Job Description

Oversees the Universityâ™s medical, dental and pre-tax benefits plans.  Manages programs with thorough knowledge of applicable legal and regulatory requirements, generating necessary reporting, analysis and administration of health and welfare programs. Provides consultative services to Office of Human Resources (OHR), University stakeholders and committees on any health and welfare benefit related area. Relies on experience and judgment to plan and execute goals . 

• Health and welfare benefit programs: Designs, develops, implements, communicates and analyzes medical, dental and pre-tax benefits programs for active employees and retirees. Researches higher education benchmarking and plan data, analyzes results, and makes recommendations. Actively participates in benefit-related initiatives representing the interests of the University of Minnesota. 
• Vendor selection and management: Negotiates with assigned vendors, including benefits provided; costs; performance guarantees and expectations; identification of systems requirements; etc. Works with vendors to define working relationships, makes sure appropriate systems are established, guarantees the Universityâ™s objectives are met, and ensures that monitoring and reporting processes are in place.  Leads project teams.
• Financial modeling: Works closely with the University Budget office and the Health Programs finance team to provide financial models of proposed policies and benefit plan designs.  Works with data warehouse vendor when appropriate.
• Compliance: Works closely with the compliance consultant to ensure medical, dental and pre-tax benefit programs are in regulatory and legal compliance. Maintains and provides oversight of health and welfare benefit rules, regulations, policies, and conducts financial analysis and validation for required reporting. 
• Consultative services: Provides in-depth and complex problem resolution for employees, human resource staff, and managers by utilizing specific knowledge of health and welfare programs, products, benefit costs and technology. Makes benefit subject matter expertise available to human resource staff.  
• Communication: Partners with OHR Communications and OHR Benefits Counseling to develop and implement communications and education strategy that brings practical understanding of benefits to our employees, retirees, and their family members in simplified terms.
• Change Management:  Significant leader and partner in preparing change management plans for significant benefit changes and introductions.
• Special Projects: Completes special projects related Total Rewards as assigned.  This may include projects such as HR policy review, benchmarking/survey completion, etc.

Mostly remote but will require a handful of on-sight meetings

Minimum Requirements 

• Bachelor's degree in a business-related field
• Minimum of 6 years of progressively responsible benefits or compliance reporting experience.
• Experience includes knowledge of benefit issues, trends and practices or ability to report health and welfare activities into regulatory compliance. 
• Competencies-Skills (Required): 
  • Basic Competencies
  • Strong analytical, problem solving and project management skills required. 
  • Strong Microsoft Excel skills.
  • Strong communication skills with all levels of the organization. 
  • Ability to work independently and collaboratively in a team environment. 
  • Ability to foster positive partnering relationships among University stakeholders, governance committees, benefits team, OHR, University HR partners, Finance, IT, and carrier/vendor partners. 
  • Capable to see large picture as well as granularity of a situation/project 
  • Negotiating skills: good sense of timing, gains trust quickly, settles differences with minimum noise, skillful in tough situations.
  • Capable decision-maker

Experience-Education (Preferred): 

• Masterâ™s in Business, Public Health, Healthcare Administration or other related field
• Professional benefits certification or demonstrated work toward certification, from a recognized professional or educational organization is preferred. (i.e.: CEBS, CBP)
• Experience with HRMS system and outsourced benefits administrator 
• PeopleSoft experience

About University of Minnesota Twin Cities

The University of Minnesota, founded in the belief that all people are enriched by understanding, is dedicated to the advancement of learning and the search for truth; to the sharing of this knowledge through education for a diverse community; and to the application of this knowledge to benefit the people of the state, the nation, and the world.

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