Benefits Specialist I

Responsibilities

• Engage with employees to provide solutions to their insurance, retirement, and leave options.
• Serve as a liaison to manage and resolve issues.
• Administer and support employees with leave of absence programs such as sick leave, short- and long-term disability, and FMLA.
• Promote knowledge, understanding, and compliance about our benefits and leave policies through coaching, presentations, and facilitating training sessions.
• Maintain an up-to-date knowledge of all government regulations and laws and advise employees on company policy, guidelines, and documentation requirements.
• Maintain positive employee relations with central Human Resources units, insurance carriers, retirement providers, campus Human Resources contacts, and leadership while delivering compassionate customer service.
• Work on projects and reports to audit transactions and improve workflow efficiencies.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in business, human resources, psychology, sociology, industrial labor relations, and/or equivalent work experience.
• Minimum 2 years of relevant experience in addressing employee’s benefit and/or leave management needs directly with the employee.
• Ability to manage competing, high priority demands, prioritizing workload, managing projects and multiple responsibilities against strict deadlines.
• Ability to analyze data, trends, and insights to identify the root cause of the event.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, and ability to influence.
• Ability to handle highly sensitive and confidential situations with objectivity.

Qualifications

• Relevant education and experience may be substituted as appropriate.
• Prior benefits and leave experience in a higher education setting.
• Bilingual Spanish speaking and writing.
• Knowledge of federal and Texas state labor laws.

Benefits

• Competitive health benefits (employee premiums covered at 100%, family premiums at 50%).
• Voluntary Vision, Dental, Life, and Disability insurance options.
• Generous paid vacation, sick time, and holidays.
• Teachers Retirement System of Texas, a defined benefit retirement plan, with employer matching funds.
• Additional Voluntary Retirement Programs: Tax Sheltered Annuity 403(b) and a Deferred Compensation program 457(b).
• Flexible spending account options for medical and childcare expenses.
• Road robust free training access through LinkedIn Learning, plus professional conference opportunities.
• Tuition assistance.
• Expansive employee discount program, including athletic tickets.
• Free access to UT Austin's libraries and museums with staff ID card.
• Free rides on all UT Shuttle and Austin CapMetro buses with staff ID card.

Pay

$55,000

Schedule

Standard office