Now Hiring: Manager, Benefits (Human Resources) | Kennedy Krieger Institute | Baltimore, MD 

Are you a strategic, people-focused benefits professional ready to make a meaningful impact? Join Kennedy Krieger Institute, a leader in improving the lives of children and young adults with disorders of the brain, spinal cord, and musculoskeletal system. We’re seeking a Manager, Benefits to lead our benefits and leave administration teams and help shape the future of employee wellness and support.

About the Role:

As the Manager, Benefits, you will oversee the administration and compliance of our Employee Benefit Plan, Retirement Plan, Leave of Absence (LOA) programs, Workers Compensation, and Wellness initiatives. You’ll collaborate closely with Payroll, Business Solutions, and HR leadership to ensure our programs are effective, compliant, and aligned with our mission.

1. Manage the Benefits and Leave of Absence (LOA) teams. Define team goals and objectives, and oversee benefit administration systems, processes, and policies. Identify areas for process improvement and staff professional development, conduct team and supervisory meetings, delegate tasks, provide coaching, set priorities, and manage performance.
2. Oversee daily operations pertaining to the Employee Benefit Plan administration including, but not limited to, data analysis; conducting audits; running system processes; managing new hire enrollment, life events, Evidence of Insurability (EOI), dependent certifications, and tuition assistance programs; and Medical Flexible Savings Account (MFSA), Dependent Health Savings Account (DFSA) and Health Savings Account (HSA) plan administration. Troubleshoot processing errors in coordination with the Business Solutions team to ensure accurate payroll deductions for benefits are being applied. Oversee the Keys to Wellness program, including program development, vendor collaboration, participation tracking, and outcome reporting.
3. Work directly with the Business Solutions team and benefit team to ensure plan configuration, maintenance, and optimization of benefits and absence applications within the HRIS platform to ensure plans are administered according to document specifications and compliance requirements.
4. Monitor benefit trends, benchmark benefit plan designs, and leverage brokers to design and recommend plan design changes, premiums, cost share, and cutting-edge benefits to the workforce while responsibly managing cost. Oversee delivery of census records and clarify questions needed for proposals.
5. Lead the Open Enrollment process, setting the calendar, designing communications, and ensuring all plans are tested and operate properly for the new plan year go-live.
6. Ensure Retirement Plans are being administered according to the summary plan descriptions. Regularly perform audits to confirm enrollments are accurate, contributions comply with IRS and plan rules, appropriate deferrals are being managed, and plan documentation is in order.
7. Under direction of Human Resources leadership, oversee the administration and compliance requirements of the frozen pension plan including, but not limited to, reviewing calculations of benefits, monitoring distributions, and preparing annual reports for actuarial firms.
8. Oversee Leave of Absence (LOA) programing, including Family Medical Leave, short- and long-term disability benefits, Workers Compensation, and return to work programming. Coordinate with insurance carriers as needed and ensure documentation and processes are compliant with federal and state regulations. Work with the LOA team and departments to address FMLA and ADA accommodation requests, and to manage light duty return to work options. Continually evaluate the LOA platform for administration and reporting improvements. Monitor the coordination of disability benefits and workers compensation benefits.
9. Ensure accurate record keeping and compliance with federal, state, and local regulations (e.g., ERISA, HIPAA, OSHA, FMLA, ACA, COBRA) and support a variety of benefit and retirement plan audits. Respond to requests for documentation, policies, additional information, or clarification. Make corrections when needed and document corrections according to IRS or DOL compliance requirements. Conduct or oversee discrimination testing and record results appropriately. Ensure compliance mailings and notifications are delivered timely and to appropriate audiences.
10. Design workforce trainings on benefits, LOA, FMLA, and associated compliance matters. Present benefit information at New Hire Orientation.
11. Analyze benefits data to identify trends, cost drivers, and opportunities for improvement. Prepare and present reports on benefits utilization, costs, and ROI to Human Resources leadership.

Kennedy Krieger strives for an environment where every individual has the opportunity to contribute their unique talents and perspectives, with or without reasonable accommodations.

Certified Employee Benefits Specialist (CEBS) or similar certification is desired.

• Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or related field required.
• Master’s degree in Business Administration or related field preferred.

• Minimum 6 years of benefits administration experience required, preferably in the healthcare industry.
• Minimum 2 years of supervisory experience required.

Kennedy Krieger Institute offers excellent benefits including medical, dental, vision, 401K with match, tuition reimbursement, student debt relief program, free parking and child care subsidies!  In addition, we offer rich professional development opportunities.  

We require full COVID vaccination or documentation of medical and/or religious exemption(s) approval for this job as we are a healthcare institution committed to putting health and safety first for our patients, students, employees, and the communities we serve.

EOE/M/F/D/V