Benefits Financial Planning Specialist / Administrative Associate I

MSU Internal Job Postings Details • East Lansing, MI

5d • Remote

About The Position

The Benefits Financial Planning Specialist provides advanced financial analysis, modeling, and decision support to ensure the long‑term financial sustainability and strategic design of Michigan State University’s employee benefit programs. This role supports benefits budgeting, financial planning, contracting, and leadership decision‑making across health, prescription drug, dental, and related benefit plans.

Requirements

• Ability to perform advanced financial analysis, budgeting, forecasting, and multi‑year modeling to inform strategic benefits decisions and long‑term financial sustainability.
• Strong understanding of employee benefit financing, healthcare cost drivers, insurance principles, and plan design considerations within complex organizations.
• Demonstrated skill in analyzing large, complex datasets and translating technical information into clear, decision‑ready insights through models, dashboards, and reports.
• Proven capability to support leadership decision‑making, long‑range planning, and collective bargaining through customized financial analysis and scenario modeling.
• Effective collaborator and communicator who can convey complex financial concepts to diverse stakeholders while navigating ambiguity, exercising sound judgment, and applying best practices.
• Knowledge equivalent to that which normally would be acquired by completing a four-year college degree program in Finance, Business Administration, Accounting, Data Science, Human Resources, or a closely related field.
• Five to eight years of related and progressively more responsible or expansive work experience in benefits finance, benefits administration financial analysis, budget administration, or a related analytical or financial discipline.
• An equivalent combination of education and experience.

Nice To Haves

• Experience supporting the administration or financial operations of group employee benefit plans, including health, prescription drug, or dental insurance.
• Technical knowledge of insurance concepts, benefit funding mechanisms, and employee benefit plans in a governmental or higher education environment.
• Experience applying accounting principles and preparing or interpreting financial reports.
• Demonstrated ability to work independently as an organized, resourceful professional with strong attention to detail, consistent follow‑through, and the ability to manage multiple priorities.

Responsibilities

• Lead benefits budgeting and ongoing financial monitoring, including cost reporting, rate forecasting, and trend analysis for health, prescription drug, dental, and related plans.
• Develop multi‑year financial models, dashboards, and advanced analyses using enrollment, claims, and market data to support Total Rewards and HR strategic planning.
• Deliver customized financial analysis and modeling to support leadership decision‑making, HR strategy, and collective bargaining preparation.
• Provide financial and strategic support for benefits contracting activities, including RFP and vendor evaluations, with a focus on cost competitiveness, vendor performance, and plan design alignment.
• Monitor, validate, and analyze benefits data to support OPEB valuation, fiscal year‑end close, audits, reconciliations, and regulatory and compliance reporting.
• Collaborate closely with HR Finance, the MSU Controller’s Office, Central Finance, procurement partners, consultants, and vendors.
• Represent HR on university committees, working groups, and project teams, and remain current on healthcare, benefits, and regulatory trends.

Benefits

• The salary range for this position is fixed at $82,685 – $91,600. Final compensation will be determined based on relevant experience within this range.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Number of Employees: 1-10 employees