Benefits Configuration- Project Lead

Position Summary
The Benefits Configuration Workstream Project Lead is responsible for leading the implementation, governance, and operational transition of healthcare benefits configuration initiatives. This role serves as the primary liaison between business stakeholders, configuration teams, offshore resources, and executive leadership, ensuring alignment across work streams while driving implementation success, operational readiness, and ongoing governance.
The ideal candidate possesses a strong understanding of healthcare payer operations, benefits administration, benefits configuration, and program execution. They are highly organized, analytical, and capable of managing complex implementation efforts while communicating effectively with executive leadership and business stakeholders. This individual will lead benefits configuration work streams, support a critical operational transition from Accenture resources, coordinate offshore teams, and drive the successful execution of benefits implementation initiatives.

Key Responsibilities
Program & Workstream Leadership

• Own and manage implementation plans, milestones, dependencies, risks, and transition activities for benefits configuration initiatives.
• Maintain workstream roadmaps, status reporting, governance documentation, and transition trackers.
• Monitor project progress and proactively identify and mitigate implementation risks and operational issues.
• Drive coordination across onshore and offshore configuration teams to ensure consistent execution and delivery.
• Lead operational transition activities and knowledge transfer efforts associated with the October 2026 workstream transition.

Benefits Configuration Management

• Establish and maintain governance processes for benefits configuration inventories and documentation.
• Ensure configuration documentation remains accurate, current, and compliant with organizational standards.
• Support change control processes, impact assessments, and implementation readiness activities.
• Partner with operational, technical, and testing teams to improve configuration management practices and workflow efficiency.
• Coordinate configuration changes, exception processing, and testing efforts across multiple stakeholders.

Stakeholder Engagement & Executive Communication

• Serve as a key point of contact for business leaders, operational teams, and project stakeholders.
• Facilitate cross-functional meetings, issue resolution sessions, and decision-making forums.
• Develop executive-level status reports, dashboards, presentations, and communications.
• Translate operational, technical, and implementation challenges into clear business impacts and recommendations.
• Provide regular updates to executive leadership, Sales, Account Management, and other business groups.

Analytics & Reporting

• Utilize advanced Excel capabilities to manage source documentation, reporting, and benefits tracking activities.
• Create and maintain complex spreadsheets, formulas, functions, pivot tables, and reporting dashboards.
• Analyze configuration-related data to identify trends, risks, and opportunities.
• Develop recommendations for process improvements based on data-driven insights and stakeholder feedback.
• Support ongoing optimization and continuous improvement initiatives across benefits configuration work streams.

Required Qualifications

• 5+ years of experience in healthcare payer operations, benefits administration, benefits configuration, healthcare business analysis, project management, or related functions.
• Healthcare payer or health insurance industry experience required.
• Experience leading cross-functional projects or work streams in a matrixed environment.
• Strong program and project management capabilities.
• Demonstrated experience coordinating onshore and offshore teams.
• Advanced Excel skills including pivot tables, formulas, functions, reporting, and data analysis.
• Experience developing executive-facing communications, presentations, and status reporting.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Excellent stakeholder management, collaboration, and communication skills.
• Proven ability to manage multiple priorities and drive successful outcomes in a fast-paced enterprise environment.

Preferred Qualifications

• Benefits configuration experience within a healthcare payer environment.
• Experience with Health Rules and/or healthcare benefits administration platforms.
• Experience supporting implementation, migration, or transformation programs.
• Familiarity with SharePoint for documentation management and collaboration.
• Experience working closely with testing and QA teams.
• PMP, Lean Six Sigma, CBAP, or related project management/business analysis certification preferred.
• PM or Senior Business Analyst background strongly preferred.