Senior Benefit Specialist

Bi-State Development Agency of the Missouri-Illinois Metropolitan District•St. Louis, MO

1d•$66,940 - $89,250•Onsite

About The Position

The Senior Benefit Specialist supports Bi-State Development’s health, welfare, and retirement benefit programs for employees, retirees, and their dependents. This position counsels individuals on benefit options, manages eligibility and data accuracy, and ensures compliance with internal policies and governmental regulations. This role also assists with benefit strategies through system configuration and vendor coordination.

Requirements

Expert understanding of employee benefit programs, including medical, pharmacy, dental, vision, life, and disability plans.
Comprehensive knowledge of 401(k) and defined benefit pension plans.
Working knowledge of Federal and State health plan programs and regulations to include Medicare, Medicaid, Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), COBRA, Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), and Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA).
General knowledge of benefit coordination processes.
Understanding of financial accounting principles.
Proficiency in numerical data analysis and financial calculations.
Expertise in Company policies, procedures, and overall benefit packages.
Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Office suite, including Outlook, Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
Strong interpersonal and communication skills to effectively handle sensitive employee relations matters.
High-level ability to prioritize tasks, manage workloads, and meet deadlines.
Ability to interpret and apply health plan regulations and benefit coordination practices.
Minimum of (5) years of related professional experience in healthcare or benefits administration.

Nice To Haves

Preferred 4 Year / Bachelors Business administration, health care administration, human resources, or related field

Responsibilities

Provides expert support on medical, pharmacy, dental, vision, flexible spending accounts (FSA), employee assistance programs (EAP), wellness, life, disability (including Accident, Illness, short- term disability, long-term disability), and time-off benefits (paid time off, vacation, sick leave).
Interfaces with third-party administrators regarding 401(k) and pension retirement plans as needed.
Communicates Company policies and procedures to participants, customers, vendors, and organizations.
Collaborates with benefit team, HR, Payroll, Labor Relations/Absence Management, and external partners for inquiry support.
Develops and updates materials for employee benefit programs and processes documentation for qualifying life event changes.
Maintains and updates internal and vendor systems for benefits changes (e.g., open enrollment, life events, transfers, terminations, retirements).
Ensures compliance with Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) rules and Company record retention policies for electronic and paper benefit records.
Conducts new hire orientation, open enrollment, and retirement health plan education sessions.
Ensures system integrity for internal processing and outbound enrollment/eligibility file transmissions, resolving vendor system errors.
Collaborates with internal and external resources to implement or modify benefits, including system setup and data transmission protocols.
Functions as business analyst for health, welfare, and retirement benefit system projects, including crafting test plans and providing training/documentation.
Audits and reconciles enrollment data using reports and tools to ensure accuracy of benefits eligibility, enrollment, and contributions.
Offers expertise and guidance to Benefits Specialists and stays updated on regulations impacting employee benefits.
Processes Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA) notifications and enrollments, as well as HealthCare Flexible SpendingAccount/Dependent Care Flexible Spending Account (HCFSA/DCFSA) enrollments via third-party systems.

Benefits

Receive a competitive salary
Comprehensive medical, prescription, dental, and vision coverage starting on your first day
4 weeks of paid time off (PTO) each year
10 paid holidays annually — plus a floating holiday to celebrate your birthday
Company-sponsored 401(k) retirement plan
Supplemental benefits through Unum, including off-the-job accident, critical illness, whole life, and hospital indemnity insurance
Wellness program, which includes free health screenings
Employee Assistance Program (EAP) for confidential support and resources
Eligible employer for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program
Exclusive gym discounts at Club Fitness, The Edge Fitness Clubs, and OneLife Fitness at Ballpark Village
Nine onsite gyms, available 24/7
Free MetroLink and MetroBus access
Discounted cell phone plans