Associate Consultant, Employee Benefits

Department: Employee Benefits

Job Summary

Working alongside an Employee Benefit Consultant, the Associate Consultant is responsible for assisting in servicing a portfolio of public entity accounts—including municipalities, school districts, and government agencies. As a key member of the public entity service team, you must understand the unique goals, regulatory environments, and operational challenges of public sector clients, ensuring their benefit programs support effective public service. The role centers on analysis of plans and financials, evaluation of product lines, and conducting trend and cost analysis of claim history, all within the context of public entity requirements and objectives.

Principal Responsibilities

• Support the Employee Benefits Consultant as a key member of the public entity service team to ensure client satisfaction and retention standards are met for municipal, educational, and governmental clients. Portfolio serviced represents approximately $3,700,000 in expected revenue.
• Analyze and negotiate rate renewals and year-end financials for public entity clients, collaborating with the Employee Benefits Consultant. Prepare for renewal negotiations through analysis of government objectives, claims experience, benchmarking against peer public entities, and identification of relevant market trends to support renewal actions.
• Participate in client strategy processes for public entity accounts, including development of bid specifications compliant with public procurement laws, vendor selection and management of RFP processes, analysis and presentation of proposals, coordination of finalist/site visits, and development of employee communications.
• Analyze public entity employee benefit programs, contribution policies, eligibility requirements, and client objectives—designing plans that comply with statutory requirements, budgetary constraints, and administrative mandates of public sector organizations.
• Develop recommendations for alternate vendor relationships, plan designs, and contribution strategies suited to public sector recruitment and retention, and aligned with taxpayer stewardship.
• Remain current on industry trends, legislative and regulatory developments impacting public entities, including compliance with relevant statutes, public contracting laws, and special regulatory requirements; communicate changes and address issues with clients proactively.
• Identify opportunities to increase revenue within the public entity portfolio through innovative benefit solutions and strategic consulting.
• Prepare and present reports tailored to public sector stakeholders.
• Update and access Benefit Point as needed.
• Mentor Client Service Associates and serve as a backup to Associate Consultants and Employee Benefit coworkers on other public entity service teams.
• Communicate with Employee Benefit Consultant and/or sales team on any issues or concerns impacting public entity accounts.

Other Functions

• Attend meetings at Conner Strong offices and public entity client facilities, including municipal, school, and government offices.
• Available as on-call contact outside regular working hours for public entity client needs.
• Other duties as assigned.

Requirements

• Minimum of 3 years of employee benefits service experience with public entities such as municipalities, school districts, or government agencies, preferably gained from a leading brokerage or consulting firm.
• Experience in the analysis and design of Health & Welfare plans for public sector organizations. Strong technical knowledge and ability to develop strategies and negotiate placements in the public entity marketplace.
• Demonstrated knowledge of self-insured and fully insured plans for public entities, including government risk pools and joint insurance funds.
• Experience with public sector plan cost analysis, claim analysis, reconciliation, and evaluation of financials.
• In-depth knowledge of compliance and benefit plan regulatory issues affecting public entities.
• Ability to develop and manage relationships at all levels within CSB and with public entity clients and carriers; flexible and diplomatic in managing public sector relationships.
• Excellent organizational, communication, decision-making, interpersonal, collaborative, and consultative skills; proven ability to multi-task under pressure in a public sector environment.
• Ability to negotiate, influence, and meet deadlines with minimal supervision.
• Strong business acumen; proven leader with the ability to develop and manage key public sector relationships.
• Proficiency in MS Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Access).
• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent business experience required.
• Authorized to work in the United States on a full-time basis without company sponsorship.

Specialized Knowledge or Licenses

• Valid state Life and Health Insurance License required and a CEBS, RHU or CLU designation is strongly
• Knowledge of public entity insurance pools, risk management programs, and compliance standards advantageous.

Working Conditions

Office environment with moderate noise level; Able to work flexible hours and travel to other Conner Strong buildings and client work sites on a regular basis.

Salary for this position ranges from $70,000.00 - $120,000.00. The base pay offered will be determined on factors such as experience, skills, training, location, certifications, and education. Decisions will be determined on a case-by-case basis. 

Qualifying positions will also be eligible for comprehensive benefits, such as participation in family medical and dental insurance programs, 401K plan, and PTO. 

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Must be authorized to work in the United States on a full-time basis without Company sponsorship.

Conner Strong & Buckelew is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration without regard to race, color, religion, gender, affectional or sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, ancestry, nationality, age, disability (physical or mental), marital or domestic partnership or Civil Union status, pregnancy, family medical history or genetic information, atypical cellular or blood trait, military service or any other status protected by law.