Senior Benefits Specialist

Salary $85,525.56 - $102,671.74 Annually Location Human Resources - City of Colorado Springs, CO Job Type Classified - Full Time Job Number 18302 Division Human Resources Department Health Insurance Fund Opening Date 09/07/2026 Closing Date Continuous FLSA Exempt DescriptionBenefitsQuestions Description / Position Overview Senior Benefits Specialist (Senior Analyst) Shape the benefits experience for the people who serve our community. We’re looking for an HR professional who is strategic, analytical, collaborative, and customer focused. Someone who can navigate complexity, communicate with confidence, and see opportunities where others see problems. As a Senior Benefits Advisor, you’ll be at the center of delivering the City’s benefits strategy, bringing your expertise and insight to programs that matter every day. From benefits and leave administration to ADA accommodations, you’ll tackle complex challenges, advise on critical decisions, and identify opportunities to strengthen programs, improve processes, and enhance the employee experience. If you’re ready to move beyond administering benefits and help shape what’s next, we’d like to meet you. This position is subject to budget required furloughs to be implemented in the 2026 calendar year. Come explore the possibilities a career with the City of Colorado Springs can offer! We're an accredited pay equity employer! Your starting pay will be within the posted hiring range based on your years of experience and education. See the full potential of growth for this position here: 2026 Salary Schedule As a Sr. Benefits Advisor, You Will Partner with the Compensation & Benefits Manager to administer the City's employee benefits, wellness, and retiree programs while ensuring compliance with applicable federal and state laws and regulations.Serve as the subject matter expert for leave administration, providing guidance on complex cases FMLA (Family and Medical Leave Act), HFWA (Healthy Families and Workplaces Act), disability programs, disability retirement, and USERRA (Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act), and other protected leave programs.Assist in leading the City’s ADA Title I accommodation program. Facilitate the interactive process, coordinating medical documentation, evaluating reasonable accommodations, consulting with departments and HR partners, and ensuring compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act and related employment laws.Administer and monitor employee benefit programs, including retirement benefits, while evaluating legislative and regulatory changes and recommending process or policy improvements.Ensure compliance with applicable benefits-related laws and regulations, including COBRA, HIPAA, the Affordable Care Act (ACA), etc.Lead the planning, coordination, communication, and implementation of the City's annual Open Enrollment program.Coordinate with benefit vendors, resolve complex employee and vendor issues, support contract renewals and procurement activities, and collaborate to enhance service delivery.Oversee benefits-related financial activities, including invoice reconciliation, vendor payments, budget tracking, cost forecasting for self-funded plans, and renewal support in partnership with Finance.Conduct audits, analyze data, and identify opportunities to improve operational efficiency, HRIS functionality, data integrity, and reporting.Develop and maintain standard operating procedures, training resources, and employee communications while providing exceptional customer service and guidance to employees, managers, and HR staff.Support the operational administration and continuous improvement of the City's employee clinic, pharmacy, and other benefits-related initiatives.Other duties as assigned.Learn more about this job by reviewing the class specification on the City of Colorado Springs Class Specifications page. Knowledge Of We are looking for candidates who possess: Employee benefits laws and regulations (e.g. COBRA, HIPAA, PPACA, FMLA, and ADA)ADA policies, laws, and regulations as well as experience with employee reassignmentsBest practices in self-funded benefits design, communication, and administrationHRIS and benefits systems (especially PeopleSoft and NeoGov)Research and data analysis techniquesComplex audit processes and program compliance Ability To Deliver high-quality customer service to a unique workforceAnalyze and interpret rules, regulations, and dataCommunicate complex topics to employees and leadership effectivelyPresent to small and large groups with confidenceMaintain accuracy and attention to detail in a fast-paced environmentResolve conflict in a respectful and collaborative manner Minimum Qualifications Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university in human resources, public administration, business administration, or a related field.Five years of full-time professional experience in benefits administration including vendor management or a related field. We value a diverse range of qualifications and experiences. Our organization views each year of further education as equivalent to each year of relevant work experience, and each year of additional relevant work experience as equivalent to each year of required education. Preferred Qualifications The following qualifications are not required, but they are considered desirable. If you possess any of the preferred qualifications, please include specific details in your application. This information may be used to identify a top group of applicants. Experience administering self-funded benefit plans.HR experience in government/municipality setting.Experience overseeing the full ADA Title I interactive process and complex leaves administration.Experience collaborating tactfully with health insurance vendors including contract negotiations, and conflict resolution.A strong attention to detail and ability to understand and accurately reference complex contracts.Experience analyzing budgets and processing invoices.Experience providing advanced guidance and support to team members.Experience with PeopleSoft 9.1/9.2 and NeoGov systems.A strong sense of ownership, problem-solving, and initiative. Additional Information Please contact City Recruiting at city.recruiting@coloradosprings,gov with any questions about this position. Equal Opportunity Employer The City of Colorado Springs is committed to a welcoming culture that values our employees' unique individual qualities and fosters a welcoming environment where people want to be The City of Colorado Springs offers additional compensation depending on the position, area of assignment, and specific job assignments, including shift differential, pay differential, acting or lead, special assignment, hazard pay, longevity, cell phone allowance, uniform allowance, relocation, awards, standby, call out, compensatory time off, tuition, overtime, extra duty, incentive, holiday premium, proficiency, and vacation sell back. NOTE: This job announcement is not intended to include a complete listing of all responsibilities, knowledge, skills, and abilities associated with the position. The City does not sponsor applicants for work visas of any kind (including but not limited to F-1, H-1B or TN visas). Applicants must be currently authorized to work in the United States on a full-time basis. Apply to Join Our Team Please visit the City of Colorado Springs Careers page and review our opportunities. Click on Apply button to complete an online application for any position of interest. All job applicants will need to create a new login and online application (unless you already have a Government Jobs user ID and password). Completing your application in full, including the entire work experience section, will assist Human Resources in the applicant screening process. Your application may not be considered if all of the information requested for each employer you list is not provided. Applicants may redact information from their resumes, certifications, transcripts, or any other additional application materials that identify the applicant’s age, date of birth, or dates of attendance at or graduation from an educational institution. You will not be penalized for redacting or removing this information. We encourage candidates with out-of-state credentials to inquire about expedited processing of Colorado licensing with the Colorado Occupational Credential Portability Program. More information can be found at the Colorado Department of Regulatory Agencies Licensing Portability page Our Government Jobs application system does not allow you to edit your application after it has been submitted for a position. If you want to make changes, you may submit another application prior to the position’s closing date and time listed in the job posting. HR will review the last application you submit for a position. The City's job classifications, including physical demands and descriptions, can be found on the Colorado Springs Class Specifications page You can view the status of your application on the City of Colorado Springs Careers page. To be notified of future career opportunities sign up for job alerts on the Job Alerts page. Working for the City of Colorado Springs is Rewarding! Please visit the City of Colorado Springs' Total Rewards Site for additional benefits information. The City of Colorado Springs is a place where people want to come to work each day. We have a culture of excellence, and we strive to provide our employees with the very best overall career experience and Total Rewards. We are proud to offer a comprehensive and competitive benefits program to meet the needs of our employees and their families. 01 What is the highest level of education you have completed? Less than high schoolHigh School diploma or GEDAssociate's DegreeBachelor's DegreeMaster's Degree or above 02 How many years of relevant experience do you possess? Less than one yearOne or more yearsTwo or more yearsThree or more yearsFour or more yearsFive or more yearsSix or more yearsSeven or more yearsEight or more yearsNine or more yearsTen or more years 03 Do you have experience in any of these areas? Please select all that apply. Administering self-funded benefit plansHR experience in government/municipality settingOverseeing the full ADA Title I interactive process and complex leave administrationCollaborating with health insurance vendors including contract negotiation and conflict resolutionAnalyzing budgets and processing invoicesPeopleSoft 9.1/9.2NeoGov SystemsNone 04 Please provide a brief overview of your experience administering self-funded benefit plans and collaborating with health insurance vendors, including contract renewals and conflict resolution. Type N/A if you do not possess this experience. 05 Please provide a brief overview of your experience overseeing the full ADA Title I (Americans with Disabilities Act) interactive process as well as leaves administration (e.g. FMLA, HFWA, USERRA, etc.). Type N/A if you do not possess this experience. Required Question Employer City of Colorado Springs Address 30 South Nevada Avenue, Suite 301 Colorado Springs, Colorado, 80903 Phone (719) 385-5125 Website http://www.coloradosprings.gov