Manager of Benefits

Division: Administration

Closing Date: Until Filled

Location: 4305 E. 21st Ave., Tampa, FL 33605

Salary Range: $87,501.06 - $102,624.70

POSITION PURPOSE

Under the general direction of the Director of Human Resources, the Manager of Benefits is responsible for the strategic leadership, administration, and continuous improvement of HART's employee benefits, retirement, leave administration, and total rewards programs. This position oversees the daily operations of the Benefits Division and ensures benefit programs are competitive, fiscally responsible, customer-focused, and compliant with applicable federal and state laws, collective bargaining agreements, Board policies, and Authority procedures.

The Manager of Benefits serves as HART's subject matter expert on benefits and leave administration, providing strategic guidance to executive leadership while supervising Benefits staff, managing vendor relationships, directing benefit-related projects, and ensuring exceptional service delivery to employees and retirees. This position partners with the Employee Engagement & Wellness Specialist to support employee well-being initiatives while maintaining primary responsibility for benefits administration and regulatory compliance.

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS

Leadership and Administration

• Plans, directs, and manages the daily operations of the Benefits Division, including employee benefits, retirement, leave administration, tuition reimbursement, COBRA, ACA compliance, and related programs.
• Supervises, mentors, develops, and evaluates Benefits staff, including assigning work, establishing performance expectations, coaching employees, and conducting performance evaluations.
• Develops departmental goals, operational plans, performance measures, and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Develops, implements, and maintains policies, procedures, and Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) related to benefits and leave administration.
• Serves as the primary advisor to the Director of Human Resources on benefits strategy, regulatory compliance, and emerging industry trends.

Benefits Administration

• Directs the administration of all employee benefit programs, including medical, dental, vision, life insurance, disability, flexible spending accounts, health savings accounts, voluntary benefits, employee assistance programs, and tuition reimbursement.
• Oversees all benefit eligibility, enrollment, qualifying life events, benefit changes, and benefits continuation processes.
• Directs the annual Open Enrollment process, including project planning, employee communications, vendor coordination, employee education, and implementation.
• Ensures timely and accurate administration of COBRA and retiree benefits.

Leave Administration & Regulatory Compliance

• Oversees administration of Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) accommodations, military leave, workers' compensation coordination, paid and unpaid leave programs, and other protected leave programs.
• Ensures compliance with all applicable federal and state employment laws, including FMLA, ADA, ACA, COBRA, HIPAA, IRS regulations, Medicare Secondary Payer requirements, and other applicable laws.
• Monitors legislative and regulatory changes affecting employee benefits and recommends policy and procedural changes to maintain compliance.
• Coordinates internal and external audits relating to employee benefits, leave administration, and regulatory reporting.

Retirement Administration

• Oversees administration of the Florida Retirement System (FRS), deferred compensation plans, retirement counseling, and retirement processing.
• Serves as the Authority's subject matter expert regarding retirement benefits and retirement eligibility.
• Provides retirement education and guidance to employees and leadership.

Vendor and Financial Management

• Serves as the primary liaison with insurance carriers, benefit brokers, third-party administrators, retirement providers, COBRA administrators, and other benefit vendors.
• Develops and manages vendor relationships, monitors service level agreements, and evaluates vendor performance.
• Leads benefit procurement activities, contract renewals, and implementation of new benefit programs.
• Develops annual benefits budgets, monitors expenditures, reconciles vendor invoices, and identifies opportunities for cost containment.
• Conducts benefit market analyses and develops recommendations regarding plan design and benefit enhancements.

Strategic Planning & Analytics

• Develops executive dashboards, reports, and key performance indicators related to benefits utilization, healthcare costs, leave trends, compliance, and employee participation.
• Conducts benchmarking studies, utilization analyses, and cost-benefit evaluations to support strategic decision-making.
• Recommends innovative benefit programs and process improvements that enhance employee recruitment, engagement, and retention.

Employee Support & Communication

• Provides guidance and consultation to employees, supervisors, and management regarding benefit eligibility, retirement, leave administration, and related matters.
• Develops employee communications, educational materials, presentations, and benefit guides.
• Partners with the Employee Engagement & Wellness Specialist to support benefit education, wellness benefit communications, and employee well-being initiatives.

Other Duties

• Participates in labor negotiations and contract administration related to employee benefits and leave provisions.
• Collaborates with Payroll, Finance, Procurement, Legal, Risk Management, and departmental leadership to ensure effective administration of employee benefit programs.
• Performs other related duties as assigned.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

Education and Experience

• Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, Public Administration, or a closely related field.
• Five (5) years of progressively responsible experience administering employee benefits, retirement, and leave programs.
• Three (3) years of supervisory or management experience.
• An equivalent combination of education, training, and experience may be considered.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master's degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, Public Administration, or a related field.
• SHRM-CP, SHRM-SCP, PHR, SPHR, CEBS, Certified Employee Benefits Specialist (CEBS), or Certified Benefits Professional (CBP).
• Experience administering benefits in a public sector and/or unionized environment.
• Experience administering the Florida Retirement System (FRS).
• Experience using ADP Workforce Now or comparable HRIS.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS & ABILITIES

• Comprehensive knowledge of employee benefits, retirement, leave administration, and total rewards.
• Thorough knowledge of FMLA, ADA, ACA, COBRA, HIPAA, IRS regulations, Medicare Secondary Payer requirements, and applicable employment laws.
• Knowledge of Florida Retirement System (FRS) administration.
• Knowledge of collective bargaining agreements and benefit administration in a unionized environment.
• Knowledge of HRIS, payroll systems, benefits administration systems, and data reporting tools.
• Strong leadership, coaching, and staff development skills.
• Strong project management and organizational skills.
• Excellent analytical, budgeting, and financial management skills.
• Ability to interpret contracts, insurance documents, regulations, and legislation.
• Ability to analyze data and develop strategic recommendations.
• Ability to establish effective working relationships with employees, management, vendors, and external agencies.
• Ability to maintain strict confidentiality.
• Excellent written, verbal, presentation, and interpersonal communication skills.
• Advanced proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite, particularly Excel.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS / WORK ENVIRONMENT

Work is performed primarily in a standard office environment. The position requires the ability to sit, stand, walk, bend, reach, and occasionally lift up to 25 pounds. The incumbent must be able to effectively communicate verbally and in writing and may occasionally attend meetings or events at various HART locations.