Manager, Benefits

Inland Empire Health Plan•Rancho Cucamonga, CA

13h•Hybrid

About The Position

The Manager, Benefits is responsible for the administration and management of comprehensive employee benefit programs, including health, life, disability, retirement, wellness, and recognition initiatives. This role ensures effective communication and education of benefits offerings through materials, events, and digital platforms, while serving as a trusted resource for team member inquiries and issue resolution. The Manager oversees vendor and broker relationships, contract compliance, and billing accuracy, while maintaining adherence to federal and state regulations such as ERISA, ACA, COBRA, and HIPAA. Additionally, this position leads a team, fosters cross-functional collaboration, and aligns benefits strategies with organizational objectives. The Manager continuously evaluates industry trends to recommend enhancements, ensures audit readiness, and safeguards the confidentiality of team member data. The IEHP Team is committed to incorporate IEHP’s Quality Program goals including, but not limited to, HEDIS, CAHPS, and NCQA Accreditation.

Requirements

Minimum of six (6) years of Human Resources experience required in the benefits administration of health/welfare and retirement plans for multiple carriers.
Minimum of two (2) years of leadership experience or in a lead capacity in a human resources environment required.
Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business, or relevant field from an accredited institution required
Knowledge of California state and federal laws and human resources principles, procedures, and practices
Deep understanding of benefits administration, plans, programs, and systems
Strong computer proficiency and technical aptitude
Skilled in Microsoft Office products, including Excel, PowerPoint, Word, Outlook, Teams, etc.
Outstanding interpersonal skills to build and enhance internal and external relationships
Excellent time management skills
Strong leadership and team management skills
Ability to interpret and succinctly communicate information and data to various stakeholders
Ability to demonstrate discretion, good judgment, tact, and diplomacy
Ability to plan and set priorities
Highly organized with the ability to manage multiple activities concurrently
Ability to effectively deliver presentations in person and via virtual platforms

Nice To Haves

Experience with fully- and self-insured medical plans preferred
Master’s degree from an accredited institution preferred
CEBS, PHR or SPHR certification preferred
Knowledge and experience with CalPERS or similar pension plan preferred
Experience with benefits administration for leave of absences is a plus

Responsibilities

Manage and administer employee benefit programs and services, including health, life and disability, FSA/HSA, retirement/pension, wellness/recognition programs, voluntary plans, and EAP.
Develop and deliver clear communication materials for benefits enrollment and education.
Lead in the coordination of the annual benefits fair, open enrollment, new hire orientation, and maintenance of benefits content on the internal portal.
Provides communication and guidance to team members regarding plan design, eligibility, and administration of benefits.
Communicates with plan providers about plans and plan changes.
Serve as a resource to team members for benefits inquiries and problem resolution.
Manage broker and vendor relationships, as well as applicable contracts and agreements.
Maintain carrier contracts and retirement plan documents.
Manage the wellness and team member recognition and anniversary programs.
Oversee the validation and approval of carrier invoices and billing.
Manage staff, including developing, training, and performance management.
Collaborate with leadership to align benefits strategy with organizational objectives.
Effectively work with cross-functional teams on projects and processes as needed (i.e., Finance/Payroll, Legal, IT, Marketing, etc.).
Maintain up-to-date knowledge of trends and best practices impacting all benefits-related programs; recommend enhancements to benefits programs.
Maintain and process accurate documentation for audits and regulatory requirements for reporting (i.e., ACA).
Ensure compliance with applicable federal and state regulations, including ERISA, ACA, COBRA, and HIPAA.
Preserve the confidentiality of Team Member data and information.
Hire, train, and manage support staff, while monitoring and evaluating outcomes.
Conduct performance reviews of each team Member within IEHP guidelines.
Perform any other duties as required to ensure Health Plan operations and department business needs are successful.