Benefits Analyst

Support the day-to-day operational activities of the benefits team by investigating and resolving routine customer benefits issues relating to AU’s benefit programs, including: health and welfare plans, flexible spending accounts, 403(b), leave, and others. Supports the education, communication and implementation of the annual benefits analysis process, and the annual Open Enrollment and new hire enrollment processes. Provide support and oversight for all university retirement administration and compliance. Identify potential broad customer impact and report findings to leadership. Process corrections to coverage information and ensure prompt notification to vendors of errors. Work with vendors and customers to resolve routine coverage issues within defined scope. Support benefits phone line and email and maintain employee communications to ensure timely responses and accurate processing.

Leave Management: Manage the employee leave programs supporting worker’s compensation leaves, short-term disability leaves and long0term disability leaves. Answer inquiries around plan issues, qualifying events, COBRA and LWOP for employees and stakeholders. Process LWOP benefits, COBRA, statements of health and assist with updating disability and FMLA status. Act as the primary point of contact for the leave carrier and vendors. Perform monthly audits of leave administration and ensure carrier invoices are accurate or corrected.

Data Analysis & Reporting: Have total process understanding of the plan design and impact on members regarding administration, implementation, workday workflow, data transmissions, invoicing, audits and compliance aspect of at least one carrier or plan design component. Supports a data-driven benefits strategy that aligns with the organization’s mission, goals, and workforce needs. Review and analyze benefit data and information to assess the effectiveness of benefits and HR support programs and make recommendations for improvements to increase employee satisfaction. Prepare and analyze benefit data and trends for internal reporting and planning.

Communication: Facilitate the development for Employee Benefits Internal Communications through the development and implement of communication strategies to effectively communicate total rewards programs and HR services to help employees understand, access and utilize their benefits. In collaboration with Benefits Manager, external health & welfare and retirement vendors, and internal communications team ensure the timely distribution of required annual plan and compliance notices. Maintains and updates educational benefits information in benefit manuals and online. Participate in all presentations and support the digital library. Manage presentations by subjects, dates and to whom the presentations were developed for. Develop new slides and enhance existing slides. Incorporate carrier and partner slides into draft presentations for review. Provide administrative and analytical duties to develop charts, graphs, pivot tables and use Microsoft products to develop enhanced presentation and communication media..

Educational Benefits: Administer University educational benefits program, including tuition remission, tuition exchange scholarship and cash grant programs, in compliance with federal tax code and university policy. Work closely with Financial Aid and Student Account to ensure tuition is posted in a timely manner. Maintain applicant/participant databased and key educational deadline schedule.

Projects & Compliance: Partner with key stakeholders, in Human Resources, to support effective implementation and compliance of the University’s benefit programs. Participate in the annual audits and regulatory filings with the different agencies, committees and institutions. Identify and annual map all compliance related activities and the principals involved in gathering, analyzing, communicating to leadership and completing the compliance processes.

Other duties as assigned.

Prioritizing and Organizing.

Acquiring and Analyzing Information.

Evaluating and Implementing Ideas.

Building a Customer Focused Organization.

Driving Continuous Improvement.

Full-time.

35 hours per week.

Hybrid 1 work modality (on campus 3 - 4 days per week).

$60,000 - $70,000 annually.

A Bachelor’s degree or equivalent combination of education and experience.

At least 2 years progressively responsible experience in benefits and retirement or equivalent in education, training, and experience.

Proficiency in customer service skills, strategic communications, collaboration, interpersonal skills, committed to supporting a diverse and inclusive community.

Proficiency in Microsoft Suite. Using Excel for data analytics and reporting. Using PowerPoint to create and edit presentations that enhance understanding.

Experience in customer service, human resources or benefits is desirable.

Bachelor’s degree.

2 - 4 years of relevant experience.

Hiring offers for this position are contingent on successful completion of a background check.

Employees in staff positions at American University must deliver their services to the university from either the District of Columbia, Maryland, or Virginia, or perform work on-site at the university.

Please note this job announcement is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time with or without notice.

American University is an employer.