Associate Director, Benefits & Total Rewards

If you are a current Barnard College employee please use the internal career site to apply for this position.

Job:

Associate Director Benefits & Total Rewards

Reporting to the Director of Human Resources the Associate Director for Benefits and Total Rewards is responsible for the design administration and continuous improvement of the Colleges comprehensive benefits wellbeing compensation and total rewards programs. This role provides both strategic leadership and hands-on execution ensuring that programs are competitive compliant financially sustainable and responsive to the diverse needs of faculty and staff.

The Associate Director is a highly detail-oriented service-driven professional who works collaboratively across Human Resources Finance Labor Relations and partner offices including the Office of General Counsel. The role requires a strong work ethic sound judgment and a supportive approach particularly as it relates to compensation classification and salary administration within a complex higher education environment.

Job Description:

Benefits Strategy and Plan Administration

• Oversee the design administration and ongoing evaluation of the Colleges employee benefits programs including retirement medical dental vision disability life insurance tuition benefits flexible spending accounts workers compensation COBRA unemployment and related programs

• Partner with Human Resources leadership and Finance to ensure benefits programs are cost effective competitive and aligned with institutional priorities

• Manage all aspects of Open Enrollment ensuring accurate plan setup employee education and a smooth transition from one plan year to the next

• Research analyze and recommend benefit plan enhancements based on market trends utilization data regulatory changes and employee needs

• Modify and enhance benefit programs using higher education best practices and emerging benefit models

• Manage vendor relationships including brokers carriers and consultants and negotiate plan coverage services and costs

Compliance and Governance

• Ensure compliance with all applicable federal state and local regulations including ERISA HIPAA FMLA COBRA ACA and related requirements

• Monitor legislative and regulatory developments impacting benefits and compensation and advise senior leadership on risks impacts and recommended actions

• Oversee preparation and filing of required reports and documentation with regulatory agencies including the IRS and Department of Labor

• Prepare update and execute benefit plan documents summary plan descriptions and related materials in consultation with legal counsel

• Ensure timely accurate and well documented implementation of compliance driven plan changes

Leave Disability and Accommodation Administration

• Manage all employee leaves of absence including FMLA Paid Family Leave workers compensation short term disability and long term disability

• Oversee third party leave administrators ensuring high quality responsive and compliant service delivery

• Maintain appropriate communication with employees and managers during leaves to support clear expectations and successful return to work

• Oversee return to work processes following extended leaves

• Facilitate ADA and other accommodation requests in partnership with Human Resources colleagues and legal counsel

Compensation and Total Rewards

• Provide subject matter expertise and support related to compensation classification and salary administration

• Advise Human Resources on salary classification and job evaluation matters

• Manage and administer compensation studies and compensation policies and procedures including job evaluations reclassifications salary structures and equity reviews

• Support annual compensation planning including merit promotional and structural adjustments

• Partner with Labor & Employee Relations and leadership on compensation and benefits scenarios related to collective bargaining

• Contribute to the development of a holistic total rewards strategy that integrates compensation benefits wellbeing and employee experience

Project Management and Committee Participation

• Serve as the benefits and total rewards lead on cross functional projects including automation of benefits billing reporting and leave processes

• Design and implement wellbeing initiatives that support physical mental and financial wellness and strengthen employee engagement alone and with campus partners including for example the LeFrak Center for Well-Being

• Serve as subject matter expert on benefits and total rewards committees including the Joint Faculty and Administrators Benefits Committee

• Participate in the quarterly 403(b) Investment Committee in collaboration with Human Resources Finance faculty representatives and investment advisors

Communication and Customer Service

• Develop clear accurate and accessible communications related to benefits compensation and total rewards programs

• Serve as lead content developer for benefits and total rewards communications including Open Enrollment materials

• Provide high quality responsive customer service to faculty and staff on complex and sensitive issues

• Continuously improve service delivery models with a focus on clarity equity and employee experience

Team Leadership and Management

• Oversee and develop benefits and compensation staff

• Delegate effectively manage performance and foster a culture of accountability collaboration and excellence

• Set clear expectations and support professional growth through coaching and feedback

• Perform special projects and related duties as assigned by the Director of Human Resources

Skills Qualifications & Requirements:

Knowledge Skills and Abilities

• Exceptional attention to detail with strong analytical organizational and problem solving skills

• Ability to communicate complex benefits and compensation concepts clearly and compassionately to diverse audiences

• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple priorities meet deadlines and work with urgency in a fast paced environment

• Strong customer service orientation with a supportive collaborative and solutions focused approach

• High level of professionalism discretion and sound judgment

• Ability to build trust influence stakeholders and work effectively across functions

• Advanced proficiency with HRIS systems and Microsoft Office applications

Required Qualifications

• Significant progressive experience (minimum 5 years) working directly with complex employee benefits administration

• Experience with compensation classification or total rewards programs strongly preferred

• Demonstrated experience advancing complex programs through collaboration with multiple stakeholders

Preferred Qualifications

• Professional certifications such as PHR SPHR SHRM CP SHRM SCP or CEBS

• Experience in higher education or similarly complex organizations

• Bachelors degree preferred but not required

Work Arrangement

• This job is currently a hybrid position and may require a presence in the office up to five times a week including for team and full staff meetings and other times as directed by the supervisor.

Salary Range: $130000 - $140000

This job description is intended as a summary of the primary responsibilities of and qualifications for this position. The job description is not intended as inclusive of all duties an individual in this position might be asked to perform or of all qualifications that may be required either now or in the future.

The salary of the finalist selected for this role will be set based on a variety of factors including but not limited to departmental budgets qualifications experience education licenses specialty and training. The above hiring range represents the Colleges good faith and reasonable estimateof the range of possible compensation at the time of posting.

Company:

Barnard College

Time Type:

Full time