WHAT DOES AN EMPLOYEE BENEFITS SPECIALIST DO?

Updated: Jun 02, 2025 - The Employee Benefits Specialist provides technical and operational input during the creation of unit strategies and objectives while implementing and coordinating systems and procedures to achieve these goals. This position conducts research on best practices, stays updated on trends and regulations, and analyzes compensation data to ensure competitive and fair salary structures. Additionally, the role involves evaluating existing benefit programs, proposing improvements, and collaborating with HR to manage job descriptions, classifications, and employee needs assessments.

A Review of Professional Skills and Functions for Employee Benefits Specialist

1. Employee Benefits Specialist Duties

  • Team Management: Manage systems and activities required for successful teams
  • Supervision: Ultimately supervise 3-10 individuals
  • Training Oversight: Oversee training of team members
  • System Implementation: Implement and manage systems among teams
  • Management Development: Participate in weekly management-development meetings
  • Administrative Support: Handle and process paperwork and other administrative duties
  • Account Management: Work with existing accounts as well as create new business accounts
  • Customer Service: Ensure clients receive great customer service regarding individual benefits packages
  • Benefits Enrollment: Performs the enrollment process (e.g., new hires/adds/status changes/terms) for the benefits program and ensures that the benefits data and information is collected and managed in the firm’s Human Resources Information Systems and relevant spreadsheets
  • Inquiries Handling: Primary point of contact to answer inquiries regarding the benefits plans (e.g., eligibility, forms, customer service number, general plan questions)
  • Education and Communication: Educates participants by providing clear and complete information
  • Data Entry: Performing entry of benefits information into the Human Resources Information System, various excel tracking spreadsheets, and systems requiring a high level of accuracy
  • COBRA Administration: Performs all facets of COBRA administration (e.g., billing, enrollments, and production of communications)
  • Payroll Adjustment: Processes qualified status changes and payroll adjustments

2. Employee Benefits Specialist Details

  • Benefits Program Administration: Administer all company benefit programs and packages including medical, dental, vision, life, disability, and COBRA
  • Open Enrollment Support: Support the annual Open Enrollment process and all relevant communications
  • Benefits Inquiry Management: Research general questions on benefits and leave of absence, policies and procedures, band ecome a key source of knowledge to answer employee questions regarding company benefits
  • Payroll Collaboration: Work closely with the payroll team to conduct audits
  • Premium and Deduction Accuracy: Ensure that benefit premiums and deductions are being processed accurately
  • Life Events Processing: Process employee Life Events in a timely manner
  • Documentation Management: Collect and approve appropriate documentation
  • COBRA Enrollment Management: Manage the COBRA enrollment process and partner and notification
  • Leave Tracking and Coordination: Tracking and coordinating FMLA, and company leaves, including managing the collection of benefit premiums for employees on leave of absence
  • Invoice Processing: Process monthly invoices from insurance providers
  • Platform Maintenance: Maintain current forms and information on the company's new benefit admin platform
  • Communication Development: Preparing and developing communications and educational material for benefits for all the insured employees
  • Regulatory Compliance: Ensure that company practices are compliant with HIPAA and Affordable Care Act regulations and requirements
  • Onboarding Assistance: Assist VP of HR with the onboarding process

3. Employee Benefits Specialist Responsibilities

  • Leave Management: Process leave of absence, maintain up-to-date leave files and provide leave reports
  • Record Keeping: Maintain employee benefit files and other record-keeping
  • Benefits Enrollment: Enroll new employees in benefit plans and coordinate benefits orientation with the vendor
  • Retirement Documentation: Process retirement documentation and participate in retirement education initiatives
  • Orientation Design: Design and Participate in New Employee Orientation on company benefits
  • Benefit Communication: Provides benefit materials and presents benefit plan changes to employees
  • Vendor Coordination: Communicate and coordinate benefit changes to the appropriate vendor for processing
  • Vendor Management: Maintain vendor contacts to investigate discrepancies and provide information in non-routine situations
  • Benefit Claims Support: Provide vendors with appropriate documentation for life, retirement, and disability benefits claims
  • Census Information Management: Processes requests for census information and provides benefit reports
  • Compliance Notices Distribution: Distribute required notices regarding benefits or health care
  • Wellness Coordination: Coordinate wellness on benefit education initiatives
  • HR Communication Support: Participate in HR communication activities and benefit from webinars when scheduled
  • Event Planning: Participate in the planning of Benefit or Wellness Events
  • Front Desk Support: Provide support to the front desk in operating the telephone system in an efficient, courteous, and professional manner in accordance with the Organization’s standards

4. Employee Benefits Specialist Job Summary

  • Client Relationship Management: In conjunction with the Consultants, manage the client relationship with client service activities
  • Leadership: In partnership with the Consultants, provide technical and non-technical leadership throughout all phases of the client service life cycle (plan, design, integrate, install, manage)
  • Strategic Planning: Strategic approach for new and renewing plans for small and large groups
  • Project Management: Pre-renewal and renewal timelines, project plans, meetings and
  • Renewal and Marketing Process: Renewal, RFP and marketing process, including marketing with carriers, carrier selection, plan design, and financial negotiations
  • Wellness Program Implementation: Partner with the Consultants and Health & Risk Consultant to assist in the implementation of Wellness Programs
  • Event Coordination: Partner with Health Risk Consultant to coordinate client Wellness Events
  • Service Plan Development: Work with Consultants to develop, prepare and deliver the client’s annual service plan and ensure successful execution
  • Client Support: Serve as the main client contact for issues or activities that the customer encounters with benefits programs and services
  • Client Relationship Development: Maintain regular interactions with clients to develop client relationships as well as to identify client’s needs in order to assist and guide on plan administration, claims, and compliance
  • Staff Coaching and Mentoring: Coach, mentor, and train the support staff (Account Assistants and/or Account Coordinators)
  • Carrier Relationship Management: Develop mutually beneficial relationships with insurance carriers to generate optimal results for clients

5. Employee Benefits Specialist Accountabilities

  • Strategic Input: Provide technical and operational input during the drafting of the unit strategy and objectives
  • System and Procedure Coordination: Implement and coordinate systems and procedures
  • Resource Allocation: Determine, request and allocate assets and resources for the fulfilment of objectives
  • Research and Best Practices: Conduct research into best practices and demonstrate advanced knowledge in the area of expertise/specialization
  • Industry Awareness: Stay up to date on developments, trends, legislation and regulations
  • Compensation Strategy: Create a consistent compensation guideline that matches work and organizational culture
  • Market Research: Conduct salary and labor market research to define benchmarks
  • Compensation Trend Analysis: Researching compensation trends and reviewing compensation surveys
  • Pay Structure Analysis: Assessing the organization’s pay structure and perform analysis and recommendation of salary scales
  • Employee Needs Assessment: Assess employees' needs by conducting organizational surveys
  • Communication Strategy: Apply effective communication strategies regarding compensation and benefits
  • Job Description and Classification: Create, analyze and review job descriptions, evaluations and classifications in collaboration with HR Manager
  • Job Grading Management: Responsible for facilitating and monitoring the job grading committee
  • Benefit Program Evaluation: Evaluating existing benefit programs and proposing changes, as well as developing new programs
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