Benefits Manager

Mitchell Hamline School of Law is seeking to hire a full-time Benefits Manager. This position is responsible for the administration of employee benefits, retirement programs and leave management, HRIS administration and employee relations. This role will ensure that the MHSL benefit offerings are cost-effective, risk-averse, and aligned with strategic goals and overall vision.

This Benefits Manager is also responsible for enhancing current well-being initiatives and developing additional well-being initiatives across the community.

This position will act as a liaison between the Senior Director of HR, supervisors, HRIS vendors, Payroll, and Benefit administrators. This position is responsible for oversight of procedures and ensuring adherence to all local, state, and federal laws in conjunction with MHSL policies.

Essential Responsibilities:

Benefits Administration

• Lead Benefits Communication and Enrollment: Manage the communication and coordination of Recruitment, New Hire, and Open Enrollment processes. Facilitate both virtual and in-person onboarding sessions for new hires and open enrollment. Ensure the intranet contains up-to-date and accurate information for benefits and leave information.
• Vendor Liaison and Benefits Optimization: Review and make recommendations regarding benefits offerings and annual renewal of benefits with carriers and vendors. Serve as key liaison with vendors to ensure efficient workflow and achievement of expected service levels.
• Compliance and Reporting: Completes necessary compliance and other reporting including ACA, 5500, and various other federal/state reporting requirements.
• Leave Management: Oversee administration of leaves including FMLA, STD, and LTD. Maintain leave records and ensure compliance with MHSL processes, policies, and all applicable regulations. Provide manager training for benefits and leave management.
• Policy Development and Recommendation: Develops and recommends leave policies and processes that comply with local, state, and federal regulations, collaborating with Payroll and USC's workers' compensation and disability vendors, claims management, data analysis and employee communication and support.
• Retirement Plan Oversight: Manages and oversees all retirement plans and programs offered to employees to include compliance, vendor management, employee communication, accurate benefit calculations and distributions, retirement counseling and cost management.
• Professional Development: Review and make recommendations regarding approvals for tuition and professional development benefits.

HRIS Administration

• HRIS Expertise and Systems Management: HRIS Coordination and SME (Subject Matter Expert). Manage updates and coordinate changes to HRIS system. Ensure electronic file management (EFM) is up-to-date and maintained. Coordinates with IT and other key contacts to ensure coordination with vendors and other linked software.
• Data Accuracy & Integrity: Manages data in HRIS including hires, terminations, and leave entries. Coordinate and ensure data retention is aligned with School's policies and regulatory requirements.

Employee Relations

• Collaboration with Department Leaders: Serves as a key member of the HR team to ensure best practices. Consult with department leaders and supervisors regarding policies and various employment issues. Assist with administration of compensation system, including job analysis, grading and salary benchmarking.

Wellness Program Administration

• Well-being Initiatives: Advise on the administration of School-wide wellness initiatives. Serve as first point of contact for all well-being inquiries and provide ongoing support for program development and improvement.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Problem-Solving & Analytical Thinking: Ability to define problems, collect data, establish facts, and ultimately draw valid conclusions.
• Customer-Centric Approach: High affinity for providing exceptional customer service and maintaining professional relationships with both internal and external stakeholders.
• Effective Communication: Strong verbal and written communication skills, ability to effectively present information and respond to questions from groups of managers, employees, and others.
• Strong Attention to Detail: Ability to deliver clear, concise, and effective communication, both verbally and in writing, ensuring accuracy and clarity in all interactions and documentation.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Business, Communications, or a related field.
• Minimum of 5 years of benefits, leave and retirement administration experience or an equivalent combination of education and experience is required.
• Strong professionalism, and effective leadership skills are required.
• Must have strong HRIS experience, including an understanding of vendor file feeds setup and management.
• In-depth knowledge of the Family Medical Leave Act, military leaves, and other applicable state/federal laws.
• Experience integrating leaves and benefits and establishing other collaborative initiatives, working cross-functionally, and delivering results while partnering with multiple stakeholders.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Master's degree in business, finance/accounting, higher education, or other related fields.
• Eight (8) or more years' experience as a benefits/leave leader in an organization.
• Proficiency with UKG HRIS systems.
• Experience with evaluating benefits and related programs, assessing the effectiveness of existing plans/policies, and implementing procedural or benefit changes and revisions.
• Certified Benefits Professional, Certified Employee Benefit Specialist, Certified Compensation Professional, or other similar certifications.
• Higher education experience.

Salary Range: $79,575 - $111,405

Benefits:

• Health insurance
• Dental insurance
• Life/AD&D insurance (MHSL pays for)
• Optional Life Insurance
• Disability Benefits (MHSL pays for)
• Paid time off (PTO)
• 403(b) Retirement plan (Generous MHSL match)
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
• Competitive compensation package
• A respectful workplace

Hybrid Work Option:

• Hybrid Position (Minneapolis/St. Paul Area): If you are located in the Minneapolis/St. Paul metro area, this is a hybrid role offering the flexibility to work from home 1-2 days a week. The other days, you will work from our St. Paul, MN office, collaborating with your team.

To apply, please submit a cover letter and resume. Review of applications will begin immediately and will continue until the position is filled or otherwise closed at the College's discretion.

Mitchell Hamline School of Law is an Equal Employment Opportunity and Affirmative Action employer. We do not discriminate based on actual or perceived race, color, creed, religion, national origin, sex/gender, gender identity, gender expression, marital status, familial (or parental) status, disability, status with regard to public assistance, sexual orientation, age, family care leave status, or veteran status, or any other protected class defined by law.

Notice of Nondiscrimination re: Title IX Sex Discrimination

Mitchell Hamline School of Law prohibits sex discrimination in any education program or activity that it operates. Individuals may report concerns or questions about sex discrimination or harassment to the Title IX Coordinator. The notice of nondiscrimination and information about reporting concerns is located on our website (https://mitchellhamline.edu/students/title-ix/