Benefits & Wellness Manager

The purpose of this classification is to plan, implement, maintain, and administer a broad range of benefits and services to County employees.  These benefits include retirement, medical, dental, life, disability insurances, medical leaves and health and wellness program and initiatives. Oversees contractual operations of the Employee Health and Wellness Center.

The following duties are normal for this position.  The omission of specific statements of the duties does not exclude them from the classification if the work is similar, related, or a logical assignment for this classification.  Other duties may be required and assigned.

Supervises, directs, and evaluates assigned staff, processing employee concerns and problems, directing work, counseling, disciplining, and completing employee performance appraisals.  Trains subordinate staff in job duties and responsibilities.  

Plans, organizes, and coordinates operations/activities of various wellness and benefit programs; provides assistance and guidance to Director and Department heads to ensure proper administration of benefits programs.

Establishes goals, standards and objectives; develops and administers benefits policies and procedures; ensures provision of services is in compliance with policy, Federal and state laws, rules and regulations.

Receives and audits invoices from benefit program providers.

Determines employee eligibility for benefit programs.

Schedules, coordinates and/or conducts initial employee benefits enrollment, instructs new hires in completion of benefit enrollment; distributes completed benefit information to appropriate providers and staff.

Designs, develops and distributes communication tools to enhance employees’ understanding of the County’s benefits packages.

Plans, coordinates and implements various enrollment and benefit meetings.

Administers the County’s retirement programs including Defined Benefit Retirement Program, 401K plan and 457 (b) plan.

Interprets, explains, applies, and ensures compliance with all applicable federal, state, and local policies, procedures, laws, rules, regulations, and standards initiates any actions necessary to correct deviations or violations; researches relevant labor laws at state/federal level to clarify issues and ensure compliance as they relate to human resources administration and enforcement.

Assists Director in planning, directing, managing, and administering comprehensive benefit programs for the County; performs the duties of Director in absence of same or as otherwise assigned; assists the Director in the enforcement of County policies, advises on proper, correct, and consistent policy implementation to all County employees and/or department heads, including Executive management and Board of Commissioners.

Consults with Director or other executive management to review department operations/activities, review/resolve problems, receive advice/direction, and provide recommendations; provides assistance and advisement to Director as appropriate.

Provides information, guidance, and assistance to County officials, directors, managers, supervisors, employees, the public, or other individuals regarding personnel issues, employment, employee relations, policies and policy interpretations, procedures, timeframes, forms, or other issues responds to questions/complaints, research problems, and initiates problem resolution.

Assists in developing, recommending, updating, and implementing personnel policies and procedures.

Assists Director with establishing annual budget and controlling expenditures for benefit and wellness programs in accordance with adopted budget.   Monitor service contracts and ensures vendor service deliverables and appropriate invoicing.

Represents the department by attendings meetings, delivering presentations and training, serves on committees and participates in professional associations. 

Maintains confidentiality of departmental issues and documentation.

Maintains a comprehensive, current knowledge of applicable laws/regulations; reads professional literature; maintains professional affiliations; attends workshops and training sessions as appropriate.

Receives various forms, reports, correspondence, equipment operating manuals, procedures, handbooks, reference materials, manuals, or other documentation; reviews, completes, processes, forwards or retains as appropriate.

Operates a personal computer and other general office equipment as necessary to complete essential functions, to include the use of word processing, spreadsheet, database, or other system software.

Communicates with director, department heads and managers, County officials, employees, attorneys, government agencies, vendors, the public, and other individuals as needed to coordinate work activities, review status of work, exchange information, or resolve problems; responds to requests for service or assistance.

ADDITIONAL FUNCTIONS

Performs general/clerical tasks, which may include answering telephone calls, making copies, sending/receiving faxes, filing documentation, or processing incoming/outgoing mail.

Provides assistance to other employees or departments as needed.

Performs other related duties as required.

Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university in Human Resources Management, Business Administration, or closely related field; supplemented by four (4) years previous experience and/or training that includes progressively responsible human resources administration, benefits administration, employee relations, employment law, compensation, employment services; or any equivalent combination of education, training, and experience which provides the requisite knowledge, skills, and abilities for this job.   PHR certification is preferred but not required.