A leading international law firm is seeking a Senior Benefits Specialist to join its Chicago office.
The Senior Benefits Specialist will work in conjunction with the Benefits Management team and Firmwide Director of Benefits to support the efficient end-to-end administration of the Firm’s benefit plans and programs, with a significant focus on global family support resources and programming. Primary responsibilities include administering the Firm’s existing suite of family support offerings, researching, analyzing and recommending enhancements and new benefits, and working with internal parties to identify opportunities to promote the Firm’s existing plans and programs. Other duties will include supporting key departmental activities, including onboarding and orientation, compliance-related activities, open enrollment, and more. This role requires effective communication with brokers and vendors, creating, reviewing, and updating business processes, excellent customer service skills, and the ability to communicate effectively with attorneys and staff regarding the Firm’s comprehensive benefits offerings.
This role requires a results-driven professional who is highly organized, consistently delivers exceptional customer service, demonstrates keen attention to detail, is resourceful and creative in solving problems, and builds and maintains effective working relationships within and outside of the Firm. This role requires both independent work and collaboration with others, high personal performance standards, and some flexibility in working hours to collaborate effectively with outher global HR and Benefits teams.
Key Responsibilities
- Benefits Administration and Compliance
- Review and maintain internal process documents, making updates and recommendations for change, where appropriate.
- Clearly and accurately articulate benefit-related information both verbally and in written form. This includes translating insurance and medical industry terminology in a manner that is relatable to participants.
- Confidently embrace new challenges and take initiative in identifying and implementing process improvements. Provide accurate information and propose and execute effective solutions to problems.
- Engage in creative problem solving and escalate issues, as appropriate.
- Maintain strict confidentiality of sensitive and confidential data, as well as knowledge of regulations applicable to the data being handled.
- Reconcile and process vendor and participant invoices.
- Create, draft, and edit summaries and communications to internal and external participants.
- Provide exceptional, prompt service to attorneys and staff on all benefits related issues. Monitor regulatory developments and make recommendations regarding policy, plan, and/or system updates that may be necessary as a result of those developments.
- Project Management and Mentoring
- Effectively track and report on the status of workload and produce high quality, accurate work in a timely manner
- Collaborate and develop strong interpersonal relationships both within and outside of the department.
- Support department initiatives in collaboration with internal and external resources.
Skills, Knowledge & Experience
The ideal candidate will have superior written and oral communication skills and strong project management skills. They will also have a demonstrated history of creative problem-solving, be detail-oriented, and have the ability to work across all levels of management. The successful candidate will possess sound judgment and have the ability and desire to work in a fast-paced environment. A background in Human Resources is preferred. Bachelor’s degree or equivalent and 5+ years of relevant experience required. Experience in a law or professional services firm is desirable.
Required
- Familiarity with U.S. health plans
- Superior oral and written communication skills
- Keen judgment and problem-solving skills
- Organizational skills
- Acute attention to detail
- Responsiveness and dependability
- Knowledge of employee benefits-related laws and regulations
- Preferred
- Familiarity with global/international benefits
- Required
- Proficiency in MS Office, including Outlook, Word, Access and PowerPoint
- Preferred
- Experience with PeopleSoft or other HRMS
