Senior HR Benefits Specialist

Physicians Mutual is seeking a Senior Employee Benefits Analyst to play a key role in the design, administration, and continuous improvement of our employee benefit programs. This position partners closely with HR leadership, third-party administrators, and internal stakeholders to ensure our benefits offerings remain competitive, compliant, and aligned with our company strategy.

This role combines analytical expertise, compliance knowledge, and strong communication skills to support both the operational and strategic aspects of benefits administration

Responsibilities:

• Analyze and evaluate current benefit plans, recommending enhancements to improve competitiveness and compliance
• Coordinate daily administration of employee benefit programs, including enrollments, terminations, and distributions
• Partner with third-party administrators, consultants, and internal teams to ensure smooth plan operations
• Monitor and maintain detailed financial and participation records for all benefit plans
• Support development and oversight of the annual benefits budget and ongoing financial tracking
• Ensure compliance with federal and state regulations (ERISA, ACA, PBGC, etc.)
• Assist with audits, Form 5500 preparation, and regulatory reporting
• Develop and deliver employee communications, including enrollment materials and benefit education
• Generate HRIS reports and leverage data to support decision-making and plan verification
• Provide guidance and mentorship to benefits staff and serve as a subject matter expert

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or related field (or equivalent experience)
• 5–7 years of experience in employee benefits administration
• Strong knowledge of benefit plan design, compliance, and administration
• Experience with retirement plans and retiree health compliance preferred
• Professional certifications such as CBP, SHRM-CP, or PHR preferred
• Advanced Excel skills (including VLOOKUP); experience with HRIS systems (ADP preferred)
• Strong analytical, organizational, and problem-solving skills
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Ability to manage sensitive and confidential information with discretion

About Us

Health. Life. Retirement. The Physicians Mutual family empowers people from all walks of life to enjoy the financial security they deserve. That’s what Insurance for all of us® is about.

The Physicians Mutual family includes Physicians Mutual Insurance Company, Physicians Life Insurance Company and Physicians Select Insurance Company. Physicians Mutual offers reliable dental and supplemental health insurance, and pet insurance. Physicians Life provides important life insurance, Medicare Supplement insurance and coverage for funeral pre-planning. Physicians Select Insurance Company additionally offers exclusive Medicare Supplement insurance.

Since our start in 1902, our dedication to delivering on our promise has helped make us one of the nation’s leading health and life insurance providers. In fact, we are rated in the top 1% of insurance companies. We consistently maintain some of the highest financial strength ratings in the nation from independent insurance analysts, including A.M. Best Company and Weiss Ratings, ensuring we’ll be there for our policyowners and our employees far into the future.

But the achievement we’re most proud of? We have a 95% customer satisfaction rating — a true sign of a company dedicated to embodying its vision.