Benefits Manager
: Job Details :

DescriptionTitleBenefits Manager DepartmentHuman ResourcesStatusFull TimeOffice LocationWebbs Norman CenterReports ToHuman Resources SuperintendentFLSA StatusExempt Position DescriptionManage, promote and administer the district's benefits and wellness programs. In addition, manages a benefit/wellness support specialist. ROCKFORD PARK DISTRICT VISION, MISSION AND LEADERSHIP BY VALUESAgency VisionTo be the best urban parks and recreation system in North America, as measured by national standards and the citizens we serve.Agency MissionThe Rockford Park District is in business to help people enjoy life by providing a quality park and recreation system.Vision & Planning SystemThe District aligns itself and all its resources to achieve its purpose, vision, mission, and priorities. This successfully drives the strategic plan, operational plans, and performance goals.Policy Management & Operations SystemEvery team member serves as an active contributor in the development of the team's operational plan; develops job strategies and plans that support the team's operational goals; identifies timetables for completion; plans daily work activities in an organized manner ensuring effective utilization of time and resources in the completion of job tasks.Leadership by Values SystemLeadership by Values can only be achieved if all team members believe in and live by these shared values: accountability, integrity, passion, agility, relationship oriented, results driven, service oriented, respectful, and innovative. While all team members share these essential values, our culture is enriched by and welcomes the diverse supporting values of its team members.Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging StatementThe Rockford Park District is committed and accountable to being a place where everyone is invited and belongs, as demonstrated by being an inviting, equitable, and inclusive environment, respectful of all people, embracing diversity, creating accessibility and valuing all team members, partners and community members for their unique experiences and backgrounds. RELATIONSHIPS TO RESULTS CULTUREDefinitionSustained by long-term, positive, exceptional relationships with stakeholders and team members as our hallmark of success. ONE TEAM, ONE GOAL COMMITMENTDefinitionTo work together to achieve the mission, vision, and shared values of the Rockford Park District.ConnectednessDepartments are truly interconnected to support the mission and vision of the Rockford Park District. ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS include the following. Other duties may be assignedLeadership by Values

• Represent the District professionally by developing long lasting positive relationships with internal team members and external vendors.
• Demonstrates the principles of One Team, One Goal in daily interactions with staff and guest.
• Support and ensure a culture of diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging exists in all areas of the Rockford Park District.
• Establish and maintain a high level of citizen confidence.
• Establish and maintain exceptional relationships with internal team members and external stakeholders.t.

Operational Excellence

• Manage the full spectrum of benefits and wellness programs by ensuring they are competitive and affordable for both the organization and the employee, retirees and museum staff and ensure timely communications and promotion of these programs.
• Conduct benefits orientation for new employees and educate current employees on benefit and wellness programs.
• Communicates and shares information with the retiree group regarding company recreation events, quarterly All Team meetings, and annual biometric screenings, etc.
• Provide district-wide communication on benefit and policy information and employee life events.
• Manage the annual open enrollment process for employees, retirees and museum employees, including all system programming and updates, employee meetings, form updates and communications, and benefit vendor updates
• Provide assistance to employees, retirees and museum staff on health and wellness questions, and related coverage issues or disputes.
• Administer all leave of absence benefits that includes ADA accommodations and provides payroll with bi-weekly leave of absence reports.
• Assists Risk Management Team with Workers' Compensation claims and ADA requests.
• Manage the retirement process for employees. Coordinates with all applicable benefit vendors to ensure a smooth benefit transition and coordinates employee retirement celebrations with departments.
• Represent the human resources department by serving as the chairperson for the RPDBeWell Committee and participate on other internal committees to represent human resources.
• Oversee the annual Health Risk Assessment Program by ensuring the process occurs timely and is communicated with the applicable vendors and employees; that includes but not limited to scheduling the dates with the vendor, communicating the health assessment dates to employees and retirees, and health insurance premium reflect proper wellness or non-wellness category.
• Coordinate and communicate the annual employee giving programs - RPD Holiday Gift Drive and United Way.
• Administer the employee Tuition Reimbursement Program and process requests.
• Serve as the administrator for the Employee Crisis Fund Program.
• Provide billing administration for all company benefits and wellness plans by ensuring benefit invoices are paid timely and rates are accurate each billing cycle.
• Administers the IMRF pension plan for employees and retirees and educate staff according to IMRF benefits.
• Oversee the Rockford Park District's wellness program to help support a healthy and productive workforce by offering a comprehensive program that is relevant and conducive to employees' needs, which helps control the health expenses of the park district.
• Assists employees with the utilization of the Employee Assistance Program (EAP) benefits upon request and assist with mandatory EAP referrals.
• Oversees and assist with managing global health pandemics day to day administration of issues that affect employees' health and leave of absences.
• Works with HR Superintendent and Operation Teams annually to determine the eligibility of the 20% Discount Program, the Participation
• Program, and the Gym membership, and administrates these programs with support of the HR Assistant for employees, retirees, and volunteers.
• Administer the annual health and wellness benefits renewal processes.
• Consult with HR Superintendent on leave of absences, benefits or wellness matters involving employee concerns.
• Oversees planning and development of HRIS UKG Ready Plans and Profiles for employees' insurance.
• Documents all modifications and process directly related to insurance enrollment and benefits section in order to drive best-practices processes.
• Creates and analyzes reports using the HRIS UKG Ready, as needed.

Compliance

• Ensure the integrity and confidentiality of all employee and retiree benefit information by complying with HIPAA and Employment Regulations and Laws.
• Complies with all aspects of the Affordable Care Act with regards to insurance offers and reporting requirements for the employee and employer.
• Understand and applies human resource laws, theories, principles and techniques when managing benefit functions.
• Ensure benefit or wellness changes are updated in the HRIS system timely and are communicated to vendors.
• Ensure the benefit programs are compliant with all federal and state laws.
• Serves as the District's IMRF Authorized Agent and complies with all IMRF rules and regulations. Ensures the appropriate board resolutions are met based on IMRF regulations.
• Assist with the evaluation of new and existing benefits vendors.
• Create benefit metrics that allows the district to know the utilization and value of benefit plans.
• Manage and track insurance coverages for cobra, retirees and employees on a leave of absence to ensure receipt of premium and compliance with state and federal laws.
• Maintain accurate employee benefit and medical records and does timely filing of all benefit documents.
• Assist with purging benefit and health records according to District's record and retention requirements.
• Serves as the plan administrator for all health insurance programs and ensure all annual summary or benefit descriptions are up to date for all benefit plans and distributed to all employees. In addition, ensure all required federal and state employee notifications are sent out annually.
• Assist in the development and administration of the annual department budget and operational plan.
• Responsible for following District safety, personnel, PDRMA, employment laws, policies and/or regulations.
• Attends District's safety in-services and education and development trainings when required for continued development.

Community Relations/Partnerships

• Supports external partnerships that helps to evolve our benefits and wellness programs.

Document/Reports

• Prepares general correspondence as directed, including board reports. Edits and proofreads correspondence as necessary.
• Creates documents, reports, etc., using Microsoft Office applications to assist information flow within the department or externally.
• Assist with creating or updating benefit and wellness policies in the employee handbook.
• Assist with annual benefits and compensation survey requests and prepare reports for HR Superintendent.

RequirementsEducation/ExperienceBachelor's degree in Human Resources Management, Business Administration or related field, or equivalent combination of education and/or experience. Current experience with a minimum of 5 to 7 years managing multiple benefit plans (health, dental, life, voluntary benefits, etc.). Current experience working with a self-insured benefit plan is a plus and IMRF experience a plus. A Certified Human Resources Professional is preferred (CEBS, PHR/CP, SPHR/SCP). Critical Skills, Knowledge, and AbilitiesTo perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions:

• Have general knowledge of practices of human resource, including H.R. Law theory, principles, and techniques.
• Have the ability to work with a HRIS software system.
• Have strong interpersonal skills that allow for success in a team environment.
• Be flexible and willing to effectively manage risk.
• Possess excellent communication skills in both written and verbal forms.
• Be detail oriented and have timely communication responses to inquiries.
• Have the ability to follow policies and develop new ones.
• Knowledge and experience in administering health and wellness benefits.
• Ability to administer FMLA and leave of absence policies.
• Knowledge of health and wellness laws and procedures.
• Have the ability to present information in front of all size groups.
• Have the ability to work with benefit carriers of all sizes.
• Ability to work in a face paced environment and manage multiple HR operations and produce quality results.
• Aware of accounting principles to manage the benefits and wellness budgets..

Physical RequirementsThe physical demands 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:Sedentary work: Sedentary work involves sitting most of the time. Light work: Lifting no more than 20 pounds at a time with frequent lifting or carrying of objects weighing up to 10 pounds.Even though the weight lifted may be very little, a job is in this category when it requires a good deal of walking or standing, or when it involves sitting most of the time with some pushing and pulling of arm or leg controls. To be considered capable of performing a full or wide range of light work, you must have the ability to do substantially all of these activities. If someone can do light work, we determine that he or she can also do sedentary work, unless there are additional limiting factors such as loss of fine dexterity or inability to sit for long periods of time.Work EnvironmentThe work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions:This position will primarily work in an office setting but will be subject to traveling to other locations and may be exposed to inclement weather conditions.