Manager Benefits - HR Benefits
FirstEnergy · Akron
Key Responsibilities
The Manager, Benefits reports to the Director, Benefits and Absence and is responsible for the strategic design, development, implementation, communication, and ongoing administration of the Company’s Health & Welfare benefit programs for active employees and retirees. This position provides leadership and subject matter expertise across the full Health & Welfare portfolio and is accountable for
Health & Welfare Strategy and Plan Management
- Lead the strategy, design, implementation, and ongoing administration of the Company’s comprehensive Health & Welfare benefit programs, including:
- Self-insured medical plans
- Prescription drug benefits
- Dental and vision plans
- Life and accidental death and dismemberment insurance
- Health Savings Accounts (HSAs), Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs), and other tax-advantaged benefit accounts
- Employee wellbeing programs and initiatives
- Voluntary and supplemental benefit programs
- Educational assistance programs
- Catastrophic Assistance and Relief (CARE) program
- Other Health & Welfare programs and employee benefit offerings
- Retiree medical plans
- Develop and execute Health & Welfare strategies that support the Company's Total Rewards philosophy, business objectives, workforce needs, and employee value proposition.
- Evaluate plan design opportunities, emerging benefit trends, utilization, employee demographics, market practices, and cost drivers to develop recommendations for benefit enhancements, changes, or new programs.
- Lead the evaluation of opportunities to improve quality, affordability, access, employee experience, and administrative efficiency across the Health & Welfare portfolio.
Financial Management and Analytics
- Manage multi-million-dollar Health & Welfare benefit budgets, forecasts, funding activities, and financial analysis.
- Partner with Finance, actuaries, consultants, and vendors to evaluate program costs, utilization trends, claims experience, and emerging cost drivers.
- Monitor benefit program performance and identify opportunities to manage healthcare costs while maintaining competitive, high-quality benefits for employees and their families.
- Develop business cases, financial analyses, and recommendations to support benefit strategy and investment decisions.
- Establish and monitor key performance indicators and metrics to evaluate program effectiveness, vendor performance, employee engagement, utilization, and financial results.
Vendor and Partner Management
- Develop and maintain strong strategic partnerships with health plans, pharmacy benefit managers, benefit administrators, consultants, wellbeing partners, and other benefit vendors.
- Lead vendor governance activities, including performance reviews, service-level monitoring, issue resolution, implementation activities, contract renewals, and ongoing vendor management.
- Partner with Procurement, Legal, and Finance on vendor selection, contracting, renewals, competitive bidding activities, and evaluation of benefit solutions.
- Hold vendors accountable for delivering contractual commitments, service standards, financial guarantees, and a high-quality participant experience.
Benefits Administration and Employee Experience
- Provide leadership and oversight for the day-to-day administration of Health & Welfare benefit programs, ensuring accurate, efficient, and consistent service delivery.
- Oversee annual Open Enrollment, new program implementations, plan changes, and other benefit enrollment activities.
- Lead the development and execution of benefits communications that educate employees about their benefits, increase awareness and engagement, promote healthcare consumerism, and help employees make informed benefit decisions.
- Monitor and resolve complex or escalated benefits issues involving eligibility, enrollment, coverage, claims, and vendor service.
- Identify opportunities to simplify benefits administration and improve the employee experience through technology, process improvements, automation, and vendor capabilities.
Governance and Compliance
- Ensure Health & Welfare benefit programs are administered in accordance with applicable federal and state requirements and Company plan provisions.
- Maintain and oversee benefit plan documentation, including Summary Plan Descriptions (SPDs), plan documents, policies, procedures, employee communications, and required notices.
- Coordinate required Health & Welfare compliance activities, filings, notices, audits, including applicable Affordable Care Act reporting, Summary Annual Reports, PCORI requirements, OPEB and other benefit-related requirements.
- Partner with Legal and external advisors on benefit compliance matters, plan documentation, regulatory developments, and interpretation of benefit plan requirements.
- Maintain appropriate governance processes and documentation to support effective benefit plan administration and fiduciary oversight.
Market Competitiveness and Benefits Strategy
- Lead benchmarking and market analysis of Health & Welfare programs to evaluate competitiveness, identify trends, and support recommendations for changes to the Company's benefit offerings.
- Monitor emerging healthcare and benefits trends, regulatory developments, vendor solutions, and innovative approaches to healthcare delivery and cost management.
- Develop recommendations that balance market competitiveness, employee value, financial sustainability, and organizational objectives.
- Support the broader Total Rewards strategy by ensuring Health & Welfare programs help the Company attract, retain, engage, and support employees.
Leadership and Team Development
- Lead, coach, and develop a team of benefits professionals responsible for Health & Welfare program administration and strategic initiatives.
- Establish clear priorities, goals, and performance expectations and ensure successful execution of key benefit initiatives and operational deliverables.
- Build team capability and subject matter expertise while creating opportunities for professional development and career growth.
- Foster a collaborative, accountable, and innovative team environment aligned with Company Core Values and Behaviors.
- Build strong working relationships across HR and the business and serve as a trusted benefits subject matter expert to HR leaders and key stakeholders.
Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree in human resources, Business, Finance, or a related discipline and a minimum of 7 years of relevant experience required. In lieu of a degree, a high school diploma and a minimum of 10 years of relevant experience required.
- Demonstrated experience managing or supporting a broad portfolio of Health & Welfare benefit programs.
- Strong knowledge of employer-sponsored medical, prescription drug, dental, vision, life insurance, wellbeing, spending accounts, and voluntary benefit programs.
- Experience with self-insured health plans, benefit plan design, vendor management, financial analysis, and healthcare cost management strongly preferred.
- Knowledge of applicable Health & Welfare benefit regulations and compliance requirements.
- Demonstrated ability to analyze complex benefits and financial information and translate findings into clear, actionable recommendations.
- Experience leading complex benefit implementations, annual enrollment processes, vendor initiatives, and cross-functional projects.
- Strong project management and organizational skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities and deliver results within established timelines.
- Strong written, verbal, presentation, and interpersonal communication skills.
- Demonstrated ability to build relationships and influence stakeholders across multiple levels of an organization.
- Strong problem-solving skills and sound judgment, with the ability to independently address complex benefits issues.
- Demonstrated commitment to confidentiality and appropriate handling of sensitive employee and benefits information.
- Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Teams.
Preferred Qualifications
- Prior experience leading or developing benefits professionals.
- Experience managing large, complex Health & Welfare programs and vendor relationships.
- Experience with benefits benchmarking, healthcare analytics, plan design modeling, and vendor procurement activities.