Benefits Manager

Ready to drive impactful change in the world of employee benefits? Join our dynamic People and Culture team as a Benefits Manager. In this role, you'll be the champion of health, retirement, and leave benefit programs for over 350 employees. We are seeking an individual to join the team to orchestrate and execute a comprehensive array of employee benefits, paid leave, and wellness initiatives. The selected individual will join a team dedicated to supporting the needs of the Arboretum staff, which helped earn the designation as a Chicago Tribune Top Workplace for three consecutive years.  

Position Summary: Manage the implementation, evaluation, and development of health, welfare, and retirement benefit programs with key partners that align with employee and organizational objectives. Manage and communicate comprehensive employee benefits, paid leave, and well-being programs, including group health, dental, vision, short-term and long-term disability, worker's compensation, life insurance, flexible spending plan, and retirement plans. As part of the People and Cultures team, provide empathetic customer service, promote positive employee relations, and foster employee engagement.

Essential Functions: 

• Manage the day-to-day operations for all benefits, paid leave, retirement, and workers’ compensation plans. Work with employees to ensure they understand their benefits, support them on claim issues, and plan changes in a timely manner. Work with insurance broker to select and communicate plans and lead and execute the annual open enrollment process. 

• Administer all leave programs ensuring coordination with supervisors, carriers, and payroll. Effectively interpret FMLA and ADA implications as they relate to leaves of absence/disabilities.

• Manage benefits administration in the human capital management system (HCM) to ensure accurate enrollment and compliance, and efficiently integrate records and payments with third-party systems, administrators, and insurance carriers. 

• Ensure all benefit plans and documents are compliant with government regulations. Maintain a thorough understanding of state and federal regulations relating to benefit plans and all applicable laws relating to benefit administration (including ERISA, FMLA, ADA, COBRA, ACA, Section 125, state leave laws and HIPAA).

• Partner with payroll and people and culture colleagues to ensure compliance with internal and external audit requirements, accurate forecasting of benefit program expenses, and accurate payroll deductions. Prepare budgetary recommendations and monitor and reconcile monthly financial statement. 

• File and monitor employee injury claims, serve as liaison with workers’ compensation insurance carrier, and coordinate annual workers’ compensation audit. Provide injury reports to safety specialist and director of guest experience and safety.

• Analyze emerging industry trends and best practices, regulatory compliance, and cost containment measures in alignment with institutional objectives and compensation philosophy.

• Design and manage wellness strategies and programs to drive behavioral change and engagement with benefits plans and services and to improve staff health and wellness.

• Develop education and communication initiatives to promote employee understanding and awareness of benefits offerings, their value, and how to utilize them. Provide employees with resources and tools to support them in their benefits selection and opportunities.

• Fulfill general responsibilities of a People and Culture professional. Counsel employees and supervisors as needed; identify, recommend, and implement operational improvements. Collaborate to develop and implement programs to foster employee engagement.

• Demonstrate alignment with the Arboretum’s employee core values to be inclusive, take ownership, work together, keep learning, and make the Arboretum exceptional.

• Other duties as assigned.

Qualifications: Bachelor’s degree required, certification through credentialed HR or benefits program preferred. 4+ years related experience required. Prior experience in administration of retirement plans required. Requires attention to detail with a concentration on accuracy. Experience using an HRIS/HCM or benefits database is strongly preferred. Ability to handle sensitive information in a confidential manner required. Ability to research and analyze various types of data information required. Proficiency with carrier software applications and Google applications beneficial. Conversational Spanish language a plus.

Success Factors: Highly organized individual with the ability to prioritize projects, work under pressure, and to meet multiple deadlines with frequent interruptions. An effective listener with the ability to relate compassionately in all communications with employees. Ability to research and analyze detailed information related to benefit programs and use analysis to formulate new approaches and recommendations. Service-oriented individual who will promote positive employee relations within the Arboretum.
  

Physical Demands and Work Environment: The physical demands and work environment characteristics described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform these essential functions.

• Physical Demands: Occasional travel to training seminars may be necessary.

• Work Environment: Office environment.

• Equipment: General office equipment. 

The expected hiring range for this exempt position is annualized at $65,000 - $75,000 based on experience that will be evaluated during the candidate selection process. We believe in the importance of pay equity and consider internal equity of our current team members as a part of the final offer. This position is also eligible for a competitive benefits package.

For full consideration, please include resume and cover letter with application.

The Morton Arboretum is a champion for diversity, supporting a culture of inclusion that attracts, inspires, and engages people to achieve success. The Arboretum is committed to hire and develop employees based on job-related qualifications irrespective of race, religion, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, disability, or veteran status. To increase diversity in professions related to the public garden realm, we encourage applications from underrepresented minorities, persons with disabilities, and veterans.  

The Morton Arboretum is dedicated to complying with our obligations as an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer. All applicants are guaranteed equal consideration for employment.