Benefits Administrator Job Description, Skills, and Salary
Are you searching for a benefits administrator job description? Get to know about the duties, responsibilities, qualifications, and skills requirements of a benefits administrator. Feel free to use our benefits administrator job description template to produce your own benefits administrator job description. We also provide you with information about the salary you can earn as a benefits administrator.
Who is a Benefits Administrator?
A Benefits administrator is in charge of organizing and managing employee benefit programs. They work in the human resources division of a business and engage with other departments and outside vendors while interacting with the workforce and resolving benefit-related issues.
Benefits administrators administer the benefits packages that an employer offers its employees. To decide which benefits to provide, how much they should cost, and how they should be delivered, they collaborate closely with human resources and other stockholders. They ensure that all of these choices adhere to legal and regulatory constraints; this involves ensuring that any particular group of individuals is not the target of discrimination or injustice in the plans they design.
They manage employee benefit plans, such as health insurance, retirement funds, and other types of incentives and pay. One of the duties of people in benefits administration is to design salaries and bonuses that satisfy employees’ needs while also assisting the parent company in budgeting and maintaining its position as a market leader. This obligation becomes increasingly more complicated as firms search for strategies to maintain profitability and industry competitiveness during a recession without compromising workers’ job happiness. The sharp increase in medical costs poses an additional hurdle for people interested in benefits administration.
Since various types of remuneration are in employee benefit packages, a career in benefits administration has become challenging and rewarding. Although benefits administrators spend a lot of time dealing with data, they are also in charge of creating and managing benefit programs so they also spend some time working directly with employees, either one-on-one or in teams. Traditional responsibilities of benefits administrators include managing employee health insurance, retirement funds, IRAs, 401(k)s, life insurance, disability insurance, long-term care benefits, and death benefits. Remuneration packages comprise benefits that include maternity/paternity leave, child care, long-term care, preventative medicine plans, and flexible spending accounts that are now in remuneration packages.
Benefits administrators must ensure that the company’s benefits policies are active. In addition to ensuring that employees receive all perks to which they are eligible, including health insurance, sick leave, and holiday leave, they must confirm that benefit claims comply with all business standards. They must also ensure that medical practitioners are paid promptly for their services.
Benefits administrators combine challenging customer service duties with intricate employee benefits administration. Setting the company’s wage rates, pay structure, and benefits may be among their duties and responsibilities. To ensure that the policies are understandable and practical for the company employees, they frequently need to coordinate with benefit providers like insurance companies. A variety of elements are necessary for employee retention, one of which is a compelling benefits package. Benefits administrators create, administer, monitor, and manage benefit programs on behalf of their employers. In this role, you will ensure the benefits program for your company is current and in line with all applicable federal and state laws. The person overseeing the benefits administration procedure is often a human resources specialist in the company. Benefits administrators should understand the federal regulations governing health, retirement, and other benefits. They should also know about the company’s resources and the needs of the employees. Along with other responsibilities, the benefits administrator will create and oversee the organization’s benefits program and choose the best HR software and insurance plans.
A benefits administrator needs to conduct research, comprehend legal requirements, be knowledgeable about pertinent software and technology, and teach staff members and explain complex ideas. Dealing with insurance providers and software companies will require the benefits administrator to have strong communication, negotiation, and teamwork skills.
You might anticipate handling employee grievances and liaising between plan providers and employees. Additionally, you will look for ways to enhance a company’s benefits package, like finding and securing new programs. Benefits administrators also give employees the benefits of the plans they might choose from and their rights and obligations. You need to be well-versed in federal and state regulations and an excellent communication and customer service abilities.
Employee engagement is becoming a big concern for employers to boost output and cut costs. As a result, benefits administrators now concentrate on fostering an environment at work where people feel loved and respected. They will need to provide benefits that appeal to all workers, such as those who have children or are interested in fitness. They will also need to be proactive in informing staff members of benefit plan changes and responding to any queries they may have. Technology is being used more and more in the workplace, and benefits administration is one area where this is particularly noticeable. Currently, many processes that required manual labor in the past, such as data entry, are being automated by benefits administrators using technology.
Employee assistance programs, insurance firms, and human resources departments are just a few places where benefits administrators work. During regular business hours, they typically work full-time, although they might occasionally put in extra time to fulfill deadlines or attend meetings on the weekends or after hours. Benefits administrators communicate with people on the phone and in person. They must be proficient in speaking with people, including government representatives, insurance company representatives, and employees.
Benefits administrators’ work environment can be a private or shared office space. Work days are usually the traditional Monday to Friday work week, and work hours are generally from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Certain Benefits Administrators may be able to work from their homes for at least part of the work week. Benefits administrators may work in private or government organizations, an outsourcing firm, or be self-employed.
Benefits Administration jobs are often a part of the Human Resources department of the employing company. Most Benefits Administrators work out of their offices, but, for many, extensive travel may be required. While Benefits Administrators may work for either large or small companies, the majority of opportunities available at larger companies have entire departments devoted to Benefits Administration. Even though Benefits Administrators can work for both large and small businesses, the bulk of chances is at larger organizations that have entire departments devoted to Benefits Administration.
Benefits Administrator Job Description
What is a benefits administrator job description? A benefits administrator job description is simply a list of duties and responsibilities of a benefits administrator in an organization. Below are the benefits administrator job description examples you can use to develop your resume or write a benefits administrator job description for your employee. Employers can also use it to sieve out job seekers when choosing candidates for interviews.
- Create, suggest, and put into effect new benefits schemes.
- Explain benefit options and plans such as insurance, wellness, etc.
- Find vendors and employee benefits programs that offer the best value.
- Negotiate the best plans, options, and prices with vendors and administrators.
- Accept responsibility for paying monthly payments on time.
- Organize enrollments and decide who is eligible for employment.
- Work with the accounting department to execute all benefit payment and reimbursement processes.
- Plan vacations and handle claims or requests (for medical procedures, workers’ compensation, etc.)
- Maintain current employee records with pertinent data (marital status, years of service, hours worked, etc.)
- Transfer information to outside contacts for services, premiums, and plan administration.
- Review and update internal procedures to boost productivity and cut costs.
- Maintain documentation of the administrative procedures for allocated benefits processes.
- Ensure that all laws and regulations are adhered to in the scheme.
- Make sure all mandatory reporting and fees are accurate and submitted on time.
- Oversee the upkeep of the group benefits database, employee payroll records, and employee benefits files.
- Complete benefits surveys, then examine the data you received. Analyze detailed benefit data; forecasting trends can help with benefit designs in the future.
- Track the administrative costs of benefits programs and suggest cost-cutting measures, such as alternate administration and funding options.
- Support internal and external customers with customer service.
Qualifications
- High school diploma
- Higher institution degree in business administration, health, or other disciplines
- Certificates and licenses; are optional in some organizations
Essential Skills
Benefits administrators need the following skills to be successful:
- Communication: The act of transmitting information via any means to one person or more is communication. As a benefits administrator, you can be in charge of informing employees about their benefits; this covers making phone calls, writing letters, and sending emails. Communication with insurance providers, suppliers, and other personnel from the human resources division may also fall within your purview.
- Leadership: Every career might require the leadership skill of a worker to give such a person an edge. Benefits administrators sometimes manage a group of other benefits administrators. They must therefore possess excellent leadership qualities. They must be able to inspire their employees to work hard and productively. Additionally, they must be able to assign duties and obligations to other team members.
- Negotiation: It is almost impossible to excel in this career if you are bad at negotiating because part of your job is to find a very suitable benefits package for the employees at your company. You need to know how to negotiate with vendors and other service providers you patronize to get the best deals.
- Organizational: The ability to plan tasks and use time efficiently to achieve your goal. Managing many jobs at once is part of a benefits administrator’s job. You can manage your workload and prioritize your obligations by being good at organizing. It also helps you keep track of personnel information, paperwork, and other records.
- Problem-solving: The act of thinking of ideas and solutions to solving an issue is called problem-solving. Benefits administrators should ensure that the organization’s employees receive the proper perks and inform of any changes. The ability is important because you might need to think of solutions for any problems that may develop. For instance, you might need to find a way to explain the advantages to an employee, if they are having trouble understanding them.
- Team-playing: Almost every job might require one to belong to a team at some point or throughout their career. Team playing is the ability to work as a great team player amongst your team members. As a benefits administrator, you might work with other members HR department and accounting unit to ensure with various factors considered, employees’ salaries, bonuses, and other packages are at the best deals.
- Time management: The capacity to organize and complete things within a predetermined time range is known as time management. It is a crucial ability for benefits administrators because it can help you finish all your tasks on schedule, which involve organizing your workday, assigning duties to co-workers, and establishing project completion dates.
How to Become a Benefits Administrator
Education: The first step is graduating from high school. The next step is getting into the university; a bachelor’s degree in a related discipline, such as human resource management, business administration, finance, or health administration, is often preferred in some firms and required in others. Advancing to a master’s degree in human resources or health administration will give you an edge in some workplaces and give room for a salary increase. Although educational qualifications differ, many businesses favor applicants with the related course of study.
Training & Experience: Many benefit administrators start their new jobs with on-the-job training. The duration of this training could range from a few weeks to a few months, and it might involve doing activities under the supervision and shadowing existing ones until they feel confident enough to finish them on their own. You can work full-time as a benefits administrator after your studies.
Certifications & Licenses: Benefits administrators can enroll in several certification programs to learn more about their duties and develop their careers. You can apply for certificates through a reputable agency like the International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans (IFEBP). A certificate in Benefit Plan Administration, offered by the IFEBP, focuses on collaborating with suppliers and effectively informing employees of benefits.
Where to Work as a Benefits Administrator
- Private companies
- Insurance companies
- Government agencies
- Hospitals and other medical facilities
- Business sector
- Schools
- Religious organizations
Benefits Administrator Salary Scale
Benefits administrator’s salary varies depending on factors, such as the industry, location, certification acquired, years of experience, etc. In the United States, the average annual salary of a benefits administrator is 53,505, the salary range is between $32640-$73,925; it can be more or less.
In the United Kingdom, the average annual salary of a benefits administrator is £32420, the salary range is between £22300-£41650.