Job Details

Description

Are you passionate about ensuring the smooth administration and compliance of employee benefits programs while helping to design and build them? We are looking for a Benefits Manager to play a key role in implementing and administering employee benefits programs, including open enrollment, while contributing to benefits strategy development, benefits budgeting, forecasting, reporting, and compliance, and providing benefits operational support. This is a highly impactful individual contributor role on the Human Resources team.

Washington Dental Service and its affiliates, including Arcora Foundation, Delta Dental of Washington, and TriForza believe everyone deserves good oral and overall health, with no one left behind. We succeed because of a shared commitment to a set of values that guide everything we do – for our customers, for our communities, and for each other. We are Accountable. We lean in with Courage. We stay Curious. We are Inclusive. We act with Integrity.

We offer highly competitive medical, dental and vision plans as well offering a generous 401k match and all employees start accruing vacation and sick time from their very first day. We empower employee development through our tuition reimbursement plan, professional development plans, and employee-led communities.

The pay range for this position In Western Washington varies between $81,900.00 – $116,550.00, and for Eastern Washington varies between $63,444.00 - $88,741.00. Washington Dental Service and its affiliates, including Arcora Foundation, Delta Dental of Washington, and TriForza Corp. intends to offer the selected candidate a base pay within this range, dependent on job-related, non-discriminatory factors such as experience. Base pay will also be adjusted based on the candidate's geographic location.

Essential Responsibilities include the following: The list of responsibilities listed is not intended to be comprehensive. Washington Dental Service and its affiliates, including Arcora Foundation, Delta Dental of Washington, and TriForza reserve the right to change the responsibilities at any time with or without notice.

Benefits Management and Administration:

• Oversee the design, administration, and delivery of employee benefit programs (health, dental, vision, retirement, wellness, and voluntary plans), ensuring programs are competitive, compliant, and aligned with organizational strategy.
• Manage the annual open enrollment process, including development of communications, facilitation of employee decision-making, and management of vendor and broker performance.
• Develop, track, and analyze benefit program budgets, including coding, forecasting, and spend analysis; provide insights and recommendations to optimize utilization and support annual planning.
• Evaluate industry trends, regulatory requirements, and employee feedback to recommend enhancements to benefits offerings and support long-term total rewards planning.
• Collaborate with Healthentic to analyze benefits trends and benchmark industry data, using insights to guide renewal strategies and recommend mid-year plan adjustments as needed.
• Negotiate and manage vendor/broker relationships to drive service excellence, resolve escalations, and ensure cost-effective delivery of benefits. Monitor vendor performance and ensure that service level agreements are met.
• Leverage data through reporting and analytics to monitor utilization, identify cost trends, and measure program effectiveness, presenting actionable insights to leadership.

Benefits Compliance and Communications

• Manage and lead compliance reporting relating to the company’s 401(k) plan and health plans, including the preparation of 5500 Forms, ensuring accuracy, timeliness, and risk mitigation. Act as primary HR contact for the annual 401(k) plan audit.
• Identify and address compliance risks by designing corrective action plans and making process improvements in benefits administration.
• Stay current on legislative and regulatory changes affecting employee benefits and recommend necessary policy updates.
• Develop and deliver training materials and communications to educate employees on benefits programs.
• Serve as the primary point of contact for employee benefits inquiries and issue resolution.
• Support the HR operations team’s leave administration policies and procedures. Collaborate with payroll to ensure accurate benefits deductions and assist with reconciliations.

Experience, skills, and education do you need to have to succeed in the position: The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required to successfully perform the essential functions of the position.

• 6+ years of progressive experience in benefits administration, including experience with multiple open enrollments
• Proven expertise in open enrollment strategy, vendor management, and employee benefits regulatory compliance (e.g., ACA, FMLA, ADA, ERISA).
• Strong knowledge of employee benefits compliance, policy governance, and auditing practices, with experience identifying risks and implementing corrective actions.
• Proficiency with HRIS platforms (UKG, Dayforce, Workday or something similar), benefits management tools, and reporting/analytics capabilities.
• Professional certification (e.g., CEBS, SHRM-CP, PHR) preferred.
• Demonstrated ability to interpret complex regulations and communicate requirements effectively to employees, managers, and senior leaders.
• Exceptional interpersonal and customer service orientation, with the ability to manage sensitive issues and maintain confidentiality.
• Strong analytical, organizational, and problem-solving skills, with the ability to prioritize multiple initiatives and deliver results in a fast-paced environment.

Washington Dental Service and its affiliates, including Arcora Foundation, Delta Dental of Washington, and TriForza are Equal Opportunity employers. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or protected veteran status.

We are committed to the highest standards of information security and HIPAA compliance, ensuring the confidentiality, integrity, and protection of all data. All staff are expected to support this commitment by following relevant policies.

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Equal Opportunity Employer/Protected Veterans/Individuals with Disabilities
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