POSITION IDENTIFICATION
TITLE Assistant Director of Human Resources, Benefits
CLASSIFICATION NUMBER 1336
GRADE 45
CLASSIFICATION Exempt
IMMEDIATE SUPERVISOR Director of Human Resources
GENERAL FUNCTION
The Assistant Director, Human Resources - Benefits provides a full range of human resource benefits management services and develops, monitors, and implements employee, fringe, and voluntary benefits programs for University faculty and staff. The Assistant Director, Human Resources - Benefits has specific responsibilities in the areas of health insurance, dental, vision, long-term disability insurance, life insurance, flexible spending accounts, leaves of absence, workers ’ compensation benefits, and the Family & Medical Leave Act (FMLA). The Assistant Director, Human Resources – Benefits leads the annual open enrollment cycle for benefits and serves as benefits subject matter expert providing expertise for benefit program strategy, design, policy interpretation, and implementation. The Assistant Director, Human Resources – Benefits performs functional and transactional duties in the benefits area as needed, including system transactions, testing, audits, and processing. The Assistant Director, Human Resources – Benefits interprets and applies federal and state guidelines, regulations and laws appropriately and in a manner that is consistent with University policies and procedures.
MINIMUM ACCEPTABLE QUALIFICATIONS
Education: A Bachelor's degree in Human Resource Management, Business Administration, Management or a related field is required.
Experience: At least three years of progressively responsible human resources management or benefits administration experience with an emphasis on employee fringe benefits programs and laws is required. Supervisory experience or experience coordinating the work of employees is required. Experience with Microsoft Office Suite, the ability to create presentations and reports, and the ability to learn new and emerging software are required. Experience with Banner, Colleague, PeopleSoft, online benefits enrollment platforms, or similar systems is preferred.
Skills: A demonstrated commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusion is required. A demonstrated ability to work and communicate effectively with all constituencies of a diverse university community is required. Outstanding leadership and management skills are required. An understanding of automated management information systems is required. A sound knowledge of relevant federal, state, and local government regulations and equal opportunity policies is required. An aptitude for balancing multiple priorities with strong organization, time management, and prioritization skills are required. The ability to self-direct, self-pace, multi-task and function well under the pressure of deadlines and conflicting priorities is required. Must be a self-starter, comfortable working in a busy and deadline-oriented office. Computer literacy and technical aptitude are required. The ability to develop knowledge of, respect for, and skills to engage with those of other cultures or backgrounds is required.
Certification: Certified Employee Benefit Specialist (CEBS) designation, CP or SCP certification through the Society for Human Resource management (SHRM) or Professional in Human Resources (PHR) or Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) or related certification is preferred. Life insurance or other benefits related licensing beneficial.
ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
1. Manages and administers the University’s employee group health care plans by being knowledgeable of the various components and changing scope of health care plans.2. Serves as the University’s contact person for all matters related to health care plans and works with the third party administrator and the employee benefits consultant in the design of benefits offered under such plans.
3. Serves as liaison with the third party administrator and the contracted health care provider, assists employees with health care plan issues, represents the University’s position on health care matters, and resolves health care matters in the University’s and its employees’ best interests.
4. Chairs the Claims Review Committee and the Health Care Plans and Benefits Committee, recommends changes in the health care plan design, and keeps the administration informed on all matters relating to the employee group health care plans.
5. Prepares Board of Governors’ resolutions, reports, charts, tables, and memoranda, responds to State of Missouri fiscal notes on health care matters, makes presentations to the Board of Governors as needed, serves as the HIPAA Privacy Officer for the health care plan, and makes presentations to Staff and Faculty Senate and other groups as requested.
6. Works with the University’s purchasing department in the development and distribution of Requests for Proposals (RFP) and identifies potential vendors for employee fringe benefits services and programs including life and long-term disability insurances, health care plan third party administration services, direct contracts for discounted medical services from major providers, employee benefits consulting services, re-insurance (stop-loss) for the employee group medical plan, and long-term care insurance.
7. Forms and leads selection committees to review responses from vendors, briefs the Director of Human Resources, Administrative Council, and President on the recommended vendor, and works with the selected vendor to implement the program.
8. Informs the University community on relevant issues regarding benefits programs, writes a variety of communication pieces for distribution to faculty, staff, and retirees, assures information related to fringe benefits is available and accessible to employees on the Human Resources website, serves as an ex officio member of the Healthcare Plans and Benefits committee and Shared Leave committee, and addresses various University constituencies on fringe and voluntary benefit topics.
9. Assists employees who suffer the effects of a disability so they can receive disability insurance benefits by meeting with such employees and explaining the benefits provided under the University’s long-term disability insurance plan and serving as liaison with the long-term disability insurance carrier to ensure appropriate handling of the claim.
10. Manages the University’s Family & Medical Leave Act (FMLA) program by remaining current on changes in the law governing FMLA, explaining the requirements and benefits of FMLA, monitoring the database of FMLA applications, ensuring coordination among various departments affected by the leave, and serving as approval authority for FMLA leave.
11. Manages the University’s Workers’ Compensation program by remaining current on laws affecting workers compensation benefits, explaining the requirements and benefits of the workers’ compensation program, reviewing workers’ compensation cases and providing direction in resolving questions, and ensuring coordination among various departments affected by the employee’s absence from work.
12. Provides direct supervision by establishing both short-term and long-term goals and objectives, evaluates performance in attainment of those goals and objectives, provides direction and/or resolves issues or questions brought forth by support staff regarding various benefits programs, and directs the maintenance of relevant records and files for each program.
13. Provides retirement counseling to employees.
14. Assists in the resolution of benefits-related issues by meeting with concerned parties to discuss and advise as needed and coordinates appropriate fact-finding and investigations to resolve those issues.
15. Designs and develops new processes to improve the efficiency of departmental operations and recommends new approaches to effect continual improvement of processes and operations.
16. Analyzes current benefit programs, researches best practices, determines areas for improvement related to better utilization and cost effectiveness, and recommends design, budget, and implementation strategies for benefit programs.
17. Prepares statistical studies and reports of employee benefit program activities and provides information for projects and publications by compiling and analyzing data from personnel records, data systems, and benefits reports.
18. Contributes to a work environment that encourages knowledge of, respect for, and development of skills to engage with those of other cultures or backgrounds.
19. Remains competent and current through self-directed professional reading, developing professional contacts with colleagues, attending professional development courses, and attending training and/or courses as directed by the Director of Human Resources.
20. Contributes to the overall success of the Office of Human Resources by performing all other duties and responsibilities as assigned.
SUPERVISION
The Assistant Director, Human Resources - Benefits supervises employee benefit staff, and makes recommendations that are given particular weight regarding the hiring, firing, advancement, promotion, and other changes of status of those supervised.
OFFICE OF HUMAN RESOURCES
REVISED SEPTEMBER 2023
