Position summary

The Benefits Coordinator is responsible for managing and administering employee benefits programs, including flexible benefits, 401(k) plans, COBRA, leave of absence, and accommodations. This role involves maintaining benefits data using PeopleSoft, resolving employee inquiries, and acting as a liaison between employees, vendors, and the firm. Additional duties include vendor coordination, facilitating benefits orientations, processing enrollments and terminations, ensuring compliance with applicable laws, and contributing to wellness initiatives. Strong customer service, technical proficiency, and collaboration skills are essential to perform administrative tasks, assist in audits, and support the HR team effectively.

Job duties and responsibilities

• Develop a thorough understanding of Reed Smith's Flexible Benefit Plans and 401(k) Plans.
• Apply a high level of computer and technical knowledge to maintain PeopleSoft Benefits modules including Base Benefits, Benefits Administration.
• Process benefit enrollments for open enrollment and ad hoc events. Resolve data errors that may occur.
• Investigate, process, and respond in a timely manner to employees' questions on benefit coverage, eligibility, and other benefit matters and inquiries.
• Interpret benefit plans and policies in order to respond to questions, and interface with vendors to resolve problems.
• Vendor coordination — establishes and maintains effective relationship with vendors. Monitors file transfers and error reports.
• Function as a liaison between benefit vendors and partners, employees, and family members.
• Prepare benefit enrollment worksheets for new employees.
• Communicate benefit options to employees, facilitating informational benefit orientation.
• Review employee status changes to determine applicable benefits.
• Prepare benefit termination kits.
• Administer the COBRA function, including preparing and sending COBRA letters with payment reminders and over-age dependents and termination notices, sending monthly notices to all new hires. Process COBRA payments, update coverage, and maintain payment tracking spreadsheet.
• Highly skilled in the area of customer service and be able to handle all types of customers in a professional manner.
• Perform administrative tasks pertaining to the 401(k) Plan, including processing address changes, 401(k) account set up for new and current employees, updating employment status on 401(k) website.
• Cross train with other HR Benefit staff to develop an understanding of other department processes.
• Complete other special projects as assigned.
• Act as a back-up for other team members in the Benefits Department and for specific processes as assigned.
• Create and update Procedures Manual as needed.
• Perform administrative work such as preparing check requests, typing correspondence and invoices, entering data into benefits recordkeeping and insurance company databases.
• Assist in annual audit to ensure accuracy within benefit data and employee enrollment status.
• Maintain documents on the benefits intranet page.
• Responsible for the Health Savings Account contributions to vendors after each payroll process.
• Initiate Workers Compensation claims into the carrier portal for processing, which includes follow up with the employee/claimant to gather initial information needed for claims reporting.
• Administer leave of absence needs for staff employees, which includes direct communications with employees, ensuring that employees are aware of their responsibilities and required documentation and notice, gathering and completing all required paperwork, maintaining reasonable communication with employees to facilitate a smooth and timely return to work, advising managers and supervisors on change of status of leave, maintaining complete and accurate records of requests and maintaining knowledge of all applicable leave laws, including FMLA, ADA, state and local laws, and Workers Compensation laws.
• Administer accommodation request needs for staff employees, which includes direct communications with employees, ensuring that employees are aware of their responsibilities and required documentation and notice, gathering and completing all required paperwork, maintaining reasonable communication with employees, advising managers, supervisors, and HR business partners on status of the accommodation request, maintaining complete and accurate records of requests, facilitating weekly meetings of the Accommodations Committee for review and determination, and maintaining knowledge of all applicable accommodation laws.
• Contribute to the wellness initiatives including updating intranet content for the four pillars (mental, physical, financial, emotional well-being), updating weekly newsletters to promote the Calm app, upcoming vendor sessions, and presenters as well as adding additional content about health and wellness, attending weekly team meetings to discuss upcoming events, attending Calm meetings, coordinating speakers and organizing those sessions through Zoom, editing Zoom session recordings, answering general questions that come into the Wellness Works mailbox, assisting other RS groups with information about Wellness Works, and brainstorming ideas for content and upcoming sessions.
• Responsible for the set up of the annual Get Moving Challenge, which includes helping resolve employee issues with the Walkingspree app, record keeping, attending weekly meetings and working with the office Champions to assign tasks and attend Champion meetings.
• Other duties as assigned.

Job duties and responsibilities included are not exhaustive and may be supplemented as necessary. Reed Smith reserves the right to revise or modify job duties and responsibilities at any time.

Requirements

Education

Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience.

Experience

Minimum of two years' experience with PeopleSoft Benefits Admin, Base Benefits, and eBenefits modules. Demonstrated work experience with Benefits Admin tables, COBRA Administration, and benefits billing. Two years' experience in benefits administration in a professional environment.

Skills

• Excellent communication skills (good grammar, voice, and diction), excellent customer service skills (friendly, courteous, and helpful), and strong problem-solving skills.
• Exceptional organizational and time management skills.
• Should have ability to track, update, and maintain information on an ongoing basis.
• Experience with PeopleSoft Benefits modules (preferably version 9.1), and MS Office products, including Word, Outlook, and Excel.
• Ability to work under pressure with composure and resilience in a fast-paced and dynamic work environment.

Additional information

Supervisory responsibilities

None

Equipment used

Personal computer and other office equipment such as telephone, calculator, copier, scanner, etc.

Essential job functions

• Ability to sit or stand for extended periods and perform tasks requiring prolonged and/or extensive computer use.
• Ability to use computers, telecommunications, and digital collaboration tools to perform core job responsibilities.
• Ability to communicate effectively.
• Ability to maintain attention to detail while analyzing complex information, managing multiple priorities, and applying sound judgment to decisions.
• Ability to access, use, and safeguard confidential and sensitive information while performing job responsibilities in work environments that support confidentiality, privacy, and information security requirements.

Working conditions

Works in a typical office setting and/or remotely. You will be required to work in the office at minimum 4 days per week. Occasionally called upon to work hours in excess of your normal daily schedule. The details of your weekly schedule will be discussed further with your direct supervisor.

Pay ranges

This is a non-exempt position. The hourly wage range for this role is $30/hr to $32/hr, with an estimated annual compensation range of $62,400 to $66,560, based on expected hours. This represents the presently anticipated pay range for this position. Actual pay may vary based on various factors, including but not limited to location and experience.

Employee benefits overview

Our comprehensive benefits package includes:

• 401(k) Retirement Plan
• Medical Insurance
• Health Savings Account (HSA)
• Virtual Health Services
• Dental Insurance
• Vision Insurance
• Accident Insurance
• Hospital Indemnity Insurance
• Critical Illness Insurance
• Life Insurance
• Short-Term Disability Coverage
• Long-Term Disability Coverage
• Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA)
• Lyra Health Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
• Paid Family Leave (for eligible Exempt and Non-Exempt staff)
• Transportation Benefit
• Back-up Child Care Services
• College Coach Program
• Pet Insurance
• Paid Sick Time (for Exempt staff)
• Paid Time Off (available to all full-time, non-temporary employees)

Reed Smith offers a challenging work environment, business casual dress code, and a total compensation package that includes a competitive salary, flexible benefits program, tuition assistance, and generous 401(k) plan.

Reed Smith is an Equal Opportunity Employer with Core Values of Integrity, Excellence, Teamwork & Respect, Innovation, and Impact. Reed Smith also provides reasonable accommodations in accordance with law, including in the application and interview process.

Qualified candidates only. No search firms.