Details
Posted: 05-Feb-23
Location: Seattle, Washington
Type: Full Time
Salary: Open
As a UW employee, you have a unique opportunity to change lives on our campuses, in our state and around the world. UW employees offer their boundless energy, creative problem solving skills and dedication to build stronger minds and a healthier world.
UW faculty and staff also enjoy outstanding benefits, professional growth opportunities and unique resources in an environment noted for diversity, intellectual excitement, artistic pursuits and natural beauty.
The Benefits Consultant will advise and counsel departmental administrators, faculty and staff, their dependents, retirees, beneficiaries, and legal representatives regarding UW benefits, including retirement plans, tax deferred investment options, health, dental, life, long term disability, FSA, HSA, etc. Manage individual disability and death claims including counseling and providing resources to employees, providing coordination with other units in Human Resources, UW Workers’ Compensation Unit, insurance companies and UW departments. Cover applicable laws, rules, institutional policies, and program requirements and options; recommend and implement alternative courses of action.
RESPONSIBILITIES:
The Benefits Consultant will advise and counsel departmental administrators, faculty and staff, their dependents, retirees, beneficiaries, and legal representatives regarding UW benefits, including retirement plans, tax deferred investment options, health, dental, life, long term disability, FSA, HSA, etc. Manage individual disability and death claims including counseling and providing resources to employees, providing coordination with other units in Human Resources, UW Workers’ Compensation Unit, insurance companies and UW departments. Cover applicable laws, rules, institutional policies, and program requirements and options; recommend and implement alternative courses of action.
Design and implement benefits orientations, education and training seminars for all levels of faculty, professional staff and staff. Training for UW-wide seminars requires appropriate experience and/or credentials in financial planning and benefits education. Training can be for small groups (15-20) or as many as several hundred and can be conducted in-person or virtually.
As a member of the benefits office help to develop and implement policy and procedural changes, modifications and clarifications to existing services and programs for effective benefits administration. Perform in-depth research and analysis of current and proposed state and federal laws, rules, policies and practices to determine impact on benefits office and University. Develop, implement, and present new benefits services, programs, policies and procedures and evaluate for effectiveness.
Serve as resource to departments regarding strategies for successful resolution of benefits problems. Serve as principal resource in benefits areas that require coordination of effort with other human resource services such as disability accommodation.
Represent the benefits office to outside agencies, the campus community, and members of the public. Maintain liaison with state agencies, departments, and benefits carriers. Serve as University's liaison between plan providers and employees and retirees.
Review departmental correspondence; recommend changes for improved accuracy and clarity. Maintain benefits records including tracking data for deaths; disability claim processing, and other related correspondence. Perform related duties as required.
MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS:
•Bachelor’s degree or equivalent combination of experience and education.
•Three years of progressively responsible professional level work in human resources, insurance, pensions or related field.
Equivalent education/experience will substitute for all minimum qualifications except when there are legal requirements, such as a license/certification/registration.
ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS:
•Demonstrated ability to work effectively with complex organizational structures.
•Excellent written and oral communication skills.
•Strong analytical skills essential.
•Proficient with technological systems such as SharePoint, Audio/Video recording, VTC.
•Ability to work in a team atmosphere, in a stressful environment needed.
•Equivalent education/experience will substitute for all minimum qualifications except when there are legal requirements, such as a license/certification/registration.
DESIRED:
•Experience in benefits and in the public sector is desirable.
•Some combination of professional benefits-related certifications and/or increasingly responsible experience in the field of benefits counseling is required. Some of the relevant certifications are:
•Certified Employee Benefits Specialist (CEBS), Certified Benefits Practitioner (CBP), Certified Financial Counselor (CFC), Certified Financial Planner (CFP), Certified Pension Consultant (CPC). This list is not exhaustive.
•Familiarity with governmental retirement plans (both defined benefit and defined contribution 403(b)) plans, with employee insurance, with benefits legislation, and with ERISA desirable.
WORKING CONDITIONS:
Hybrid office environment & remote, working under pressure with deadlines affecting workload. Requires flexing work schedule to meet demands of the position.
Application Process:
The application process for UW positions may include completion of a variety of online assessments to obtain additional information that will be used in the evaluation process. These assessments may include Work Authorization, Cover Letter and/or others. Any assessments that you need to complete will appear on your screen as soon as you select “Apply to this position”. Once you begin an assessment, it must be completed at that time; if you do not complete the assessment you will be prompted to do so the next time you access your “My Jobs” page. If you select to take it later, it will appear on your "My Jobs" page to take when you are ready. Please note that your application will not be reviewed, and you will not be considered for this position until all required assessments have been completed. | 
