Department: Human Resources-SMS
Division: NA
Location: .Springfield
Job Category: Business
Overview:
The primary purpose of this position is to collaborate with team members to attend to employee benefits matters for the School of Medicine. This position coordinates employee benefit data management for employees at all levels of the organization. The incumbent in this position will cross-train with other team members on all matters, however, serves as the team point of contact for employee insurance benefit elections, changes, and offboarding. This requires timely communication, entry and updates to applicable systems both internally and externally, as well as reviewing reports and resolving discrepancies. This position also maintains functional responsibility for the organization’s educational benefits of tuition reimbursement and waivers.
Salary: $3,773.08/month
CIVIL SERVICE POSITION DESCRIPTION
INCUMBENT: CIVIL SERVICE #:CLASSIFICATION: Human Resources Officer DATE IN CLASS:
TITLE: Benefits Business Partner I DIVISION: Benefits
DEPARTMENT: Office of Human Resources FLSA STATUS: Exempt
Function
The primary purpose of this position is to collaborate with team members to attend to employee benefits matters
for the School of Medicine. This position coordinates employee benefit data management for employees at all
levels of the organization. The incumbent in this position will cross-train with other team members on all
matters, however, serves as the team point of contact for employee insurance benefit elections, changes, and
offboarding. This requires timely communication, entry and updates to applicable systems both internally and
externally, as well as reviewing reports and resolving discrepancies. This position also maintains functional
responsibility for the organization’s educational benefits of tuition reimbursement and waivers.
Organizational Relationship
This position works under the general supervision of the Director of Employee Benefits who reports to the
Executive Director of Human Resources who reports to the Dean and Provost for the School of Medicine.
Duties and Responsibilities
The following information is intended to be representative of the work performed by incumbent in this position
and is not all-inclusive. The omission of a specific duty or responsibility will not preclude it from the position if
the work is similar, related, or a logical extension of position responsibilities.
I. Benefits Data Management - 60%

• Processes new hire and separating employee benefits, including:

o Entering new employee data into the Central Management Services (CMS) and State
Universities Retirement System (SURS) systems.
o Notifying impacted employees of applicable timelines
o Communicating with payroll and other offices internally to ensure timely, accurate records

• Processes benefit life event and internal payroll changes within CMS and related systems
• Reviews and addresses benefit discrepancies, ensuring resolution to inaccurate data
• Processes fringe benefit (sick, vacation, etc) issues, including but not limited to:

o Adjustment calculations
o Approval of adjustment corrections
o Cross-consultation with department fringe reporters
o Batch processing final entries in the HR system (AIS)

• Prepares and confirms final benefit time upon employee separation

o Submits remaining vacation benefit time to Payroll for final payout
o Processes SURS termination reporting

• Maintains accurate benefit data records in digital employee files, and as required by organizational,

local, state, and federal policy and procedure record retention requirements
II. Education Benefit Processing & Training - 30%

• Processes tuition waivers and reimbursement documentation for SIU School of Medicine

employees
o Verification of employment for tuition waiver and/or reimbursement
o Forwarding tuition waiver and/or reimbursement requests to the appropriate educational
institutions
o Preparation of payment vouchers for tuition reimbursement requests

• Support and serve as backup for the new employee orientation program, in collaboration with HR

leaders and the HR administrative support team

• Track organizational compliance with current educational benefit policies and trainings
• Identify education benefit training needs across the organization and work with the HR leaders and

staff to develop and deliver content

• Collaborate with Director of Employee Benefits to promote and identify new and updated education

benefit policies and procedures
III. Rewards and Recognition –10%

• Collaborate with the Director of Employee Benefits, Benefits Business Partner II, and other

organizational leadership to coordinate employee recognition programs including years of service
awards and employee appreciation events across all campuses

• Promote and support recognition programs to enhance employee engagement and underscore

organizational retention efforts

• Coordinate with organization satellite locations in establishing regular points of contact to assist with

annual reward and recognition events and planning
Minimum Qualifications
1. High school diploma or equivalent.
2. Any one or any combination totaling three (3) years (36 months) from the following categories:
a. course work in human resource administration, business administration or a closely related field, as
measured by the following conversion table or its proportional equivalent:

• 30 semester hours equals one (1) year (12 months)
• Associate’s Degree (60 semester hours) equals eighteen months (18 months)
• 90 semester hours equals two (2) years (24 months)
• Bachelor’s Degree (120 semester hours) equals three (3) years (36 months)

b. progressively more responsible work experience maintaining, monitoring, and/or processing human
resource records and reports.
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities Needed
To be successful in this position, the incumbent must meet all of the minimum qualifications identified by the
SUCSS for this classification as well as the following skills and/or attributes identified as essential for this
individual position:
1. Behavior Standards: Demonstrates, by actions, commitment to the mission and the behavioral
standards of SIU School of Medicine. Provides excellent customer advocacy to both internal and
external stakeholders through collaboration and partnership; compassion and respect; integrity and
accountability; diversity and inclusion; as well as continuous learning and improvement.
2. Confidentiality: Must maintain full confidentiality in all matters and possess the ability to exercise
sensitivity to employee and management concerns and issues.
3. Communication & Interpersonal skills: Excellent communication and interpersonal skills are critical
to the success and reputation of this unit, as is the ability to accurately communicate in a professional
and respectful manner which will set the tone for how Human Resources is perceived.
4. Customer Advocacy: Dedication to excellence in customer advocacy with both internal and external
stakeholders, including the ability to look for creative solutions that meet the customer’s need and the
ability to tactfully deliver unpleasant answers when all feasible options are exhausted.
5. Excellent computer skills: Demonstrated ability to work with a variety of software applications
6. Presence: Ability to present a professional image of Human Resources to the public, faculty and staff,
including demeanor and appearance.
7. Multi-tasking: Skilled at managing multiple priority activities to meet tight deadlines. Requires skill in
time management, priority setting, and ability to adjust appropriately to distractions and changing
priorities and still produce a quality work product/service.
8. Thoroughness: Ability to work effectively with large amount of data and maintain accuracy and
attention to detail.
9. Laws & Procedures: A thorough understanding of the state and federal laws governing employment
and employee benefits including the State Universities Civil Service Statute and Rules, Collective
Bargaining Agreements, the Affordable Care Act, federal and state leave laws, and the Office of Human
Resources procedures, as they apply to successful performance as an HR professional.
10. Sensitive to the needs of underrepresented minority populations.
Responsibility
1. Supervisory Controls – The incumbent will not supervise others, but will be of influence and guidance to
other members of the team as a lead worker and to other employees of the School of Medicine
Difficulty
1. Complexity – The majority of the work in this position is governed by established policies and
procedures. The incumbent must be able to understand and accurately apply these policies and
procedures to a wide variety of situations. This work frequently requires manual steps/processes to
Revised: October, 2023 Page 2 of 3
complete the required duties, and the incumbent should expect to continually seek ways to improve
tasks through efficient and evolving practices.
2. Scope and Effect – Communication, tact, judgment, and diplomacy are of the utmost importance, as the
results produced will affect the perception of the Office of Human Resources.
Personal Contacts
This position requires professional contact with a wide variety of persons, both internal and external. Contacts
made have a direct impact on the reputation of the department and/or the School of Medicine.
Environmental, Health and Safety Responsibilities
Participates in meetings, trainings and other environmental, health and safety activities as required by SIU
School of Medicine.
Working Conditions
See attached Physical and Environmental Requirements form.
INCUMBENT: DATE
REVIEWED BY: DATE
Immediate Supervisor
APPROVED BY: DATE
Department Head
Revised: October, 2023 Page 3 of 3