Benefits Advisor Lead - Health & Wellness Benefits

USAA•San Antonio, TX

6d•Hybrid

About The Position

At USAA, our mission is to empower our members to achieve financial security through highly competitive products, exceptional service and trusted advice. We seek to be the #1 choice for the military community and their families. Embrace a fulfilling career at USAA, where our core values – honesty, integrity, loyalty and service – define how we treat each other and our members. Be part of what truly makes us special and impactful. The Opportunity We are seeking a strategic and experienced Benefits Advisor Lead to oversee the design, implementation, and ongoing management of our comprehensive employee Health and Wellness benefits programs. This pivotal role will ensure our offerings actively support the physical, financial, mental, and emotional well-being of our employees. The ideal candidate will possess a proven track record of cultivating strong relationships with external benefit plan suppliers, including medical carriers, pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs), recordkeepers, and wellness program providers. This role requires exceptional communication skills to articulate complex benefits information clearly and effectively to diverse audiences, including employees, leadership, and other stakeholders. You will be instrumental in monitoring market practices, emerging trends, and regulatory requirements to ensure our benefit offerings remain competitive, cost-effective, and fully compliant. If you are a proactive leader passionate about employee well-being and possess a deep understanding of the benefits landscape, we encourage you to apply. We offer a flexible work environment that requires an individual to be in the office 4 days per week. This position will be based in the San Antonio, TX office location. Relocation assistance is available for this position.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree; OR 4 years of related experience (in addition to the minimum years of experience required) may be substituted in lieu of degree.
8 years of experience in employee/retiree benefits including financial analysis, performance metric development, health and welfare, defined benefit and defined contribution plans, wellness and work life.
Experience with benefits supplier contract management, regulatory compliance and day-to-day operations.
Extensive project management experience to include requirement development and implementation.
Knowledge of and ability to uphold the organization's and industry's HR standards, procedures and policies regarding human resources management.
Knowledge of health and group insurance products, market segments and marketplaces; ability to apply this knowledge to meet specific business goals and objectives.
Demonstrated knowledge of executive benefits programs, processes, issues and considerations; ability to design and implement special benefits programs targeted at an organization's executives.
Understanding of outsourced benefits administration and how to provide oversight of outsourced functions and programs.
Experience with documenting processes and identifying required controls; to include recommending and implementing solutions and responding effectively to sensitive inquires and complaints.
Advanced knowledge of defined benefit and defined contribution plans, deferred compensation and Health and Welfare plans.
Proficient knowledge of Microsoft Office tools to include Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
Knowledge of federal laws, rules, and regulations to include: ERISA, COBRA, HIPAA, ACA, FMLA.

Nice To Haves

Experience designing, implementing, and managing employee benefit programs that support physical, financial, mental, and emotional well-being.
Track record of managing and cultivating strong relationships with external benefit plan suppliers, including medical carriers, pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs), recordkeepers, and wellness program providers.
Skills and experience communicating complex benefits information clearly and effectively to employees, leadership, and other stakeholders, tailoring messages to each audience.
Experience monitoring market practices, trends, and regulatory requirements to ensure benefit offerings remain competitive, cost-effective, and compliant.

Responsibilities

Applies expert knowledge to provide strategic guidance in the design, development, assessment, implementation and administration of benefit plans, programs, and services.
Directs the analysis of organizational trends, market data, and industry practices to identify root causes and address benefit issues.
Oversees the daily management of programs, regulatory compliance, contract compliance and contracted suppliers.
Applies advanced principles, theories and concepts to determine optimal solutions.
Provides insight and guidance to senior leadership on complex issues.
Recommends changes to programs and success measures as appropriate.
Researches and recommends alternative benefits programs and initiatives.
Manages multifaceted programs with association-wide risks.
Provides oversight of other complex programs to ensure integration and alignment with the Total Rewards philosophy.
Develops appropriate objectives for employee benefit programs to ensure program success and compliance with internal goals and external federal requirements.
Monitors and evaluates the effectiveness of benefit programs and suppliers against stated objectives by using metrics and best practices with an Enterprise-wide impact.
Ensures vendors are aligned with benefit program objectives and provide appropriate service levels to employees.
Advises senior leadership on the legal and regulatory environment that may impact current and/or future employee benefit offerings.
Evaluates and recommends changes and enhancements to programs to ensure compliance with federal regulations.
Monitors the work of team members and provides direct feedback and coaching as needed.
Develops a communication strategy around benefit plans, programs, and services to include open enrollment changes, pricing, plan details, and the various communication resources.
Serves as a primary resource for escalated issues of an unusual nature.
Monitors the annual benefits budget in partnership with Finance and vendors.
Develops and oversees measures to ensure costs are minimized and efficiencies are realized.
Analyzes financial impacts and recommends adjustments to programs to minimize financial risk.
Leads and motivates cross-functional team members in designing business solutions for benefit plans, programs, and services with an enterprise-wide impact.
Ensures risks associated with business activities are effectively identified, measured, monitored, and controlled in accordance with risk and compliance policies and procedures.