Benefits Specialist (Remote)

Overview:

Responsibilities:

Benefit Administration & Operations

• Supports day-to- day administration of health & welfare and retirement benefit programs.
• Monitors day-to-day vendor management, including escalations, performance monitoring, and service delivery reviews.
• Ensures timely and accurate processing of enrollments, changes, terminations, and life events. Includes monitoring payroll deductions.
• Partners with HR, Payroll, and third-party vendors to resolve complex benefit matters.
• Ensures compliance with ERISA, ACA, COBRA, HIPAA, Section 125, and other federal/state regulations.
• Coordinates preparation and posting of required notices (e.g. SPD, SBC, 1095-C, COBRA notices).
• Assists with management and monitoring of the Benefits mailbox, while ensuring timely, accurate, and professional responses to employee’s inquiries.
• Handles requests related to enrollments, eligibility, life event changes, payroll deductions, and retirement plan questions.
• Supports audits (internal and external, 401(k), ACA) and regulatory filings including Form 5500.
• Maintain plan documentation and ensure alignment with plan design and policy.
• Analyze benefits utilization, trends, and cost data; prepare reports and dashboards for leadership.
• Lead or support annual open enrollment planning and execution.

 

401(k) & Retirement Plan Management:

• Serves as subject matter expert (SME) for retirement plan questions and administration.
• 401(k) administration - Monitor participation rates, deferral trends, employer match utilization, and plan engagement.
• Assists with nondiscrimination testing (ADP/ACP), compliance activities, and audit support.
• Coordinates with recordkeepers and payroll to resolve eligibility and contribution discrepancies.
• Strong knowledge of: ERISA and fiduciary responsibilities, Safe Harbor plan structures, Employer match formulas, IRS and DOL regulations.
• Familiarity with recordkeeper platforms and retirement plan administration processes.

 

Benefits Data Analysis & Metrics Development:

• Tracks, categorize, and analyze employee inquiries to develop actionable operational metrics, including: Volume trends, Response time and service levels, Recurring issues and root causes
• Develops monthly and quarterly dashboards summarizing benefit performance and service data.
• Analyze enrollment, participation, and cost trends across benefit programs.
• Reconciles vendor reports with payroll and internal data to ensure accuracy.
• Identifies process improvement opportunities based on data insights.
• Summarizes plan performance: Present operational metrics and Highlight cost and participation trends

 

Employee Support & Communication

• Provides compassionate, high-quality service to employees.

• Maintains timely, professional, and accurate communication using phone, email, and vendor platforms.

• Develops and deliver benefit communications and educational materials.

• Provides escalated support for complex employee benefits inquiries.

• Assists with benefits training sessions and information meetings as needed.

Qualifications:

Basic Qualifications (Required Skills & Experience)

• Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Finance, Human Resources, related field, or equivalent combination of education, training, and experience is required.

• 5-8 years’ experience of progressive benefits administration and analysis.

• Experience managing employee benefit inquiries in a high-volume environment.

• Experienced with Workday HCM and third-party benefits applications.

• Advanced analytical skills with proficiency using Microsoft Office (Outlook, Word, Excel, Teams) and reporting tools.

 

Other Qualifications & Desired Competencies

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills to collaborate and develop partnerships across multiple functional areas, with vendors, and with all team members.

• Effective time management, strong project management and organizational skills.

• Strong initiative and drive to accomplish goals and meet company objectives.

• Self-directed with the ability to adapt to rapidly changing priorities.

• Consistently exhibits good judgment and discretion when dealing with sensitive information.
• Takes ownership and responsibility for current and past work products.
• Experience in a Technology, Engineering and/or Aerospace and Defense company is preferred.
• Attention to detail, follow-through, a sense of urgency, strong teamwork, collaborative skills, and a demonstrated ability to manage multiple benefits projects with competing demands in a growing organization is required.