Benefits Manager

Linfield University; United States; On-site; USD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

Linfield University seeks an experienced Benefits Manager to own and optimize employee benefit programs. You will lead administration, compliance, data analysis, and program improvements in collaboration with HR, Payroll, Finance, brokers, and carriers.

Responsibilities include renewals, enrollment, vendor coordination, and ensuring accurate deductions and employer contributions across multiple systems. This role requires strong communication, analytical, and project management skills in a

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in HR, Business, Finance or related field; minimum five years in employee benefits.
• Experience administering health, welfare, and retirement programs and related compliance.
• Knowledge of ERISA, HIPAA, COBRA, ACA, FMLA and related requirements.
• Experience with benefit reconciliation, data auditing, enrollment, and vendor management.
• Ability to work with HRIS, payroll, and carrier systems to resolve data discrepancies.

Responsibilities

• Owns administration and compliance of employee benefit and retirement programs.
• Leads renewal, open enrollment, plan evaluation, and communications.
• Analyzes utilization, cost data, and benchmarking to advise on plan design and costs.
• Ensures data integrity across HRIS, payroll, carriers, and vendors.
• Coordinates with brokers, carriers, and third parties to ensure service levels.

Skills

Benefits administration

ERISA compliance

Data analysis

Vendor management

HRIS data reconciliation

Communication

Project management

Confidentiality

Education

Bachelor's degree in HR/Business/Finance

Tools

HRIS systems

Payroll systems

Carrier systems

Job description

Office of Human Resources

FLSA Status: Exempt

Reports To: Director of Human Resources

FTE: 1.0

Department: Human Resources

Effective Date: October 2026

Join Our Team

Linfield University is seeking an experienced and knowledgeable Benefits Manager to serve as the universitys subject matter expert and primary owner of employee benefit programs. This is an excellent opportunity for a benefits professional who enjoys combining employee service, data analysis, compliance, vendor management, and strategic program improvement in a collaborative university environment.

Job Summary

The Benefits Manager serves as the universitys subject matter expert and primary owner of employee benefit programs. This position independently manages the administration, compliance, analysis, and continuous improvement of employee benefits and retirement programs. The Benefits Manager partners with employees, Human Resources, Payroll, Finance, brokers, carriers, retirement vendors, and third-party administrators to ensure accurate administration, strong employee service, regulatory compliance, data integrity, and effective benefit strategy.

Essential Job Duties

• Provides functional ownership and subject matter expertise for the universitys employee benefit programs, including medical, dental, vision, life insurance, short-term and long-term disability, flexible spending and health spending accounts, and the 403(b) retirement plan.
• Leads annual benefit renewal and open enrollment processes, including plan evaluation, system configuration and testing, employee communications, enrollment support, carrier coordination, and post-enrollment reconciliation.
• Partners with insurance brokers and benefit vendors to evaluate plan performance, utilization, cost trends, market competitiveness, vendor performance, and opportunities for plan design improvements.
• Analyzes benefit utilization, enrollment, cost, benchmarking, and financial data and develops recommendations regarding benefit strategy, plan design, employee contributions, and cost management.
• Owns benefit data integrity and reconciliation processes across HRIS, payroll, carriers, retirement vendors, and other benefit systems, identifying discrepancies and ensuring accurate employee deductions and employer contributions.
• Conducts regular benefit audits and reconciliations, researches discrepancies, determines root causes, and coordinates timely corrections with internal teams and external vendors.
• Maintains benefit administration processes and records in accordance with applicable requirements, including ERISA, HIPAA, COBRA, ACA, FMLA, PLO, OFLA, and other applicable federal and Oregon requirements.
• Provides retirement plan administration support and serves as a key resource for the universitys 403(b) plan, including eligibility, enrollment, contribution administration, vendor coordination, reconciliation, employee education, and compliance support.
• Participates in retirement plan committee meetings and supports required plan governance, audits, reporting, documentation, and follow-up activities.
• Serves as the primary HR liaison with benefit carriers, brokers, retirement vendors, and third-party administrators, monitors service levels, resolves escalated issues, and holds partners accountable for timely and accurate service.
• Provides employees with clear information and assistance regarding benefit eligibility, enrollment, qualifying life events, plan provisions, claims questions, and available resources.
• Supports employees with leave-related information and directs employees to the universitys third-party leave administrator for leave intake, documentation, eligibility, certification, and administration. Coordinates benefit-related information with the third-party administrator and internal stakeholders as needed.
• Partners with Payroll and Finance to ensure accurate benefit deductions, employer contributions, invoicing, funding, and financial reconciliation.
• Develops and maintains employee benefit communications, educational materials, procedures, and resources that are accurate, understandable, and accessible.
• Plans and coordinates benefit education events, benefit fairs, wellness initiatives, and other employee benefit programming as appropriate.
• Maintains current knowledge of employee benefit legislation, regulatory guidance, industry trends, and best practices and recommends process or plan changes when appropriate.
• Develops, documents, and improves benefit procedures, internal controls, workflows, and service standards to support consistent and efficient administration.
• Provides guidance and benefit expertise to Human Resources colleagues and university leaders and collaborates on cross-functional initiatives involving benefit programs, systems, and employee experience.
• Provides professional, responsive, and confidential service to faculty, staff, managers, supervisors, and university leadership.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelors degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, Finance, or a related field and a minimum of five years of progressively responsible employee benefits experience. An equivalent combination of education and directly related benefits experience may be considered in lieu of a degree.
• Demonstrated expertise administering complex employee benefit programs, including health and welfare benefits and retirement plans.
• Demonstrated knowledge of ERISA, HIPAA, COBRA, ACA, FMLA, PLO, and other applicable federal and state benefit requirements.
• Demonstrated experience with benefit reconciliation, data auditing, annual enrollment, vendor management, and employee benefit communications.
• Experience working with HRIS, payroll, benefit administration, or carrier systems and the ability to identify and resolve data discrepancies across systems.
• Experience working directly with brokers, carriers, retirement plan vendors, and third-party administrators.
• Strong analytical skills and demonstrated ability to interpret benefit, financial, utilization, and benchmarking data and translate findings into practical recommendations.
• Demonstrated ability to independently research complex benefit issues, exercise sound judgment, evaluate alternatives, and recommend solutions.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, including the ability to explain complex benefit information clearly to employees and leaders.
• Excellent organizational, research, problem-solving, and project management skills, with strong attention to detail and accuracy.
• Demonstrated ability to handle sensitive and confidential information with professionalism and discretion.

Preferred Qualifications

• Professional certification such as CEBS, PHR, SPHR, SHRM-CP, or SHRM-SCP.
• Experience administering a 403(b) retirement plan.
• Experience in higher education or another complex, multi-population organization.
• Experience with Oracle.
• Experience with benefit system implementation, configuration, testing, or data conversion.

Physical Requirements

Work is primarily performed in an office environment and involves regular use of a computer and other standard office equipment. The position requires the ability to communicate effectively, remain stationary for periods of time, move throughout campus as needed, and occasionally lift or carry materials weighing up to 20 pounds. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of the position.