Employee Benefits Manager

Overview

Manage and oversee all employee benefits programs and staff for the Illinois Tollway.

Key Responsibilities

• open enrollment
• benefits administration
• compliance oversight
• vendor management
• reporting
• team management

Tasks

Reporting to the Deputy Chief of HR Administration, the Employee Benefits Manager will oversee, direct, and coordinate the administration of the employee benefits programs for the Tollway. The Employee Benefits Manager will serve as a strategic partner in determining the Tollway’s competitive position in employee benefits and develop cost control procedures to assure maximum coverage at the least possible cost to employees and the Tollway. Under the leadership of the Board of Directors and Executive Staff, the Tollway is committed to achieving the following goals: increase collaboration with regional transportation and planning agencies, promote the regional economy, maintain financial integrity, foster environmental responsibility and sustainability, maintain the safety and efficiency of the Tollway system, further transparency and accountability, enhance customer service, and maintain public trust. -Conducts annual open enrollment at Tollway. Ensures that employees can change their health insurance plans; provide written material on health plans to all employees; conducts enrollment meetings and provide individual counseling to employees. -Manages day-to-day benefits activities. Oversees enrollments, terminations to plans, monthly premium payments, and responds to inquiries and complaints. Ensures quick, equitable and courteous resolution of problems. -Administers the Tollway’s benefit programs, health plans, disability insurance, open enrollment, retirement/pension plans, deferred compensation, leave administration, FMLA, Employee Assistance Program (EAP), tuition reimbursement, FSA and other employee related benefits. -Plans, establishes priorities, assigns work, monitors progress and evaluates results of activities and projects in the Benefits team. Continually works to improve overall management of performance within the team. Directs the work of staff. Hires, evaluates, trains, disciplines, and recommends dismissal of staff, as necessary. -Adheres to Tollway Customer Service Excellence standards. -Ensures all health insurance, retirement plans, wellness programs, and leave policies—adhere to applicable federal, state, and local laws and regulations -Ensures the implementation of new or updated benefit plan designs by working collaboratively with the Office of Information Technology Services, Payroll, and plan administrators. -Prepares and executes, with legal consultation, benefit documentation such as original and amended plan texts, benefit agreements and insurance policies. Instructs administrative agencies outside Tollway to effect changes in benefit program. Ensures prompt and accurate compliance. -Coordinates periodic workshops on new and existing benefit plans, retirement plans and savings/investment plans. -Acts as first point of contact with benefits broker and providers and work with them to identify and implement benefits offered, plan design, and premiums. Prepares Request-for-Proposals to solicit potential benefit providers. Makes recommendations to management for new plans and cost sharing between employer and employee.

Requirements

• microsoft office
• bachelor's degree
• master’s degree
• phr/sphr
• illinois tollway
• leadership

What You Bring

Skills and Experience (Preferred) Education (Preferred) -Demonstrated ability to handle sensitive and confidential information with tact and discretion. -Knowledge of the Illinois Tollway system. -Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or a related field of study or the Equivalent of Education and Experience. -Excellent and well developed written, verbal and organizational and presentation skills. -Experience working in unionized labor environment. -Ability to think creatively about alternatives and develop new ideas for and answers to work-related problems. -Knowledge of and experience in the use of technology, including the use of Microsoft Office, statistical software and advanced Web applications. -Must be able to interact with employees at all levels of the organization, in addition to other stakeholders, with professionalism, persuasiveness, and diplomacy; must effectively gain trust, build rapport, counsel, and assess complex situations with a very high level of accuracy. -Minimum of six (6) years of progressively responsible relevant benefits experience, or an equivalent combination of training and experience required. Experience should also include at least three (3) years of experience in a leadership role, including managing staff. -Capability of leading projects and implementing initiatives that have game-changing impact and permanency. -Demonstrated willingness to lead, take charge, and accept responsibilities and challenges. -Experience in ensuring benefit plans comply with laws like ERISA, COBRA, HIPAA, ACA, and the Internal Revenue Code. -Prior public sector experience. -Strong work ethic with impeccable judgment and integrity. -Experience in administering benefits plans, including designing, developing or implementing employment benefit, health, retirement and wellness programs and policies, interpreting and negotiating benefits contracts in partnership with senior management, utilizing extensive experience and judgment to plan and accomplish goals. -Master’s Degree. -PHR/SPHR, and/or CEBS certifications.

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Benefits

The Tollway is a user-fee system – no state or federal tax dollars are used to support maintenance and operations. Operations are funded by toll and concession revenues.

About Illinois Tollway

-Opened first toll roads in 1958. -Funded entirely by tolls and concessions. -Projects include lane expansions, open-road tolling upgrades, over-dimension truck permits, and real-time travel alerts. -Specializes in infrastructure, transport systems, and heavy-civil engineering. -No state or federal tax dollars are used—all upkeep comes from user fees.

Sector Specialisms