Senior Benefits Analyst (Sr, Administration Analyst) - County Admin., Human Resources, Benefits Div.

Howard County

Conveniently located in the heart of central Maryland between Baltimore and Washington, Howard County offers the charm of a historic past mixed with the excitement of a cosmopolitan community.

Howard County Government

Howard County Government is a leader in innovation, sustainability, and consistently ranked as one of the best places to live and work in the country. In 2023, Howard County Government received a record-breaking 51 Achievement Awards from the National Association of Counties (NACo) - the most in the state of Maryland. NACo is the leading organization representing county-level government operations. These awards recognize innovative and transformative programs that provide new services for county residents, improve existing programs, upgrade working conditions, and enhance citizen participation and public policymaking.

What are we looking for?

We are looking for outstanding individuals to join our team and contribute to excellence in Howard County operations.

What you'll like most about working at Howard County Government:

• We are committed to workplace excellence in every area of County government.

• We have a highly talented, diverse, and inclusive workplace.  Your input will not only be heard, but it will be encouraged!  

• We offer competitive compensation and great benefits including medical, retirement, and wellness programs.

• As a member of the Howard County Government team, you'll be helping drive our culture and directly impact what makes us an amazing place to work.

POSITION SUMMARY:

Under the direction of the Benefits Manager, this position performs advanced professional level human resources (HR) work, serving as a senior analyst in benefits administration. This position assists the Benefits Manager in providing leadership, coordinating team efforts, and developing team results; advising and partnering with all levels of management on Benefits matters; providing support and subject matter expertise on Benefits matters; and researching, analyzing, and evaluating options, including identifying best management practices.

This position is assigned highly specialized or unusually difficult projects, typically of nature where the issues are controversial and of high importance to the County. Assignments often require the ability to manage multiple projects of equal complexity at the same time. Some work is highly confidential or sensitive. On a regularly recurring basis, the work has an important impact on administrative management, including matters that are high profile or high stakes. This position independently performs various types of analyses and solves conventional, non-standard, and challenging problems.

CLASS DESCRIPTION:

Performs advanced professional level administrative work, which may include supervisory responsibility, under general supervision from an administrative or technical superior.   Work includes the analysis and coordination of complex administrative matters; researching, reviewing, and analyzing legislative, budget, personnel, purchasing and policy issues; and supervising one or more major functional office programs or activities.Include the following. Other related duties may be assigned.

• On a County-wide basis, assists the Benefits Manager in leading team projects and participating in the administration of the Benefits programs, including but not limited to health insurance, life insurance, long-term disability insurance, leave programs, wellness, Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA), and any other County-related benefit programs.

• Assists the Benefits Manager in designing, developing, and communicating new or existing health and benefit programs.

• Assists the Benefits Manager in evaluating and revising existing programs to meet County goals or bring the County into compliance with new statutory or other requirements. Associated duties may include researching best practices regarding benefits, conducting cost analyses of existing and proposed benefits programs, and performing other work of equivalent technical difficulty and responsibility.

• May conduct cost/benefit analyses to ensure program competitiveness, collecting and maintaining County benefit comparison data.

• May develop briefings and presentations to support the Benefits Manager in explaining or communicating important benefit changes.

• Assists in drafting communications from the Benefits team to be issued on a County-wide basis.

• Responds as primary technical benefit resource to implement the highest standards of customer service, working with third-party carriers/vendors, employees, employee families, retirees, survivors, and beneficiaries to explain, analyze, and resolve benefits issues.

• Analyzes sensitive and complex issues and critical operating challenges requiring the application of subject matter expertise, to assist the Benefits Manager in developing, interpreting, and reviewing administrative procedures.

• Supports the Benefits Manager and other members of the Benefits team in administrating County-wide benefits open enrollment.

• Maintains confidentiality of data, including legally protected personal information, proprietary and pre-decisional information not subject to public information disclosure, sensitive programmatic data, and other sensitive information.

• Serves as an expert technical resource within the Office of Human Resources.

• Acts in the absence of the Benefits Manager as needed.

• May represent Benefits team or the Office of Human Resources on inter-agency task forces.

• May advise Benefits Manager on important and controversial issues, where new policies and practices within the HR field and the industry need to be evaluated for possible adoption by the County, and where new program development is required.

• At the direction of the Benefits Manager, identifies and updates current County-wide policies and procedures regarding Benefits-specific HR practices.

• Manages multiple complex projects, often at the same time. Prepares formal studies, papers and presentations.

• Reviews documents prepared by other Benefits team members to ensure they follow internal policy and external laws and regulations.

• Keeps all parties informed of matters requiring their attention.

• Partners with other HR divisions, administrative support staff, and members of management.

• Under direction of the Benefits Manager, assigns work to lower-level specialists, support staff, and temporary employees.

Bachelor's Degree and four (4) years of related experience, or the equivalent combination of education and experience.

PREFERRED EDUCATION, KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES:

• CEBS, Life and Health License, or other benefits plan certifications

• Experience in assisting leadership staff in developing, managing and administering Health and Benefits programs for large government or corporate environment.

• Experience in the implementation of medical plans in fully insured and self-insured settings, including understanding of premium rates, stop loss programs, etc.

• Experience in developing wellness programs with performance metrics

• Strong understanding and experience of benefit regulations including ACA, COBRA, FMLA, 457 Plans.

• Experience in reviewing and managing return-to-work programs, and short- and long-term disability.

• Demonstrated ability to provide oversight of performance standards in vendor contract to ensure accountability, accurate reporting of data, and strong client services.

• Demonstrated experience with ERP or other online HRIs or other automated online enrollment of benefits.

• Demonstrated experience conducting research of best practices and articulating well-supported recommendations.

• Must possess strong analytical, writing, and presentation skills.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS AND WORK ENVIRONMENT:

• The physical demands and work environment 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 the essential functions.

• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to talk or hear.

• The employee frequently is required to sit.

• The employee is occasionally required to stand; walk; and use hands to touch, handle, or feel.

• Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, and ability to adjust focus.

• The noise level in the work environment is usually quiet.

LANGUAGE SKILLS, MATHEMATICAL SKILLS AND REASONING ABILITY:

• Ability to read, analyze, and interpret general business periodicals, professional journals, technical procedures, or governmental regulations.

• Ability to write reports, business correspondence, and procedure manuals.

• Ability to effectively present information and respond to questions from groups of managers, clients, customers, and the general public.

• Ability to define problems, collect data, establish facts, and draw valid conclusions.

• Ability to interpret an extensive variety of technical instructions in mathematical or diagram form and deal with several abstract and concrete variables.

• Ability to regularly use independent judgment, analysis, evaluation, creativity, and consultation to carry out instructions presented in written, oral, or diagram form.