Benefits Manager

UCA; Conway, Northern (AR, KY); Hybrid; USD 70,000 - 95,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Tuition waivers

Retirement program contributions

Paid holidays

Gym membership

Job summary

University of Central Arkansas (UCA) in Conway, AR, seeks a Benefits Manager to lead benefits and wellness programs for faculty and staff. You will oversee a team, manage self-funded medical/dental plans, retirement benefits, and open enrollment, coordinating with Finance, Payroll, and vendors.

The role emphasizes data accuracy, compliance, and continuous improvement in higher education HR operations, with a collaborative environment and opportunities for professional development.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience.
• Minimum three years HR experience, focusing on benefits.
• Experience with benefits, leave administration, HR operations.
• Experience with HRIS, payroll, or enterprise systems.
• Strong organizational and communication skills.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines.

Responsibilities

• Lead a three-person Benefits team and ensure cross-training.
• Oversee benefits administration, wellness, and open enrollment.
• Ensure ACA reporting accuracy (1094-C and 1095-C).
• Coordinate with Finance, Payroll, and external partners.
• Maintain benefits data accuracy on HR portals and self-service resources.

Skills

Attention to detail

Analytical skills

Problem-solving

Communication skills

Team leadership

Education

Bachelor's degree

HR experience

HRIS/payroll experience

HR certification (preferred)

Tools

HRIS

Banner HR/Payroll

Benefitfocus

Payroll systems

Job description

Will this position be Onsite, Remote, or Hybrid?

Will this position be Onsite, Remote, or Hybrid? Hybrid

Position Information

Posting Number

Posting Number NC1242026

Working Title

Working Title Benefits Manager

Department Org

Department Org 501000 - Human Resources

Why should you work at UCA?

We are excited that you are considering joining the UCA Family—the faculty, staff, students and alumni—who make the University of Central Arkansas a great place to work! At the University of Central Arkansas, we value our employees striving to maintain a work-life balance. We realize that this affects the overall well-being of employees while learning to prioritize challenging work and the ability to make a difference. Participation in university-wide flexible work schedules may be available for certain positions. Training is provided on systems or job-specific software, and tools are available supporting professional and personal development. The benefits package allows you to customize your benefits to meet your current needs, with the ability to adjust them as your priorities change. This includes university contributions to health, dental, life and disability insurance, 80% tuition waivers for employees and their families, 12 official holidays, immediate leave accrual, and a retirement program with university contributions of 10% of employee salary. Also available are health and wellness incentives, as well as access to sports and cultural activities on campus for the family, free gym membership and equipment rentals.

Position Summary

The Benefits Manager provides leadership and oversight for the University of Central Arkansas’ employee benefits and wellness programs serving faculty and staff. This position leads a team of three HR professionals responsible for benefits administration, leave administration, and employee offboarding, while partnering closely with senior HR leadership, Finance, Payroll, benefits vendors, brokers, consultants, and other university partners.

This is a hands‑on management role for an HR professional who enjoys combining employee service, problem‑solving, data analysis, compliance, process improvement, and team leadership. The Benefits Manager oversees the effective administration and continuous improvement of UCA’s benefits programs, including self-funded medical and dental plans, retirement and voluntary benefits, leave programs, wellness initiatives, annual open enrollment, and employee offboarding processes.

The successful candidate does not need to be an expert in every aspect of benefits administration on day one. UCA provides a collaborative environment with support from senior HR leadership and experienced external partners. The ideal candidate brings a strong HR foundation, sound judgment, analytical ability, attention to detail, excellent communication skills, and a desire to develop deeper expertise in benefits management and higher education HR operations.

Job Duties and Responsibilities

Team Leadership and Operations

• Establish priorities, assign work, monitor performance, and promote effective collaboration and cross‑training within the team.
• Provide operational leadership and coverage during annual open enrollment, fiscal year‑end, peak leave periods, team absences, and other high‑volume periods.
• Identify opportunities to improve processes, employee service, data accuracy, and operational efficiency.

Benefits Administration and Financial Oversight

• Oversee the administration of UCA’s medical, dental, retirement, voluntary benefit, wellness, and related employee benefit programs.
• Develop working knowledge of UCA’s self‑funded medical and dental plans and, with support from senior HR leadership and external partners, oversee claims administration, third‑party administrator relationships, stop‑loss processes, and related financial activities.
• Responsible for monthly and fiscal year‑end reconciliation of benefits‑related financial information in collaboration with Finance and Payroll.
• Review and reconcile claims, stop‑loss activity, TPA fees, vendor invoices, payroll deductions, and other benefits‑related financial transactions.
• Identify discrepancies and coordinate with internal departments and external partners to research and resolve issues.
• Oversee retirement billing and retiree insurance administration.
• Ensure timely and accurate ACA reporting, including Forms 1094‑C and 1095‑C.
• Responsible for wellness programs and initiatives, including biometric screenings.

Systems, Data, and Open Enrollment

• Lead the annual benefits open enrollment process in collaboration with senior HR leadership, software partners, brokers, consultants, vendors, Finance, Payroll, and other stakeholders.
• Monitor benefits data interfaces, payroll deductions, carrier files, and system integrations for accuracy and completeness.
• Monitor and maintain the accuracy of benefits‑related information on UCA’s HR website, benefits portals, and employee self‑service resources.

Compliance and Governance

• Support compliance with applicable federal and state laws and regulations governing employee benefits and leave.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Ability to establish priorities, delegate effectively, monitor performance, and hold team members accountable.
• Strong analytical and problem‑solving skills, attention to detail and commitment to accuracy.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Excel, Google Sheets, or comparable data‑analysis tools.
• Ability to identify trends, investigate discrepancies, and communicate findings clearly.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills.
• Demonstrated ability to respond with professionalism, empathy, and discretion when addressing sensitive employee concerns.
• Ability to prioritize competing demands and meet time‑sensitive deadlines.
• Ability to recognize when an issue requires escalation or specialized expertise.

Skills Considered Essential for Success

• Knowledge of the organization and administration of higher education.
• Knowledge of state, federal, and university rules, regulations and procedures.
• Ability to work in a diverse and dynamic environment.
• Ability to work collaboratively and independently with common goals as a part of a team.
• Ability to make sound judgments.
• Effective interpersonal communication, writing, and organizational abilities.
• Civility in all interactions.
• Demonstrate effective follow‑up.

Required Education and/or Experience

• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution or an equivalent combination of education and relevant experience.
• At least three (3) years of progressively responsible human resources experience.
• Experience in employee benefits, leave administration, HR operations, employee services, or a related HR function.
• Demonstrated ability to analyze information, identify discrepancies, solve problems, and make sound decisions.
• Experience working with HRIS , payroll, benefits administration, or other enterprise systems.
• Strong organizational skills and demonstrated ability to manage multiple priorities, projects, and deadlines.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Demonstrated ability to maintain confidentiality and exercise sound judgment when handling sensitive employee information.
• Ability to work collaboratively with employees, HR colleagues, leadership, vendors, and other stakeholders.

Preferred Education and/or Experience

• Experience supervising, mentoring, or leading HR staff or functional teams.
• Experience administering employee benefit programs.
• Experience with self‑funded medical or dental plans.
• Experience with benefits financial reconciliation, claims administration, vendor management, or related financial processes.
• Working knowledge of ACA , COBRA , FMLA , ADA , HIPAA , or other employee benefits and leave requirements.
• Experience working in higher education or another complex organizational environment.
• Experience with Banner HR/Payroll or a comparable HRIS /payroll system.
• Experience with Benefitfocus or another benefits administration platform.
• Professional HR certification such as SHRM -CP, SHRM - SCP , PHR , or SPHR .

University, Campus, and Community Description

Thank you for your interest in employment at the University of Central Arkansas. Founded in 1907, UCA has an enrollment of more than 10,000 students and employs over 1,300 full‑time employees. The university offers more than 85 undergraduate and 59 graduate certificate and degree programs, including doctoral programs in five disciplines. UCA is proud of its tradition of teaching excellence and its contributions in research, scholarship, and creative activities.

Desired start date 11/01/2026

Physical Exertion

Physical Exertion Administrative Work - Exerting up to 10 pounds, Primarily indoor work

UCA EEO Statement

The University of Central Arkansas is an equal opportunity institution. In keeping with its nondiscrimination policy in employment, admissions and other functions and programs, the university considers employees and students on the basis of individual merit and will not discriminate against a person on the basis of gender, race or color, ethnicity, religion, spiritual beliefs, national origin, age, familial status, socioeconomic background, sexual orientation, disability, political beliefs, intellectual perspective, genetic information, military status, or other factors irrelevant to participation in its programs.

Open Date

Open Date 10/06/2026

Close Date

Close Date 10/15/2026

Posting Supplemental Questions

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