependent eligibility changes, beneficiary updates, and other approved benefit transactionsPlan and administer annual open enrollment, including system configuration support, employee communications, meetings, benefit guides, deadlines, and completion trackingMonitor and respond to the benefits inbox and provide clear, timely, and confidential assistance to employees, retirees, and eligible dependentsMaintain accurate benefits content on HR web pages, enrollment materials, guides, forms, and employee resources Retirement and Vendor Administration Administer the University's retirement plan processes, including enrollment support, contribution changes, participant communications, required disclosures, and coordination with recordkeepers and payrollAdminister the Retiree Benefits Program and maintain accurate retiree eligibility, enrollment, billing, and communication recordsServe as a day-to-day liaison with benefit carriers, retirement providers, administrators, brokers, and other vendors to resolve enrollment, eligibility, claims, billing, and data issuesReconcile monthly benefit invoices and enrollment records, research discrepancies, secure corrections, and prepare approved invoices for paymentCoordinate with Payroll to validate deductions and funding for insurance, retirement, flexible spending, dependent care, parking, transit, and health savings arrangements Leave Administration Administer employee leave requests in consultation with the Senior Director, including eligibility review, employee notices, forms, documentation, tracking, and return-to-work coordinationCoordinate Family and Medical Leave Act, short-term disability, long-term disability, pregnancy-related leave, and other applicable leave processes under University policies and governing requirementsMaintain confidential leave files and provide timely information to employees, supervisors, payroll, insurers, and other authorized partiesNotify the Title IX Coordinator of confidential pregnancy-related leave matters when required Compliance Audits and Records Prepare and process Forms 1095-C and other required benefit-related government documentation and employee noticesServe as the HR lead for benefit plan audits by researching requests, reconciling system discrepancies, producing documents, and tracking completionPrepare and distribute required retirement plan disclosures and other assigned plan noticesMaintain accurate and confidential benefit and leave records in enrollment platforms, Ellucian Colleague, and designated document systemsReview benefit processes and records for compliance with plan documents, University policies, and applicable federal, state, and local requirements; promptly elevate concerns to the Senior DirectorMonitor regulatory and plan changes relevant to assigned benefits and leave programs and update procedures, communications, and forms as directedSupport benefit renewals, implementation activities, data requests, testing, and other benefits projects assigned by the Senior Director Salary range: $55,000 - $65,000 Requirements Required Personal commitment to and ability to articulate support for North Park University's mission, identity, and Christian faith commitmentBachelor's degree in human resources, business administration, benefits administration, or a related fieldAt least two years of experience in benefits, retirement, leave administration, payroll, human resources, or a closely related fieldExperience administering benefits in higher education or another complex employer environmentExperience administering retirement plans, ACA reporting, vendor billing, and open enrollment administrationWorking knowledge of benefit enrollment systems and HR information systems; working knowledge of Ellucian Colleague is requiredWorking knowledge of benefit and leave requirements, including the Family and Medical Leave Act, COBRA, HIPAA privacy requirements, and applicable benefits compliance practicesStrong reconciliation and documentation skillsProficiency with Microsoft Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint, and related productivity toolsEligible to work in the United States Preferred Experience with benefits auditsExperience providing customer service in an employee-facing or customer-facing roleCEBS, SHRM-CP, PHR, or another relevant benefits or HR certification Benefits Salary range: $55,000 to $65,000Medical InsuranceDental InsurancePrescription PlanFlexible Spending AccountCommuter BenefitLife InsuranceDisability InsuranceRetirement PlanTuition RemissionHelwig Recreation Center