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Benefits Specialist

Augusta, ME (http://maps.google.com/maps?q=150+State+Street+Augusta+ME+USA+04332)

Description

POSITION SUMMARY:The Benefits Specialist at Kennebec Savings Bank is responsible for managing and administering the bank’s employee benefits programs. This includes health, retirement, leave, wellness, and other benefit plans. The Benefits Specialist will play a crucial role in ensuring that the bank’s benefit offerings align with the industry standards and meet the diverse needs of our workforce.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

Benefits Program Management:Administer and oversee the bank’s employee benefits programs, including insurance plans for health, dental, vision, FSA, life insurance, disability, leaves, retiree benefits, COBRA, death claims and partnership on wellness plans. Coordinates and processes employee enrollments, elections, and terminations from plans.

Facilitate and coordinate the entire annual open enrollment process, including communication, training materials, and vendor participation.

Stay up to date with industry trends and best practices in benefits administration to ensure the bank remains competitive. Explore options for new benefit offerings and ways to control and/or reduce benefit costs for both KSB and the employees through funding strategies such as self-insurance, captives and other benefit alternatives.

Retirement Plan Administration:Manages the administration of the bank’s 401k Retirement Plan. Partners with the bank’s third-party plan administrator for regulatory compliance, audits, and record keeping.

Coordinates the ongoing enrollments based on eligibility, vesting, and required distributions. Processes loans, QDIA’s, terminations and mailings for the plan.

Maintain and update records of retirement plan and 401K plan participants; communicate with retirement plan and 401K plan participants as appropriate; prepare monthly, quarterly, and annual plan reports.

Retiree Benefits:Serve as the primary point of contact for benefit related inquiries from our retiree population. Facilitate annual benefit enrollment for Medicare, prescription plan and reimbursement plan.

Enrollment and Onboarding:Coordinate benefit enrollment and orientation processes for new hires, ensuring timely and accurate submission of required documentation.

Leave Administration:Processes and administers all leave-of-absence and disability requests for: medical, personal, disability, and FMLA, and MPFML.

Effectively interprets FMLA and ADA implications as they relate to leaves of absence, disabilities and reasonable accommodations.

Coordination of worker’s compensation claims to include filing of first reports, working with insurance carrier/manager/employee, determining a return to work, and applicable accommodations.

Processes unemployment benefit claims and maintains files for recipients.

Administers the annual PTO calendar for employee vacations, personal and sick leave.

Compliance and Reporting:Ensure compliance with all applicable laws and regulations governing employee benefits, including but not limited to ERISA, ACA, ADA, and HIPAA. Coordination of annual 5500 filing.

Vendor Management:Collaborate with benefit providers, insurers, and brokers to negotiate contracts, resolve service issues, and optimize plan offerings. Reconcile and process applicable invoices by partnering with payroll and accounting staff. Process the required vendor management risk assessments for all benefit plans.

Record Keeping and Documentation:Maintain accurate and confidential records related to employee benefits, ensuring compliance with data protection regulations.

Policy Development and Review:Participate in the development and review of bank policies and procedures related to employee benefits, ensuring alignment with organizational goals and industry standards.

Payroll:Provide accurate and timely leave records and premium deduction information to the Payroll Administrator for processing. Maintain documentation of payroll records for retention purposes. Support managers with timecard management and assist employees with their questions regarding payroll matters and benefit deductions.

Partner with KSB Payroll staff for the coordination between vendors for the preparation and distribution of annual total compensation statements to all employees.

Comply with all applicable state and federal banking and employment regulations and all Bank operating policies and procedures.

Meet or exceed performance standards and objectives established for the Benefits Specialist position.

Support Bank products/services:Maintain knowledge of current KSB products and services. Actively utilize as many Bank products and services as possible in order to fully understand their features and benefits and to be able to communicate effectively with customers and prospective customers.

Talk to customers and listen for “cues and clues” to determine needs; respond to customer inquiries and evaluate their needs; suggest Bank products/services to customers to meet their needs; make referrals to other Bank personnel as appropriate.

Community/public relations:Actively participate in community organizations and events. Represent the Bank in the community.

Other outside activities:Actively participate in industry trade group meetings, benefit committees, and educational programs to remain abreast of current issues and requirements affecting Bank operations and job performance.

Other duties:Demonstrate reliable attendance and punctuality. Attend and participate in Bank meetings. Attend internal and external training to improve skills and knowledge relevant to the benefits administrator position.

Understand and fully comply with Kennebec Savings Bank’sCore Values.

Perform other duties as required.

POSITIONS REPORTING TO THIS POSITION:

+ None

Requirements

EDUCATION/EXPERIENCE REQUIRED:

+ Bachelor's degree or higher and/or equivalent work experience.

+ 3 to 5 years of benefits administration required.

+ CEBS designation is desirable. SPHR/PHR, SHRM-SCP or SHRM-CP a plus.

+ Self-Insurance experience preferred.

+ Computer literate, with specific experience and high-level understanding of word processing and spreadsheet applications, benefit portals, and human resources information systems.

+ Must be able to deal with people in a confidential, supportive manner in person and by telephone.

+ Experience in making presentations to groups.

OTHER REQUIREMENTS:

+ Must possess a valid driver’s license, the use of a serviceable automobile that is properly registered and proper liability automobile insurance as required by state law.

+ Must have strong written communications skills, including letter and report-writing ability.

+ Must have strong verbal communications and be comfortable and clear in presenting information in 1-1 and group settings.

+ Must have strong analytical and critical thinking skills.

+ Must be able to prioritize and organize workflow; must have good attention to detail; must be able to handle multiple jobs.

+ Must have the ability to think through a problem, using independent judgment and following proper steps in finding resolution.

+ Must have a high degree of ethics and maintain confidentiality of customers and accounts.

+ Must be friendly, courteous, and sensitive to the needs of customers and coworkers.

+ Must be able to use the telephone to converse with customers for extended periods of time; must be able to communicate clearly by telephone; must have good listening ability and skills.

+ Must be able to lift boxes of approximately 20 pounds.

+ Must be able to read and work with computer print-out reports.

+ Must be able to stand or sit for extended periods of time while waiting on customers.

+ Must be able to spend extended periods of time operating a computer keyboard and working at a computer monitor.