Manager Benefits - HR Benefits

FirstEnergy•Akron, OH

About The Position

The Manager, Benefits reports to the Director, Benefits and Absence and is responsible for the strategic design, development, implementation, communication, and ongoing administration of the Company’s Health & Welfare benefit programs for active employees and retirees. This position provides leadership and subject matter expertise across the full Health & Welfare portfolio and is accountable for Health & Welfare Strategy and Plan Management. This role involves leading the strategy, design, implementation, and ongoing administration of comprehensive Health & Welfare benefit programs, including self-insured medical plans, prescription drug benefits, dental and vision plans, life and accidental death and dismemberment insurance, Health Savings Accounts (HSAs), Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs), and other tax-advantaged benefit accounts, employee wellbeing programs and initiatives, voluntary and supplemental benefit programs, educational assistance programs, the Catastrophic Assistance and Relief (CARE) program, other Health & Welfare programs and employee benefit offerings, and retiree medical plans. The role also involves developing and executing Health & Welfare strategies that support the Company's Total Rewards philosophy, business objectives, workforce needs, and employee value proposition, and evaluating plan design opportunities, emerging benefit trends, utilization, employee demographics, market practices, and cost drivers to develop recommendations for benefit enhancements, changes, or new programs. Additionally, the Manager, Benefits leads the evaluation of opportunities to improve quality, affordability, access, employee experience, and administrative efficiency across the Health & Welfare portfolio.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in human resources, Business, Finance, or a related discipline and a minimum of 7 years of relevant experience required. In lieu of a degree, a high school diploma and a minimum of 10 years of relevant experience required.
Demonstrated experience managing or supporting a broad portfolio of Health & Welfare benefit programs.
Strong knowledge of employer-sponsored medical, prescription drug, dental, vision, life insurance, wellbeing, spending accounts, and voluntary benefit programs.
Knowledge of applicable Health & Welfare benefit regulations and compliance requirements.
Demonstrated ability to analyze complex benefits and financial information and translate findings into clear, actionable recommendations.
Experience leading complex benefit implementations, annual enrollment processes, vendor initiatives, and cross-functional projects.
Strong project management and organizational skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities and deliver results within established timelines.
Strong written, verbal, presentation, and interpersonal communication skills.
Demonstrated ability to build relationships and influence stakeholders across multiple levels of an organization.
Strong problem-solving skills and sound judgment, with the ability to independently address complex benefits issues.
Demonstrated commitment to confidentiality and appropriate handling of sensitive employee and benefits information.
Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Teams.

Nice To Haves

Experience with self-insured health plans, benefit plan design, vendor management, financial analysis, and healthcare cost management strongly preferred.
Prior experience leading or developing benefits professionals.
Experience managing large, complex Health & Welfare programs and vendor relationships.
Experience with benefits benchmarking, healthcare analytics, plan design modeling, and vendor procurement activities.

Responsibilities

Lead the strategy, design, implementation, and ongoing administration of the Company’s comprehensive Health & Welfare benefit programs, including: Self-insured medical plans, Prescription drug benefits, Dental and vision plans, Life and accidental death and dismemberment insurance, Health Savings Accounts (HSAs), Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs), and other tax-advantaged benefit accounts, Employee wellbeing programs and initiatives, Voluntary and supplemental benefit programs, Educational assistance programs, Catastrophic Assistance and Relief (CARE) program, Other Health & Welfare programs and employee benefit offerings, Retiree medical plans.
Develop and execute Health & Welfare strategies that support the Company's Total Rewards philosophy, business objectives, workforce needs, and employee value proposition.
Evaluate plan design opportunities, emerging benefit trends, utilization, employee demographics, market practices, and cost drivers to develop recommendations for benefit enhancements, changes, or new programs.
Lead the evaluation of opportunities to improve quality, affordability, access, employee experience, and administrative efficiency across the Health & Welfare portfolio.
Manage multi-million-dollar Health & Welfare benefit budgets, forecasts, funding activities, and financial analysis.
Partner with Finance, actuaries, consultants, and vendors to evaluate program costs, utilization trends, claims experience, and emerging cost drivers.
Monitor benefit program performance and identify opportunities to manage healthcare costs while maintaining competitive, high-quality benefits for employees and their families.
Develop business cases, financial analyses, and recommendations to support benefit strategy and investment decisions.
Establish and monitor key performance indicators and metrics to evaluate program effectiveness, vendor performance, employee engagement, utilization, and financial results.
Develop and maintain strong strategic partnerships with health plans, pharmacy benefit managers, benefit administrators, consultants, wellbeing partners, and other benefit vendors.
Lead vendor governance activities, including performance reviews, service-level monitoring, issue resolution, implementation activities, contract renewals, and ongoing vendor management.
Partner with Procurement, Legal, and Finance on vendor selection, contracting, renewals, competitive bidding activities, and evaluation of benefit solutions.
Hold vendors accountable for delivering contractual commitments, service standards, financial guarantees, and a high-quality participant experience.
Provide leadership and oversight for the day-to-day administration of Health & Welfare benefit programs, ensuring accurate, efficient, and consistent service delivery.
Oversee annual Open Enrollment, new program implementations, plan changes, and other benefit enrollment activities.
Lead the development and execution of benefits communications that educate employees about their benefits, increase awareness and engagement, promote healthcare consumerism, and help employees make informed benefit decisions.
Monitor and resolve complex or escalated benefits issues involving eligibility, enrollment, coverage, claims, and vendor service.
Identify opportunities to simplify benefits administration and improve the employee experience through technology, process improvements, automation, and vendor capabilities.
Ensure Health & Welfare benefit programs are administered in accordance with applicable federal and state requirements and Company plan provisions.
Maintain and oversee benefit plan documentation, including Summary Plan Descriptions (SPDs), plan documents, policies, procedures, employee communications, and required notices.
Coordinate required Health & Welfare compliance activities, filings, notices, audits, including applicable Affordable Care Act reporting, Summary Annual Reports, PCORI requirements, OPEB and other benefit-related requirements.
Partner with Legal and external advisors on benefit compliance matters, plan documentation, regulatory developments, and interpretation of benefit plan requirements.
Maintain appropriate governance processes and documentation to support effective benefit plan administration and fiduciary oversight.
Lead benchmarking and market analysis of Health & Welfare programs to evaluate competitiveness, identify trends, and support recommendations for changes to the Company's benefit offerings.
Monitor emerging healthcare and benefits trends, regulatory developments, vendor solutions, and innovative approaches to healthcare delivery and cost management.
Develop recommendations that balance market competitiveness, employee value, financial sustainability, and organizational objectives.
Support the broader Total Rewards strategy by ensuring Health & Welfare programs help the Company attract, retain, engage, and support employees.
Lead, coach, and develop a team of benefits professionals responsible for Health & Welfare program administration and strategic initiatives.
Establish clear priorities, goals, and performance expectations and ensure successful execution of key benefit initiatives and operational deliverables.
Build team capability and subject matter expertise while creating opportunities for professional development and career growth.
Foster a collaborative, accountable, and innovative team environment aligned with Company Core Values and Behaviors.
Build strong working relationships across HR and the business and serve as a trusted benefits subject matter expert to HR leaders and key stakeholders.