Associate Director of Benefits

St. John's University; Hempfield Township (Westmoreland County); Hybrid; USD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical insurance

Dental insurance

Life insurance

Long-term disability

Tuition remission

403(b) employer contribution

Employee assistance program

generous paid time off

Job summary

St. John’s University is seeking an Associate Director of Benefits to oversee administration of health, welfare, retirement programs, leaves, and ADA accommodations. This senior role focuses on compliance, complex casework, and operational excellence within human resources.

You will manage day-to-day benefits operations, provide retirement counseling, coordinate with plan vendors, and support open enrollment. Hybrid work 1–2 days/week after orientation; occasional travel to NY campuses may occur.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required; Master’s degree preferred.
• Minimum of 4 years of progressively responsible experience in employee benefits administration.
• Experience with leaves of absence and ADA accommodations.
• Experience in higher education is a plus.
• Strong communication and analytical skills.
• Ability to handle confidential information with discretion.

Responsibilities

• Administer and manage day-to-day benefits operations including health, dental, life, disability, and retirement programs.
• Lead leaves of absence processes (FMLA, NYPFL, disability) and ADA accommodations.
• Coordinate with HRIS, Payroll, and external vendors for reporting and compliance.
• Provide retirement counseling and coordinate with plan vendors.
• Support annual Open Enrollment and benefits communications.
• Assist Director of Benefits and back up as needed.

Skills

Benefits administration

ADA accommodations

Leave management

Communication skills

Discretion

Independent work

Collaboration

Education

Bachelor’s degree

Master’s degree preferred

SPHR/PHR/SHRM/CEBS certification a plus

Tools

Banner HRIS

MS Excel

MS Word

PowerPoint

Job description

St. John’s, established in 1870, has two New York City campuses; international locations in Rome, Italy; Limerick, Ireland; and Paris, France; and study abroad locations around the world. The Princeton Review and other top rankings consistently recognize the University’s outstanding academics, diverse student body, dynamic internship, and volunteer opportunities, focus on student life, and diverse study abroad offerings. St. John’s University offers more than 100 undergraduate and graduate programs in its six colleges and schools, with a growing number of programs offered online. The University is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education and 12 other major academic and professional associations.

A dedication to diversity, equity and inclusion is at the heart of our mission. As a Catholic and Vincentian university, St. John’s is committed to institutionalizing practices of inclusive excellence to ensure that we welcome and celebrate the intrinsic worth of all members of our community. We will become an even stronger university as we enhance equity at every level of our institution.Our graduates will excel in the competencies and values needed for leadership and service in a rapidly evolving world.

Job Summary

This position reports to the Director of Benefits and is responsible for providing advanced-level administration and oversight of the University’s employee benefits programs. The Associate Director is responsible for the day-to-day management of key benefits operations, including leaves of absence, ADA accommodations, retirement programs, and designated compliance-related benefits activities. The Associate Director functions as a senior subject-matter expert and primary operational lead, carrying a significant casework portfolio while also serving as a strategic and operational backup to the Director. This role supports the effective administration, compliance, and delivery of health and welfare benefits and provides guidance to employees on complex benefits matters.

Job Responsibilities

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Administer and manage day-to-day benefits operations, including group health/medical/dental coverage, life insurance, disability insurance, leaves of absence, unemployment, workers’ compensation, 403(b) retirement plan, flexible spending plans, and other voluntary benefits.
• Serve as the primary administrator for leaves of absence, including FMLA, NYPFL, disability, and other statutory and institutional leave programs.
• Manage the University’s ADA accommodation process, including interactive process coordination, documentation, and compliance with applicable federal, state, and local laws.
• Assist with administration of 403(b) plan, including: automatic enrollments, deferral changes, non-discrimination testing, audits, government filings.
• Collaborate closely with partners across Human Resources, the Office of General Counsel, and other University stakeholders to ensure coordinated and compliant handling of employee matters, particularly where leaves of absence, ADA accommodations, performance concerns, and complaints of bias, discrimination, and retaliation intersect.
• Present and provide benefits overview at new hire orientations.
• Provide retirement counseling to employees, including guidance on 403(b) and supplemental retirement plans, and coordinate with plan vendors as needed.
• Manage the HR-administered portion of the Tuition Exchange Program, specifically overseeing outbound (export) applications for University employees.
• Conduct complex benefits case management, resolving employee issues with professionalism, discretion, and sound judgment.
• Serve as a key resource for interpreting benefits policies, procedures, and applicable laws and regulations.
• Assist the Director of Benefits in ensuring compliance with all applicable benefits-related laws, including the Affordable Care Act (ACA), ERISA, ADA, FMLA, and other relevant regulations.
• Support benefits-related reporting, audits, invoices, reconciliations, and documentation, including coordination with Payroll/HRIS, Business Affairs, and external vendors.
• Assist with the administration of the annual Open Enrollment process, including coordination with vendors, system updates, and employee communications.
• Partner with the Director on benefits projects, implementations, and process improvements.
• Act as a backup to the Director of Benefits in their absence or as delegated, ensuring continuity of operations.
• Provide guidance and support to the Benefits Representative, and assist in ensuring timely and accurate responses to employee inquiries, benefits inbox management, and data entry in Banner (the University’s HRIS).
• Maintain accurate and confidential benefits records in accordance with University policies and legal requirements.

Competencies, Education, Experience

• Strong knowledge of employee benefits administration, including health and welfare plans and retirement programs.
• Demonstrated experience engaging in an interactive process for leaves of absence and ADA accommodations in a collaborative, well-documented, and legally compliant manner, including effectively partnering with managers and other stakeholders to assess operational needs while ensuring fair and equitable outcomes.
• Strong organizational skills and ability to manage multiple complex cases simultaneously.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills.
• Exceptional customer service and employee-facing communication skills.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, and decision-making abilities.
• High level of discretion and experience handling confidential and sensitive information.
• Ability to work independently while exercising sound judgment.
• Effective collaboration and interpersonal skills.
• Proficiency with MS Excel, Word, PowerPoint.
• Experience with Banner HRIS systems a plus
• Bachelor’s degree required, Master’s degree preferred. SPHR, PHR, SHRM or CEBS Certification a plus.
• Minimum of 4 years of progressively responsible experience in employee benefits administration required, including direct experience with leave management, ADA accommodations, and retirement programs.
• Experience working in higher education preferred.

Supplemental Information

Supervisory Responsibility

This position does not have direct supervisory responsibility but provides functional guidance and support to the Benefits Representative and may assist the Director of Benefits in coordinating team workflows and priorities.

Work Environment

This position operates in a professional office environment and is required to use standard office equipment such as personal computers, printers, etc.

Position Type/Expected Hours of Work

This is a full-time position. Days and hours of work are Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. This role may be eligible for hybrid/remote work 1-2 days per week after a 3-month orientation period, with the understanding that the person in role will be required to report to campus for trainings, workshops, and other work-related meetings or events as determined by business needs or other circumstances.

Travel

Travel is primarily local and may include visits to the other NY campuses.

• Important Note- St. John’s is NOT an E-Verify Employer

St. John’s offers a competitive compensation program which is commensurate with your qualifications, experience, and contingent upon the departmental budget. St. John’s University considers factors such as (but not limited to) scope and responsibilities of the position, candidate’s work experience, education/training, key skills, internal peer equity, as well as market and organizational considerations when extending an offer.

We also offer an extremely comprehensive benefits program to meet the diverse needs of our workforce. Along with exceptional benefits such as medical, dental, life insurance, long term disability insurance, tuition remission, generous 403(b) employer contribution, employee assistance program, and liberal paid time off policies, faculty and staff can also enjoy St. John’s performing arts, libraries, bookstores, dining facilities, campus recreation and sporting events

Any offer of employment is subject to receipt by St. John’s University of satisfactory references, verification of employment and education.

St. John’s University is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national or ethnic origin, age, status as an individual with a disability, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.