Benefits Specialist Team Lead

Department Information

This position is open to current Colorado residents only.

Most State of Colorado employees are eligible for a great benefit package! Please see the Supplemental Information section below for details!

Work Unit:

Human Resources

The Human Resources (HR) unit exists to provide decentralized human resource services to the applicants, managers, and employees who work for the Colorado Department of Human Services (CDHS). Consultation services include: benefit administration; compensation consultation; employee relations; labor relations; exam development; HR policy development; job analysis; job evaluation and classification; organizational development; New Employee Orientation; performance management plans (PMP); interpretation of CDHS HR policy, state personnel rules, state and federal employment laws; progressive discipline; records management; recruitment; responding to grievances, appeals, charges of discrimination; reorganization issues; retention; selection and selection appeals; workers compensation; settlement advice; strategic planning and overall HR guidance to CDHS managers, supervisors and employees.

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CDHSCareers

Description of Job

This position is currently hybrid.

This position is required to report in-office, twice a week, at the Denver location, which is 3648 W Princeton Cir, Denver, CO 80236.

Please note: These working arrangements are subject to change.

What you will be doing:

This position is responsible for overseeing, supporting, and if needed, conducting the day-to-day duties of worker's compensation and benefits for CDHS. As the secondary point of contact for workers' compensation and benefits, this position provides consultation and guidance on benefits, ADA, and workers' compensation to all customers throughout the organization including employees to all levels of management..

This position ensures that HR strategies align with unique and sometimes competing organizational objectives, strategies, initiatives, and culture. Additionally, the position will ensure the Department's benefit, ADA and workers compensation practices are implemented equitably and sustainably and remains in alignment with applicable laws, guidelines, policies, and best practices.

This position develops procedures for administering workers' compensation and benefits and coordinates with other work units as necessary. Oversees administration of workers' compensation and benefits and related leave entitlement programs in partnership with the Department of Personnel and Administration (DPA), other Human Resources staff, and ADA, and works with managers in assigned units to ensure compliance.

Acts as a liaison to DPA, the state's Third-Party Administrator, Payroll, PERA, legal and other vendors/partners for workers' compensation and benefits related information and programs. Ensures confidentiality of all information.

This position assigns tasks & priorities, monitors progress and workflows, conducts training sessions and assists leadership with creating standard operating procedures and best business practices. The work lead provides input into supervisory decisions made at higher levels, including signing leave requests and approving work hours.

Duties:

• Workers Compensation, Benefits and ADA Administration

• Work Lead

• Process Improvement

• Professional Development

• Other Duties as Assigned

Minimum Qualifications, Substitutions, Conditions of Employment & Appeal Rights

This position will be paid bi-weekly.

Minimum Qualifications:

Experience Only:

Seven (7) years of professional experience in benefits administration, including a combination of health insurance benefits, family medical leave, short term disability, workers compensation, and/or ADA.

OR

Education and Experience:

A combination of three (3) years of professional experience in benefits administration, including a combination of health insurance benefits, family medical leave, short term disability, workers compensation, and/or ADA AND a Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Business Management, Human Resource Management, or a closely related field.

Additional appropriate education will substitute for the required experience on a year-for-year basis. (e.g. Masters in Business Administration)

Preferred Qualifications:

• Ability to take initiative and drive results in a diplomatic, confident manner

• Demonstrated leadership and interpersonal skills that promote collaboration, inclusivity, and diversity, and demonstrate humility and respect for the contributions of subordinates and peers

• Exceptional verbal and written communication skills

• A participative mindset to drive decision making and the ability to influence and build relationships across a wide and diverse spectrum of stakeholders

• Exemplary critical thinking/problem solving, innovation and conflict resolution abilities

• Inquisitive thought process to embrace and effectively implement opportunities for process improvement

• Excellent organizational skills, including the ability to set and track goals and timetables to achieve maximum productivity

• Adaptability in a constantly changing environment and ability to handle multiple competing demands, and demonstrate a practical approach, resilience, drive and optimism

• Strong customer service skills.

• Team oriented and a sense of urgency for execution

Conditions of Employment

• The successful candidate in this position will be willing to submit to and able to successfully pass a criminal background check (including reference checks).

• The successful candidate hired in this position will be required to travel to attend meetings, work events, training, and conferences, etc. primarily throughout the Front Range.

• Former State employees who were disciplinarily terminated or resigned in lieu of termination must (1) disclose that information on the application (2) provide an explanation why the prior termination or resignation should not disqualify the applicant from the current position, (3) provide the employee number from the applicant's prior State employment. Absent extraordinary circumstances, prior disciplinary termination or resignation in lieu of termination and failure to provide this information will disqualify the applicant from future State employment with CDHS.

Appeal Rights:

If you receive notice that you have been eliminated from consideration for this position, you may file an appeal with the State Personnel Board or request a review by the State Personnel Director.

An appeal or review must be submitted on the official appeal form, signed by you or your representative. This form must be delivered to the State Personnel Board by email (dpa_state.personnelboard@state.co.us), postmarked in US Mail or hand delivered (1525 Sherman Street, 4th Floor, Denver CO 80203), or faxed (303.866.5038) within ten (10) calendar days from your receipt of notice or acknowledgement of the department's action.

For more information about the appeals process, the official appeal form, and how to deliver it to the State Personnel Board; go to spb.colorado.gov; contact the State Personnel Board for assistance at (303) 866-3300; or refer to 4 Colorado Code of Regulations (CCR) 801-1, State Personnel Board Rules and Personnel Director's Administrative Procedures, Chapter 8, Resolution of Appeals and Disputes, at spb.colorado.gov under Rules.

Supplemental Information

How to Apply

The Assessment Process

For additional recruiting questions, please contact erin.hayes@state.co.us.

About Us:

If your goal is to build a career that makes a difference, consider joining the dedicated people of the Colorado Department of Human Services (CDHS). Our professionals strive to design and deliver high quality human and health services that improve the safety, independence, and well-being of the people of Colorado. In addition to a great location and rewarding and meaningful work, we offer:

• Strong, secure, yet flexible retirement benefits including a PERA Defined Benefit Plan or PERA Defined Contribution Plan www.copera.org plus 401(k) and 457 plans

• Medical and dental health plans

• Employer supplemented Health Savings Account

• Paid life insurance

• Short- and long-term disability coverage

• 11 paid holidays per year plus vacation and sick leave

• BenefitHub state employee discount program

• Employee Wellness program MotivateMe

• Excellent work-life programs, such as flexible schedules, training and more

• Remote work arrangements for eligible positions

• Some positions may qualify for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program. For more

information, go to https://www.colorado.gov/pacific/dhr/student-loan-forgiveness-programs.

Our Values:

We believe in a people-first approach: To serve the people of Colorado, we develop a culture and work environment that creates an energized, inspired, and healthy team capable of giving their best to Coloradans.

Balance creates quality of life: We want our team to be resilient through a supportive workplace that values flexibility, health and wellness, and employee engagement.

We hold ourselves accountable: We take responsibility through our actions, programs, and results for the state of health and human services in Colorado.

Transparency matters: We are open and honest with employees, our partners, the Coloradans we serve, and the public.

We are ethical: We abide by what is best for those we serve by doing what is right, not what is easy.

Collaboration helps us rise together: We work together with all partners, employees, and clients to achieve the best outcomes for Coloradans.

We are committed to increasing the diversity of our staff and providing culturally responsive programs and services. Therefore, we encourage responses from people of diverse backgrounds and abilities.

ADAA Accommodations: CDHS is committed to the full inclusion of all qualified individuals. As part of this commitment, our agency will assist individuals who have a disability with any reasonable accommodation requests related to employment, including completing the application process, interviewing, completing any pre-employment testing, participating in the employee selection process, and/or to perform essential job functions where the requested accommodation does not impose an undue hardship. If you have a disability and require reasonable accommodation to ensure you have a positive experience applying or interviewing for this position, please direct your inquiries to our ADAAA Coordinator, Nancy Schmelzer, at cdhs_ada@state.co.us or call 1-800-929-0791.

~THE STATE OF COLORADO IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER~

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