Senior Benefits Analyst

Starwood Hotels•Tampa, FL

5d•Remote

About The Position

Starwood Hotels is seeking a detail-oriented, service-minded Senior Benefits Analyst to join our team. Reporting to the Executive Director of Payroll & Benefits, you will support our team members by ensuring the accurate, efficient, and thoughtful administration and regulatory compliance of our U.S. benefit programs. You will serve as a key liaison among Payroll, People Operations, hotel teams, carriers, brokers, and external partners while managing benefit enrollments, carrier eligibility integrations, invoice reconciliations, payroll deductions, ACA tracking, and Form 1095-C reporting. The ideal candidate brings strong technical benefits knowledge, exceptional attention to detail, and a service-oriented approach to supporting a growing, multi-state hospitality organization.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, Finance, Accounting, or a related field preferred. Equivalent professional experience will be considered.
At least five years of progressive experience in benefits administration, benefits operations, payroll, or a related field.
Experience administering U.S. health and welfare benefit programs in a multi-state environment.
Strong knowledge of benefit eligibility, enrollment events, carrier administration, payroll deductions, invoice reconciliation, and regulatory reporting.
Hands-on experience with Workday Benefits strongly preferred.
Experience with ACA tracking and Form 1095-C reporting required.
Experience managing carrier eligibility integrations, self-billing, dependent verification, and Evidence of Insurability processes preferred.
Working knowledge of ERISA, COBRA, HIPAA, ACA, and applicable state leave and disability requirements.
Experience working in hospitality, retail, or another multi-location, high-volume workforce environment is preferred.
Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel, including lookups, pivot tables, data validation, reconciliation, and large-data analysis.
Ability to interpret benefit plan documents, carrier reports, invoices, eligibility files, and payroll records.
Experience developing documentation process, operational controls, and audit procedures.
Highly detail-oriented and analytical, with strong reconciliation and problem-solving skills and an unwavering commitment to accuracy.
Organized and adaptable, with the ability to prioritize competing responsibilities and consistently meet deadlines in a fast-paced, evolving environment.
Communicate clearly and professionally, translating complex benefits information into approachable, easy-to-understand guidance.
Exercise sound judgment and discretion when handling sensitive information and take ownership while appropriately escalating risks.
Collaborative, service-oriented partner who builds strong relationships and approaches every team member interaction with care and empathy.

Nice To Haves

Hands-on experience with Workday Benefits strongly preferred.
Experience managing carrier eligibility integrations, self-billing, dependent verification, and Evidence of Insurability processes preferred.
Experience working in hospitality, retail, or another multi-location, high-volume workforce environment is preferred.

Responsibilities

Administer, review, and approve benefit events in Workday, including new-hire and rehire enrollment, qualifying life events, job changes, coverage changes, and annual open enrollment.
Review elections and dependent documentation for accuracy, completeness, eligibility, and alignment with plan requirements.
Monitor pending events, follow up with team members and People Operations, finalize weekly enrollments, and audit job-change events for accurate coverage and deductions.
Manage Evidence of Insurability submissions and carrier approvals.
Maintain accurate benefit records, documentation, and audit trails.
Support annual enrollment through system testing, event monitoring, team member communications, and post-enrollment reconciliation.
Serve as a primary operational liaison with medical, dental, vision, life, disability, and other benefit carriers and brokers.
Research and resolve enrollment, eligibility, termination, coverage, and deduction discrepancies.
Monitor carrier integrations and eligibility files for rejected records, transmission issues, and inconsistencies between Workday and carrier systems.
Partner with carriers, brokers, internal technology teams, and other stakeholders to resolve integration issues.
Participate in recurring carrier and broker meetings, document action items, ensure timely follow-up, and monitor vendor service performance.
Manage the monthly UNUM self-billing process for more than 66 invoices.
Review enrollment counts, premiums, adjustments, and supporting documentation and reconcile carrier invoices against Workday records and payroll deductions.
Research and resolve billing discrepancies, retroactive adjustments, credits, and coverage inconsistencies.
Process and reconcile New York Paid Family Leave and Hawaii Temporary Disability Insurance invoices.
Coordinate with Payroll, Finance, carriers, and hotel-based People teams to ensure timely invoice review, approval, and submission.
Maintain complete documentation supporting all billing decisions, adjustments, and reconciliations.
Partner with Payroll to ensure accurate and timely benefit deductions and resolve missed or incorrect deductions, refunds, arrears, and retroactive adjustments.
Prepare, review, and validate Enterprise Interface Builder files and other benefit-related data uploads.
Audit benefit and payroll data to ensure team member elections, carrier coverage, and payroll deductions remain aligned.
Prioritize time-sensitive benefit changes according to payroll deadlines.
Support reconciliations related to annual enrollment, plan changes, acquisitions, property transitions, and system updates.
Manage monthly Affordable Care Act tracking and support the annual preparation, validation, distribution, and correction of Forms 1095-C.
Review eligibility and coverage data for potential reporting discrepancies and compliance risks.
Coordinate with internal stakeholders and external vendors to support accurate and timely regulatory reporting.
Maintain the benefits compliance calendar and coordinate required annual notices and communications.
Support compliance with ERISA, COBRA, HIPAA, ACA, New York Paid Family Leave, Hawaii Temporary Disability Insurance, and other applicable federal and state requirements.
Maintain organized records for internal reviews, regulatory inquiries, carrier audits, and external audits.
Monitor regulatory developments, communicate potential impacts to the Executive Director of Payroll & Benefits, and escalate material risks or discrepancies.
Respond to benefits help-desk tickets and team member inquiries with accuracy, empathy, confidentiality, and professionalism.
Clearly explain benefit eligibility, enrollment requirements, deadlines, coverage, deductions, and next steps.
Partner with corporate and hotel-based People Operations teams to resolve benefit questions and support team members through employment and qualifying life events.
Appropriately escalate sensitive, urgent, or complex benefit matters.
Develop and maintain standard operating procedures, process guides, job aids, and frequently asked questions.
Identify recurring concerns and recommend improvements to benefit communications, processes, and training.
Protect confidential employee and health information in accordance with company policies and applicable privacy requirements.
Prepare recurring reports on benefit events, billing, carrier discrepancies, service levels, and compliance activities.
Evaluate workflows and recommend improvements to accuracy, efficiency, internal controls, and the team member experience.
Develop standardized procedures, audit checkpoints, and escalation protocols for high-volume benefit processes.
Recommend system enhancements and participate in testing involving Workday Benefits and carrier integrations.
Support benefit implementations, plan changes, acquisitions, property transitions, and special projects.
Maintain current documentation for all assigned benefit administration and compliance processes.