Benefits Analyst III

The Benefits Analyst provides experienced support for our client's U.S. Open Enrollment and core benefits operations. This role serves as a primary contact for employee benefits inquiries, manages leave administration, new-hire benefits, vendor billing, payroll-related files, and enrollment validation. The position requires independent execution, sound judgment, strong follow-through, and the ability to document processes while resolving operational issues and escalating risks.

Support U.S. Open Enrollment activities, including benefits platform testing, rate and eligibility validation, employee inquiries, dependent verification, approved communications, issue resolution, and post-enrollment reconciliation.

Manage enrollments for employees hired during Open Enrollment, ensuring accurate completion of both new-hire and next plan-year elections. Investigate and resolve enrollment, coverage, and payroll deduction discrepancies.

Review, reconcile, and approve vendor and retirement files for payroll processing, including benefit premiums, pre-tax elections, 401(k) contributions, loan repayments, and adjustments. Coordinate corrections with vendors and Payroll.

Administer assigned health, welfare, retirement, leave, and ancillary benefit programs while documenting processes and resolving operational issues.

Serve as the primary point of contact for employee benefits inquiries related to new hires, Open Enrollment, qualifying life events, and ongoing administration. Manage support tickets from intake through resolution and escrow complex matters as needed.

Coordinate benefits onboarding and offboarding activities, including orientations, enrollments, employee lifecycle transactions, communications, and system updates.

Manage day-to-day leave of absence administration, including employee communications, case tracking, vendor coordination, payroll impacts, HRIS updates, return-to-work milestones, and escalation of high-risk situations.

Monitor benefits systems and data feeds, identify discrepancies, and coordinate corrective actions with vendors and internal stakeholders.

Partner with Payroll to validate deductions, retirement contributions, leave-related pay activities, and recurring audits and reconciliations.

Support implementation of benefit plan changes, vendor updates, renewals, and related initiatives through testing, validation, communications, and operational execution.

Prepare and distribute employee benefits and wellbeing communications using approved content and established communication channels.

Support compliance, audits, and reporting requirements, including ACA, COBRA, retirement plan, Form 5500, required notices, and related activities.

Manage vendor billing and invoice administration, including invoice review, submission, follow-up, vendor setup, purchase order tracking, and record maintenance.

Document workflows and develop practical procedures for assigned processes, capturing key contacts, dependencies, open issues, and handoff requirements.

Collaborate with People Team members, Payroll, Finance, Procurement, vendors, and other stakeholders while supporting additional projects and initiatives as assigned.

Required:

Recent, hands-on experience supporting U.S. Open Enrollment, including live enrollment issue resolution, transitional new-hire and next-plan-year enrollments, and post-enrollment validation and reconciliation; ability to contribute immediately with minimal ramp-up.

Required:

Demonstrated experience managing high-volume employee benefits inquiries and support tickets, particularly during Open Enrollment, with strong customer service, problem-solving, ownership, and follow-through skills.

4+ years of progressive experience in employee benefits administration, including hands-on experience with U.S. health and welfare benefits, leave administration, retirement plans, and payroll-related benefits processes.

Working knowledge of U.S. benefits requirements and regulations, including ERISA, ACA, COBRA, HIPAA, FMLA, and related leave requirements.

Demonstrated ability to independently execute assigned operational responsibilities, learn unfamiliar workflows quickly, organize competing priorities, meet deadlines, and deliver accurate work in a fast-paced environment.

Strong problem-solving skills and judgment, including the ability to research issues, resolve matters within established authority,…