Job Description - Unclassified
Developed for Equal Opportunity

Assistant Manager, Employee Benefits

Class Code	Pay Grade	Position Group	FLSA	Status	Date Issued	Date Revised
UAS43	06-HR	1E	Exempt	Unclassified	01/26/2021

BASIC FUNCTION:

To assist in the management of personnel, projects and daily activities in the university benefits department. Serve as the project leader to plan, organize, coordinate and implement the university activities associated with eligibility and enrollment in the university-sponsored health plans, supplemental insurance, and retirement offerings. Work closely with Information Technology to ensure data integrity, including maximizing usage of report writing tools to generate reports needed for benefits and internal data audits. Assume responsibility for onboarding and training of benefits staff members and development of standard operating procedures for the department. Reports to Director, University Benefits.

EXAMPLES OF DUTIES/ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

Duties/essential functions may include, but not be limited to, the following:

Assist in managing the day-to-day operations of the benefits department, including assigning and monitoring workload for staff, monitoring cycle time, results, and patterns. Assist in monitoring assigned projects and priorities; monitor effective interaction with other university departments; serve as liaison with external vendors to resolve eligibility/file issues; provide regular metrics on department performance to the Director of University Benefits. Provide feedback to Director regarding staff performance, cross training, and professional development opportunities.

Serve as the project leader on assigned projects; plan, organize, coordinate and implement the university activities in the areas of benefit education, new hire and open enrollment, data integrity as it relates to eligibility, benefit-related deductions, supplemental insurance and retirement programs. Collaborate with appropriate divisional and cross divisional units to assess needs and delivery of appropriate programs (I.T., Payroll, HR Records, Employee Wellness, etc.).

Actively participate on various departmental, divisional, and University committees.

Assess issues from a variety of disciplines including policy and technology and make recommendations for process improvements.

Actively engage in personnel recommendations, established training and cross training of staff.

Review and establish standard operating procedures for primary functions of the benefits staff (i.e. death and disability claims handling, onboarding of new hires, open enrollment processes, 403B/457 enrollments/withdrawals, etc.).

Coordinate mass mailings and other employee communication to promote to health and benefit literacy.

Research and compile data to complete benefits-related reports and surveys.

Fulfill responsibilities of human resource management including equal opportunity, affirmative action, and employee development.

Attend meetings on behalf of the Director of University Benefits.

Perform related duties as assigned

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

Bachelor's degree in Human Resources Management or related field. Four years of professional Human Resource experience in the area of insurance/benefits administration.

License/Certification:

Not applicable.

Preferred Qualifications:

Not applicable.

Knowledge Of:

Relevant human resources/benefits laws and regulations (e.g., COBRA, HIPAA, FMLA, health care reform, etc.)

Skill In:

Strategic planning
Customer service orientation*
Benefits administration
Attention to detail
Analyzing and applying policies and procedures to specific situations*
Public speaking*
Verbal and written communication *
Utilizing Microsoft Office Suite and other applicable software*
Cognos/I.T. reporting tools
Adhering to deadlines

Ability To:

Provide leadership and direction
Work in a high volume and fast paced environment
Be results and people oriented
Work independently and as part of a team in a self-directed manner
Multi-task while prioritizing and managing multiple projects/priorities and assignments
Ability to read, interpret and apply context of legal documents, Ohio Revised Code and university policy
Adjust to unforeseen demands and priorities
Multi-task while managing multiple projects and assignments *
Perform operational, transaction and technical tasks within the HRIS system to design and administer employee benefits

Assessments:

Asterisk (*) indicates knowledge, skills, abilities which may require assessments. Assessments could take the form of interview questions, a request to provide work samples or a written or practical test to assess job related competencies.

Working Conditions/Physical Requirements:

None

Value Statement

Kent State University is committed to the creation and nurturing of a diverse community of individuals through inclusive excellence. Diversity involves recognizing the value of differences and the inclusion of all members of the community. This is a core value of the organization as we strive for a culturally diverse student body, faculty and staff that reflect the multicultural nature of Ohio, the nation, and our world.

The intent of this description is to illustrate the types of duties and responsibilities that will be required of positions given this title and should not be interpreted to describe all the specific duties and responsibilities that may be required in any particular position. Kent State University reserves the right to revise or change job duties, job hours, and responsibilities.