BENEFITS SPECIALIST

New York, NY

DEPARTMENT: BENEFITS

REPORTS TO:  BENEFITS MANAGER

PURPOSE

MAJOR NYC LAW FIRM SEEKS BENEFITS SPECIALIST TO JOIN ITS BENEFITS TEAM. THIS INDIVIDUAL WILL REPORT DIRECTLY TO THE BENEFITS MANAGER AND WILL ASSIST IN THE OVERALL BENEFITS PROGRAM ADMINISTRATION FOR 2800 LAWYERS AND STAFF WORLDWIDE 

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

• ASSISTS WITH ORIENTATIONS OF NEW LAWYERS AND ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF
• HEAVY LEAVE ADMINISTRATION WHILE WORKING WITH VENDORS TO PROCESS AND TRACK CURRENT LOA’S UNDER NEW YORK STATE DISABILITY, WORKER’S COMPENSATION, FMLA AND PAID FAMILY LEAVE LAWS
• ASSISTS BENEFITS SUPERVISOR WITH RETIREMENT PLAN ADMINISTRATION AND AUDITS INCLUDING PREPARATION OF CONFIRMATION LETTERS AND SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION FOR SELECTED PARTICIPANTS, ETC.
• COMMUNICATES REGULARLY WITH EMPLOYEES AND ANSWERS QUESTIONS REGARDING BENEFITS, ENROLLMENTS, CHANGES, TERMINATIONS, SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES, PROBLEM RESOLUTION AND COMPLIANCE ISSUES.
• ASSISTS BENEFITS SUPERVISOR ON SPECIAL PROJECTS INCLUDING HRMS UPGRADES AND TESTING AND ACA TAX FORM PREPAPRATION
• ENGAGES IN HEAVY TELEPHONE CONTACT WITH PARTNERS, EMPLOYEES AND PROGRAM VENDORS
• PREPARES AND TRANSMITS ELIGIBILTY FILES AND PAYROLL DEDUCTION FILES TO VENDORS APPLICABLE TO THE HSA, FSA AND TRANSIT (ETRAC) PROGRAMS
• HEAVY DATA ENTRY, HRIS REPORTING AND FILE PREPARATION
• ASSISTS WITH YEAR END OPEN ENROLLMENT
• ASSISTS BENEFITS TEAM WITH AD HOC PROJECTS AS NEEDED 

QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE

• BA/BS DEGREE REQUIRED
• MINIMUM OF 5 YEARS’ EXPERIENCE IN BENEFITS OR RELATED AREAS, PREFERABLY IN PROFESSIONAL SERVICES
• HRMS, WORD, POWERPOINT; MUST HAVE VERY STRONG EXCEL SKILLS
• MUST BE KNOWLEDGEABLE IN NYS LEAVE LAWS, U.S. BENEFIT REGULATIONS, PLAN MANAGEMENT (HIPAA, PPACA, SECTION 125, COBRA, ACA).
• WORKDAY EXPERIENCE IS STRONGLY PREFERRED
• MUST HAVE STRONG HRIS USER KNOWLEDGE
• STRONG ORAL AND WRITTEN COMMUNICATIVE SKILLS
• STRONG INTERPERSONAL SKILLS DEMONSTRATING A POSITIVE, PERSONAL AND PROFESSIONAL IMAGE
• SOUND ANALYTICAL SKILLS AND A WILLINGNESS TO LOOK AT DATA IN DIFFERENT WAYS IN MULTIPLE ITERATIONS – MUST BE ABLE TO THINK ANALYTICALLY AND REALITY CHECK OTHERS’ WORK
• ABILITY TO HANDLE CONFIDENTIAL/SENSITIVE INFORMATION IN A TACTFUL AND DIPLOMATIC MANNER
• ABILITY TO MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS TO EFFECTIVELY RESOLVE PROBLEMS OR ISSUES, BY USING JUDGEMENT THAT IS CONSISTENT WITH STANDARDS, PRACTICES, POLICIES, PROCEDURES, REGULATION OR GOVERNMENT LAW
• STRONG ORGANIZATIONAL SKILLS, ACCURACY AND ATTENTION TO DETAIL
• PROACTIVE STYLE, TAKES INITIATIVE TO OVERCOME OBSTACLES
• ABILITY TO ADAPT READILY TO CHANGE; HIGH TOLERANCE FOR AMBIGUITY AND HIGH DEGREE OF FLEXIBILITY IN A FAST PACED ENVIRONMENT
• ABLE TO RESOLVE PROBLEMS BOTH WORKING INDEPENDENTLY AND IN TEAMS WITH OTHER BENEFITS DEPARTMENT STAFF