Solutions Consultant

Responsibilities

• Administers various benefits plans for various clients including medical, prescription drug, dental, vision, life insurance, short and long‑term disability, flexible spending accounts, ancillary plans, wellbeing and retirement plans.
• Answers questions and provides information and assistance regarding benefits and related human resources programs, plans, policies, procedures, rules, and regulations in a timely manner.
• Processes and audits vendor bills and prepares for payment.
• Recommends solutions to improve services, implement processes, and partners with HRIS, Audit and Payroll to support best practices.
• Manages the maintenance and storage of employee benefit records, accurate employee data entry in HRIS system and ensures appropriate administration of benefits enrollment, retirement and other transactions.
• Provides research, reporting and analytical support as required.
• Coordinates and corresponds with various internal and external contacts, such as benefit carriers, employees, HR department representatives, and auditors.
• Reviews communications on new plans and policies and communicates them to employees and HR as required.
• Coordinates annual open enrollment activities and oversees preparation and assembly of all materials.
• Prepares and completes correspondence, various reports, and presentations as needed for communication with the client and their employees.
• Attends and participates in client group calls; stays abreast of new trends and innovations in the field of benefit administration.
• Exercises judgment and discretion in seeking advice to ensure compliance with federal laws such as ERISA, HIPAA, ACA, COBRA and any other state legislation.
• Responsible for day‑to‑day administration and the relationship with current vendors/record keepers/trustees for multiple clients and plans.
• Streamlines record‑keeping processes for management and administration of all defined contribution plans.
• Ensures compliance with laws as well as with company policies and procedures.
• Initiates process and prepares reporting for nondiscrimination testing, internal and external audits, Form 5500s, special filings and summary annual reports to internal departments and outside vendors.
• Reviews loan monitor reports and updates participant loans as needed or requests re‑amortization from the record keeper.
• Reviews Summary Plan Descriptions as they are updated for accuracy and ensures the language matches actual plan practice.
• Processes contributions, determines eligibility, loads elections, loans and other retirement‑related data updates.

Qualifications

• Five or more years of professional experience in benefits administration.
• Bachelor’s degree is required.
• Strong knowledge of HRIS/benefits administration systems, with knowledge of time and attendance and payroll systems.
• Good understanding of healthcare reform.
• Experience in completing root‑cause analysis of system errors, ability to understand data flows and organizational structure in systems.
• Familiarity with carrier administration systems (e.g., BCBS, UHC, CIGNA, Delta, Aetna) and ability to trace disconnects between the benefits administration system and the carrier.
• In‑depth knowledge of benefit‑specific guidelines of DOL, IRS, ERISA, HIPAA and ACA.
• General knowledge of annual benefits‑related compliance filings (Form 5500).
• Ability to oversee day‑to‑day operations of employee benefit plans and programs including flexible benefits, group medical and life insurance, disability programs (including FMLA administration), and retirement plans.
• Works well under steady pressure with frequent interruptions and high degree of contact by email and/or phone.
• Flexibility to adapt to changing priorities.
• Self‑directed, works with limited supervision.
• Exercises good judgment and maintains confidentiality with critical and sensitive information, records, and reports.
• Ability to interface with company leaders and represent the company in a professional manner.
• May be required, on a very rare occasion, to pass a drug screening and answer applicable COVID‑19 questionnaire based on client needs, at no cost to the candidate, following DOL, EEOC, ADA and CDC guidelines.