Sr Benefits Specialist
About The Position
The Senior Benefits Specialist contributes to CDW’s Total Rewards and Benefits strategy by supporting the design, administration, compliance, communication, and continuous improvement of health, welfare, retirement, and wellbeing programs. The role partners with brokers, insurance carriers, vendors, payroll, HR, legal, and other stakeholders to help ensure programs are competitive, compliant, cost-effective, and aligned with business objectives. Serving as a benefits subject matter expert, the specialist supports strategic initiatives, vendor and carrier relationships, program analysis, complex employee issue resolution, and the implementation of new programs and enhancements. The role requires analytical and organizational skills, proactive problem-solving, cross-functional collaboration, and a commitment to a positive coworker experience.
Requirements
- Bachelor’s degree in business, mathematics, finance, health administration, human resources, or a related field and at least 5 years of employer benefits experience in plan design and financial analysis; alternatively, at least 9 years of employer benefits experience in plan design and financial analysis.
- Strong knowledge of health plan benefit design, plan service and administration procedures, health plan underwriting, actuarial principles and funding, and compliance requirements including ERISA, ACA, COBRA, HIPAA, IRS Section 125, and MHPAEA.
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills and ability to interact effectively with stakeholders, including plan participants and senior leadership.
- Ability to balance competing priorities, adapt to changing business needs, and meet deadlines.
- Ability to gather and analyze data, reason logically and creatively, draw conclusions, and make appropriate recommendations.
- Ability to be flexible and adapt to change.
- History of working independently with little direction.
- Strong creative problem-solving skills and resourcefulness.
- Strong organizational skills.
- Proficiency in Microsoft Office, including Copilot.
Nice To Haves
- Workday experience.
Responsibilities
- Design health and welfare, retirement, and wellness programs aligned with organizational objectives and regulatory requirements.
- Partner with brokers, consultants, carriers, and third-party administrators on plan renewals, annual enrollment, and ongoing program administration.
- Support implementation of new benefit programs, plan enhancements, system integrations, and process improvements.
- Analyze plan utilization, participation trends, and program effectiveness to identify improvements and cost optimization opportunities.
- Assist in developing and maintaining benefit policies, procedures, and governance frameworks.
- Build working relationships with benefit vendors, insurance carriers, brokers, and consultants.
- Participate in vendor evaluations, RFPs, contract reviews, and implementation activities.
- Monitor vendor performance, service levels, and operational effectiveness.
- Coordinate participant issue resolution with carriers and vendors and follow up on escalated matters.
- Support benefit program audits and vendor performance reviews.
- Act as an escalation point for complex benefit inquiries, claims issues, enrollment concerns, and vendor-related matters.
- Work with internal and external stakeholders to resolve coworker benefit concerns.
- Support benefit communications and educational initiatives to improve employee understanding and engagement.
- Identify opportunities to improve service delivery and the coworker experience.
- Ensure benefit programs comply with applicable federal, state, and local regulations, including ERISA, COBRA, HIPAA, and ACA requirements.
- Support preparation and maintenance of plan documents, including SPDs, plan notices, participant disclosures, and regulatory filings.
- Coordinate compliance activities, annual testing, and reporting requirements.
- Assist with internal and external audits and provide supporting documentation.
- Partner with Legal, Payroll, HRIS, and external vendors to meet compliance obligations.
- Collect, analyze, and interpret benefits data for decision-making and strategic planning.
- Monitor marketplace trends, emerging benefit practices, and legislative developments and recommend program enhancements.
- Prepare reports, presentations, and business cases for leadership on program performance and opportunities.
- Support annual budgeting, forecasting, enrollment reporting, and benefits analytics.
Benefits
- Annual bonus target of 5%, subject to the terms and conditions of the plan.
- Benefits information is provided through CDW’s benefits overview website.
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Senior
