Benefit Plan Administrator

10 Mary Free Bed Rehabilitation Hospital; Grand Rapids (MI); On-site; USD 110,000 - 140,000; Full time

Job summary

Mary Free Bed Rehabilitation Hospital seeks a Health Plan Administrator to lead plan administration for self-funded health and retirement plans. You will oversee plan documentation, regulatory filings, vendor governance, and financial stewardship to ensure accuracy, compliance, and sustainability while supporting employee health and financial security.

Reporting to the Employee Health & Benefits function, you will collaborate with stakeholders to align operations with the employee experience and

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Finance, Business, or related field.
• Extensive, hands-on experience managing self-funded health and/or retirement plans.
• Strong knowledge of ERISA, IRS, DOL, ACA, COBRA, HIPAA, and related regulations.

Responsibilities

• Plan Administration & Governance: execute and manage self-funded health and welfare plans and maintain plan documentation.
• ERISA & Regulatory Compliance: ensure compliance with IRS/DOL requirements and regulatory filings.
• Vendor & TPA Administration: manage relationships with TPAs, recordkeepers, brokers, and vendors.
• Financial Management & Stewardship: develop budgets, monitor spend, and report on plan performance.
• Billing, Reconciliation & Audit Controls: review invoices and ensure accurate payments and audit readiness.
• Data, Reporting & Plan Insights: deliver reporting on utilization, cost trends, and plan performance.
• Open Enrollment & Plan Implementation: coordinate plan changes and enrollment execution.
• Customer Service & Quality Improvement: promote service standards and drive process improvements.

Skills

Regulatory compliance

Vendor management

Budgeting

Financial analysis

Plan administration

Education

Bachelor's degree in HR/Finance/Business

Tools

Workday or HRIS

Job description

Mary Free Bed Summary

We have the great privilege of helping patients and families re-build their lives. It’s extraordinarily meaningful work and the reason we greet the day with optimism and anticipation. When patients “Ask for Mary,” they experience a culture that has been sculpted for more than a century. Our hallmark is to carefully listen to patients and innovatively serve them. This is true of every employee, from support staff and leadership, to clinicians and care providers. Mary Free Bed is a not-for-profit, nationally accredited rehabilitation hospital serving thousands of children and adults each year through inpatient, outpatient, sub-acute rehabilitation, orthotics and prosthetics and home and community programs. With the most comprehensive rehabilitation services in Michigan and an exclusive focus on rehabilitation, Mary Free Bed physicians, nurses and therapists help our patients achieve outstanding clinical outcomes. The growing Mary Free Bed Network provides patients throughout the system with access to our unique standard of care.

Mission Statement

Restoring hope and freedom through rehabilitation.

Employment Value Proposition

• Focus on Patient Care. A selfless drive to serve and heal connects all MFB employees.
• Clinical Variety and Challenge. An inter-disciplinary approach and a top team of professionals create ever-changing opportunities and activities.
• Family Culture. We offer the stability of a large organization while nurturing the family/team atmosphere of a small organization.
• Trust in Each Other. Each employee knows that co-workers can be trusted to make the right decision for our family, patients, staff, and community.
• A Proud Tradition. Years of dedicated, quality service to our patients and community have yielded a reputation that fills our employees with pride.

Summary

The Health Plan Administrator serves as a strategic, operational, and hands-on leader responsible for the administration, compliance, and financial stewardship of Mary Free Bed’s self-funded health and retirement benefit plans. This role ensures the strength and integrity of the systems that support employee benefits, working behind the scenes to create a foundation of accuracy, compliance, and sustainability. Through thoughtful stewardship and attention to detail, this role enables a seamless and reliable benefits experience that supports employees’ health, wellbeing, and financial security. This is a highly experienced, execution-focused role. The Health Plan Administrator is personally accountable for the direct execution of core plan administration responsibilities, including plan documentation, regulatory filings, vendor administration, and financial oversight. Success in this role requires a strong ownership mindset, deep expertise, and a commitment to excellence in both leadership and execution. Reporting within the Employee Health & Benefits function, this role operates in close partnership with the Employee Health & Benefits Service Delivery leader to ensure alignment between plan operations and employee experience. The Health Plan Administrator maintains independent accountability for plan compliance, financial integrity, and regulatory adherence, and is responsible for escalating risks, constraints, or concerns as appropriate. Grounded in Mary Free Bed’s TOGETHER values, this role contributes to a culture of inclusion, belonging, and trust—ensuring that the systems supporting our employees reflect the same care and respect we extend to those we serve.

Essential Job Responsibilities

Plan Administration & Governance

Directly execute and manage the administration of self-funded health and welfare benefit plans, ensuring accuracy, compliance, and consistency Own, maintain, and continuously update all plan documentation, including Summary Plan Descriptions (SPDs) and plan amendments Draft, implement, and operationalize plan amendments, ensuring timely, accurate, and compliant updates Prepare, review, and submit required regulatory documents, including Form 5500 and related disclosures Coordinate and support retirement plan governance, including committee materials, decision documentation, and compliance activities Maintain independent accountability for plan compliance, documentation integrity, and regulatory adherence, and elevate risks or concerns as needed

ERISA & Regulatory Compliance

• ERISA
• IRS and Department of Labor (DOL) requirements
• ACA, COBRA, and HIPAA

Execute required compliance activities, including testing, filings, and reporting processes Prepare for, manage, and respond to audits, including documentation, coordination, and resolution Maintain accurate, complete, and audit-ready compliance records and documentation Proactively identify and address compliance risks, ensuring adherence to all regulatory obligations

Vendor & TPA Administration

Actively manage relationships with TPAs, recordkeepers, brokers, and benefit vendors Coordinate day-to-day interactions to ensure accurate, timely, and compliant plan administration Review, validate, and hold accountability for vendor deliverables related to accuracy, completeness, and performance Support and execute vendor implementations, renewals, and transitions Investigate and resolve operational and administrative issues directly with vendors

Financial Management & Stewardship

In collaboration with internal and external stakeholders, develop and manage benefit plan budgets and forecasts Monitor and analyze plan spend, utilization, and financial trends Partner with Finance to ensure accuracy, transparency, and alignment in reporting Support long-term financial sustainability and stewardship of plan resources Maintain strong fiscal discipline while balancing compliance and operational requirements

Billing, Reconciliation & Audit Controls

Review, reconcile, and approve vendor invoices and billing activity Investigate and resolve discrepancies directly with vendors Ensure timely and accurate payment processing Maintain strong financial controls and audit readiness, ensuring traceability and accuracy

Data, Reporting & Plan Insights

• Plan utilization and cost trends
• Retirement plan participation and performance
• Compliance and audit requirements

Collaborate with internal and external partners to deliver reporting related to Plan utilization and cost trends Retirement plan participation and performance Compliance and audit requirements Ensure data accuracy, consistency, and integrity across systems Provide insights to support informed decision-making, plan performance, and continuous improvement

Open Enrollment & Plan Implementation

Lead the administrative execution of open enrollment, ensuring system readiness, data accuracy, and vendor coordination Coordinate with vendors and internal partners to implement plan changes and updates Ensure accurate and compliant execution of benefit configurations and plan changes Collaboration & Organizational Alignment Partner with HR, Finance, and Legal to ensure seamless, compliant plan operations Collaborate with Employee Health & Benefits Service Delivery leadership to align plan administration with employee experience insights Support shared goals related to plan performance, cost management, and employee outcomes, while maintaining clear accountability for plan administration Contribute to a culture of teamwork, transparency, mutual respect, and shared accountability Completes other duties as assigned. Customer Service Responsibilities Demonstrate excellent customer service and standards of behaviors as well as encourages, coaches, and monitors the same in team members. This individual should consistently promote teamwork and direct communication with co-workers and deal discretely and sensitively with confidential information. Responsibilities in Quality Improvement Contribute by identifying problems and seeking solutions. Promote patient/family satisfaction where possible; participates in departmental efforts to monitor and report customer service.

Essential Job Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Finance, Business, or related field or equivalent combination of education and highly relevant experience.
• Equivalent experience may include progressive, hands‑on responsibility for benefits administration, retirement plan management, compliance, finance, or vendor management within complex or self-funded environments.
• Extensive, hands‑on experience managing self‑funded health and/or retirement plans is required, including direct responsibility for administration, compliance, and financial oversight.
• Demonstrated experience personally executing plan administration responsibilities, not solely overseeing or delegating work.
• Strong working knowledge of ERISA, IRS, DOL, ACA, COBRA, HIPAA, and related regulations.
• Experience with plan audits, compliance filings, and regulatory reporting.
• Proven ability to manage vendors, TPAs, and complex benefit administration processes.
• Strong analytical and financial skills, including budgeting, forecasting, and cost analysis.
• Experience with Workday or similar HRIS systems preferred.
• Demonstrates a strong ownership mindset, with accountability for accuracy, quality, and outcomes.
• High attention to detail with a commitment to precision and integrity.
• Excellent organizational, problem-solving, and decision-making skills.
• Ability to work effectively across teams and build strong collaborative relationships.
• Communicates clearly, respectfully, and with professionalism.
• Demonstrates a commitment to inclusion, respect, and belonging, consistent with Mary Free Bed’s TOGETHER values.

Physical Requirements for Essential Job Qualification Levels: None (No specific requirements) Occasionally (Less than 1/3) Frequently (1/3 to 2/3) Majority (More than 2/3) Remain in a stationary position: _____ Traverse or move around work location: _____ Use keyboard: _____ Operate or use department specific equipment: _____ Ascend/Descend equipment or ladder: _____ Position self to accomplish the Essential Functions of the role: _____ Receive and communicate information and ideas for understanding: _____ Transport, position, and/or exert force: Up to 10 pounds: _____ Up to 25 pounds: _____ Up to 50 pounds: _____ Up to 75 pounds: _____ More than 100 pounds: _____ Other weight: Up to___ pounds _____ Other: _____

Accommodations & Disability

Consistent with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), it is the policy of Mary Free Bed Rehabilitation Hospital to provide reasonable accommodation when requested by a qualified applicant or employee with a disability, unless such accommodation would cause an undue hardship. The policy regarding requests for reasonable accommodation applies to all aspects of employment, including the application process. If reasonable accommodation is needed, please contact the Talent Acquisition team at [e-mail].

Equal Opportunity Statement

Mary Free Bed is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, national origin, age, genetic information, veteran status, disability or other legally protected characteristic.

Company Culture & Community

At Mary Free Bed, we work towards putting everybody in motion. Fueled by our passion for innovative, integrated rehabilitation care, our teams work together to elevate everyone’s potential. Whether you’re here to ensure a safe environment at our hospitals, provide clinical care or help our patients navigate their next appointment, we’re united by the same mission: to restore hope and freedom through rehabilitation. Everyone plays an integral role in defining a better future for ourselves, our patients, and our communities.