Benefits Manager

City of Shreveport; Shreveport (LA); On-site; USD 80,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

The City of Shreveport is seeking a Benefits Manager to oversee employee medical and pension benefits. The role includes supervising staff, administering a wide range of benefit programs, and ensuring accurate payroll deductions.

Responsibilities include pension program oversight, employee orientations, and maintaining filing systems. Strong knowledge of benefits laws and MS Office is essential for effective administration and reporting.

Qualifications

• Knowledge of employee benefits and applicable laws.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Excellent organizational and time management skills.
• Proficient with Microsoft Office Suite or similar software.

Responsibilities

• Supervise staff in the benefits area and address employee concerns regarding insurance and pension benefits.
• Administer group health, flexible spending accounts, dental and vision, disability and life insurance, and wellness benefits; oversee LTD and COBRA.
• Oversee Pension program operations and conduct employee orientations on benefits.
• Maintain benefits and pension filing systems and ensure payroll deductions are updated accurately.
• Assist employees with health, dental, life and other benefit claims and verify monthly premium statements.

Skills

Benefits knowledge

Communication

Organization

Microsoft Office

Education

Bachelor's degree in public administration or related field

Two (2) years of public pension administration experience OR three (3) years accounting/financial reporting experience

Tools

Microsoft Office Suite

Job description

The Benefits Manager position will be responsible for employee medical as well as pension benefits. The work activities may involve the following.

Manager’s Responsibilities:

• Supervision of staff in the benefits area: Address employees concerns or problems related to insurance and pension benefits.
• Administer various employee benefits programs, such as group health, flexible spending accounts, dental and vision, accident and disability, life insurance, and wellness benefits, LTD, COBRA and other related duties.
• Oversee the operation of the Pension program including meetings designed to help employees understand company benefits
• Conduct benefits and pension orientations and explain benefits to new employees.
• Maintain employee medical and pension filing systems and ensure benefits changes are entered appropriately in payroll system for payroll deduction.
• Assist employees with health, dental, life and other related benefit claims.
• Verify the calculation of the monthly premium statements for all group insurance policies and maintain statistical data relative to premiums, claims and costs. Resolve administrative problems with the carrier representatives.
• Assist in obtaining statistics and information in renewal process of any health, life and retirement plans that benefit the company.
• Assist in completing benefits for both medical and pension reporting requirements.
• Administers the City’s retirement plans, specifically the Employees Retirement System, the Firefighters Pension and Relief Fund and the Police Officers Pension
• Prepares for and attends regularly scheduled board meetings.
• Calculates each employee’s retirement based on plan parameters principles.
• Ensures proper documentation to state for Police and Fire pay records monthly.
• Ensures proper deductions from Police and Fire retirees.
• Provides estimates for employees who are planning on retiring within a year.
• Prepares documents and analyzes transfers to/from other entities of service time or the repurchase of service time.
• Provides accurate back up for all 457 Plans and payroll contributions to various agencies with which the city uses.
• If notary, provides documentation for and notary of garnishments and applications for state tax office.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Required Skills/Abilities:

• Knowledge of employee benefits and applicable laws.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Excellent organizational and time management skills.
• Proficient with Microsoft Office Suite or similar software.

• Bachelor’s Degree in public administration, business administration or a related field with advanced degrees preferred.
• Two (2) years professional experience, preferably in the administration of a medium-large public pension system with broad knowledge and understanding of Internal Revenue Codes and how they affect pension and deferred compensation or three (3) years experience in accounting and financial reporting for pension plans and other facets of pension fund administration, the last two (2) years of which includes supervisory experience.
• Computer literate to include a working knowledge of payroll systems, personal computer and software (Excel, Word, Windows, and other databases.)

Normal Path from This Class:

Any Higher Level Class for which eligible and qualified.