Executive Director/Asst Vice President, Benefits

Current Employees:

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Benefits Strategy

1.    Analyzes, designs, and implements benefit programs on an enterprise-wide basis.   Identifies opportunities to ensure that employee’s total reward/benefit experiences are effective, comprehensive and meet the needs of both the employees and the University. 
2.    Collaborates with various stakeholders and University leadership in order to gain consensus regarding long-term health and welfare strategy. 
3.    Develops and leads major benefit initiatives from strategy, planning, design, and implementation that align with overall University business strategies. Recommends benefit plan and system changes to leadership. 
4.    Evaluates and compares existing company benefits with those of other employers by analyzing other plans, surveys and other sources of information. Plans, develops, and/or participates in area and industry surveys. Develops specific recommendations for review by management.
5.    Leads the evaluation of services available through insurance and investment companies to determine programs best meeting needs of organization.
6.    Develops census data and solicits insurance companies for quotations. Evaluates quotation and makes recommendations to management. Develops company cost information for new plans and makes premium cost share recommendations to management.
7.    Leads strategic negotiations with third party vendors, including directing the development of proposals.

Benefits Department Operations

8.    Leads benefit enrollment efforts, to include analysis and reporting on benefit enrollments and employee participation. Drafts written communications and enrollment materials, plan summary documents, and other media for communicating plans to employees. Ensures receipt of documents and process changes with vendors. 
9.    Directs day-to-day Benefits department operations, to include review of system benefits setups, processes and streamlining of administrative operations.
10.    Advises and guides management and employees on existing benefits.  Addresses benefits inquiries and complaints to ensure quick, equitable, courteous resolution, to include any needed service recovery. Serves as a liaison by maintaining contacts in person, and by phone or mail, with hospitals, physicians, insurance companies, employees, and beneficiaries to facilitate proper and complete utilization of benefits for all employees.
11.    Manages all benefits staff. Carries out supervisory responsibilities in accordance with the University’s policies and applicable law to include interviewing, hiring, and training employees; planning, assigning and directing work; appraising performance; rewarding and discipline employees; addressing and resolving problems.
12.     Serves as an internal expert to University leaders regarding benefit policies and procedures.  Establishes credibility with leadership and the employees with benefit related matters. 
13.    Oversees the preparation of reports and special projects as requested by the Associate Vice President of Total Rewards or University leadership. 
14.    Leads plan document re‐writes and amendments with actuaries, attorneys and appropriate University representatives in timely manner.
15.    Leads response to subpoenas requesting pension and life insurance information on individual employees. Appears at attorney’s offices or court proceedings, if subpoenaed.
16.    Develops and implements employee and leadership educational programs related to overall wellness including retirement/financial planning/budgeting/etc. 
17.    Prepares reports and participate in special projects, committees and other activities and duties. 
18.    Directs the coordination and dissemination of highly confidential and detailed information to faculty, staff, personal representatives, attorneys, and actuaries.
19.    Directs the preparation and distribution of the Total Rewards Statement for active employees and the distribution of individual deferred vested statements for terminated employees. 
 

 Benefits Compliance

Ensures company benefit programs are consistently administered in compliance with company policies and government regulations (i.e. Employee Retirement Income Security Act and the Affordable