Benefits Analyst, Sr.

Overview

As a patient-focused organization, University of Utah Health exists to enhance the health and well-being of people through patient care, research and education. Success in this mission requires a culture of collaboration, excellence, leadership, and respect. University of Utah Health seeks staff that are committed to the values of compassion, collaboration, innovation, responsibility, integrity, quality and trust that are integral to our mission. EO/AA

The Senior Benefits Analyst supports the effective delivery and continuous improvement of University of Utah Health's benefit programs, including health, retirement, and voluntary offerings. This role combines advanced operational expertise with hands-on project and system support, ensuring employees receive accurate, timely, and customer-focused service. The Senior Benefits Analyst partners with vendors, colleagues, and internal stakeholders to administer benefits, resolve complex cases, and contribute to initiatives that enhance both employee experience and operational efficiency.

Corporate Overview: University of Utah Health is an integrated academic healthcare system with five hospitals including a level 1 trauma center, eleven community health centers, over 1,600 providers, and a health plan serving over 200,000 members. University of Utah Health is nationally ranked and recognized for our academic research, quality standards and overall patient experience. In addition to our clinical delivery system, we have a School of Medicine, School of Dentistry, College of Nursing, College of Pharmacy, and College of Health providing education and training for over 1,250 providers annually. We have over 2 million patient visits annually and research grants exceeding $350 million. University of Utah Hospitals and Clinics represents our clinical operations for the larger health system.

Responsibilities

Essential Functions

Operational Administration

• Administers core benefit programs, including health, retirement, and life insurance, ensuring accurate processing of enrollments, terminations, and life events.
• Manages transactions, audits, and file feeds with vendors; analyzes and resolves errors to maintain data integrity.
• Collaborates with Payroll and Accounting to confirm accurate payroll deductions and reconciliations.

Project & System Implementation

• Leads aspects of annual open enrollment, including system configuration, testing updates, coordinating communications, and supporting vendor interfaces.
• Participates in the implementation of new benefit programs, system enhancements, and process improvements, contributing to project plans, testing, and rollout activities.
• Tracks benefit trends and legislative changes; assists in aligning programs and processes with compliance requirements.

Employee Consultation & Support

• Provides guidance to employees on complex benefit matters, with a focus on retirement transitions.
• Responds to escalated inquiries and provides resolution for sensitive or complex issues in line with policy and compliance requirements.

Vendor & Stakeholder Collaboration

• Partners with external vendors and consultants to support benefit plan administration and service delivery.
• May participate in benefit surveys and use benchmark data to prepare analyses and recommendations.
• Builds effective working relationships across HR, Payroll, Finance, and other stakeholders to ensure coordinated delivery of benefits.

Knowledge / Skills / Abilities

• Advanced knowledge of benefits administration practices and regulatory requirements.
• Strong analytical and data management skills; ability to audit, reconcile, and produce actionable reports.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to explain complex information clearly to varied audiences.
• Effective project management and organizational skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities and meet deadlines.
• Demonstrated ability to build collaborative relationships across departments and with external partners.
• High attention to detail and commitment to accuracy in a compliance-driven environment.

Qualifications

Required

• Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or a related field, or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Six years of progressively responsible experience in employee benefits administration, including program operations, employee consultation, and vendor coordination.
• Demonstrated ability to manage benefit processes with a high degree of accuracy and attention to detail.
• Experience interpreting and applying benefits-related regulations and compliance requirements.

Qualifications (Preferred)

Preferred

• Master's degree in Human Resources, Business, or a related field.
• Certified Employee Benefits Specialist (CEBS) designation or equivalent professional certification.
• Experience supporting benefits-related system implementations, testing, or large-scale enrollment events.
• Strong project management skills with a track record of contributing to cross-functional initiatives.

Working Conditions and Physical Demands

Employee must be able to meet the following requirements with or without an accommodation.

• This is a sedentary position that may exert up to 10 pounds and may lift, carry, push, pull or otherwise move objects. This position involves sitting most of the time and is not exposed to adverse environmental conditions.

Physical Requirements

Listening, Sitting, Speaking