Benefits Specialist

Richland County School District One; Champaign (IL); On-site; USD 49,000 - 68,000; Full time

Job summary

Richland County School District One in South Carolina seeks a Benefits Specialist to join the Benefits Division of the Human Resources Department. The role focuses on counseling employees on insurance and retirement benefits, processing enrollment forms, and ensuring correct payroll deductions are applied.

The position requires an Associate’s degree in business administration, human resources, or computer science and four years of clerical-administrative experience.

Qualifications

• Associate's degree in business administration, human resources, or computer science; four years of clerical-administrative experience (or equivalent).
• Experience with employee benefits concepts is helpful.

Responsibilities

• Conducts benefit orientations, retirement counseling, and insurance counseling.
• Assists with enrollment, disability, and retirement forms.
• Prepares insurance letters for employees.
• Maintains deduction codes for employee pay.
• Prepares COBRA/HIPAA letters.
• Organizes benefits fairs and enrollment sessions.
• Serves as chairperson for the Benefits Committee (Sick Leave Bank, M+FSAs).
• Counsels employees on long-term care insurance.
• Interacts with supervisors, employees, vendors, payroll, and the public.

Skills

Counseling employees on benefits

Education

Associate's degree in business administration / HR / computer science

Job description

• Position Type:CLASSIFIED/ HUMAN RESOURCES
• Date Posted:10/30/2026
• Location:HUMAN RESOURCE SERVICES

Richland County School District One, South Carolina

Classification Description

Classification Title: Benefits Specialist

FSLA: Non-Exempt

240 Day

Salary Range: $48,922.00 - $67,907.00

Under regular supervision, performs moderate to complex clerical duties and specialized technical duties in the Benefits Division of the Human Resources Department. Work involves counseling employees on their insurance and retirement benefits to ensure that the necessary paperwork is done in a timely manner; and ensuring that the correct deductions are made.Reports to the Personnel Analyst.

Specific Duties and Responsibilities

Essential Functions:

Conducts benefit orientations, retirement counseling, and insurance counseling.

Assists with and completes forms associated with enrollment, disability, and retirement.

Prepares insurance letters for employees.

Completes forms associated with employee death.

Maintains codes for insurance associated with pay; keys deduction associated with employee pay.

Prepares COBRA/HIPPA letters.

Organizes and conducts benefits fairs and enrollment sessions; answers questions related to insurance.

Ensures books/directory insurance.

Answers questions pertaining to insurance, disability, and retirement.

Prepares part-time employees' status for the Education Department.

Serves as chairperson for the Benefits Committee, which includes Sick Leave Bank Approval, Money Plus/Flexible Spending Account, and Medical Spending/Dependent/Health Saving Accounts.

Counsels employees on long term care insurance.

Works with outside vendors such as insurance and private companies.

Receives and/or reviews various records and reports including supplemental long term disability reports, optional life insurance reports, disability retirement report, retirement enrollment forms, retirement name change, flexible spending report, and long term care reports.

Prepares and/or generates various records and reports including supplemental long term disability salary report, retirement and optional retirement report, supplemental long term disability change report, and part-time teachers report.

Refers to Cobra Manual, Hippa manual, Benefits Administrator Manual, Plan of Benefit Manual, South Carolina Retirement Manual, FMLA Manual, School Board Policy Manual, School District Handbook, etc.

Interacts and communicates with various groups and individuals such as the immediate supervisor, employees' insurance program, South Carolina Retirement System, Ward Services, insurance vendors, Payroll, Risk Management, retirement vendors, and the general public.

Complies with all federal laws, state statutes, Board policies, administrative rules, and directives.

Additional Duties:

Conducts meeting for Sick Leave Bank.

Prepares statement to be sent to Sick Leave Bank Committee members for approval.

Performs other related work as required.

Minimum Education and Training

An Associate's degree in business administrative, human resource, and/or computer science work and four years of experience in clerical-administrative work, or any equivalent combination of training and experience which provides the required knowledge, skills and abilities.

Minimum Qualifications and Standards Required

Physical Requirements:

Must be physically able to operate a variety of automated office machines including computers, typewriters, calculators, copiers, facsimile machines, etc.Must be able to exert up to 10 pounds of force occasionally and/or a negligible amount of force frequently or constantly to lift, carry, push, pull or otherwise move objects. Sedentary work involves sitting most of the time, but may involve walking or standing for periods of time.

Data Conception:

Requires the ability to compare and/or judge the readily observable, functional, structural, or composite characteristics (whether similar to or divergent from obvious standards) or data, people or things.

Interpersonal Communications

Requires the ability to speak and/or signal people to convey or exchange information. Includes receiving instructions, assignments or directions from superiors.

Language Ability:

Requires the ability to read a variety of correspondence, reports, personnel records, applications, procedure manuals, forms, etc. Requires the ability to prepare correspondence, reports, personnel records, schedules, forms, logs, etc.Requires the ability to speak to people with poise, voice control and confidence.

Requires the ability to apply rational systems to solve practical problems and deal with a variety of concrete variables in situations where only limited standardization exists; to interpret a variety of instructions furnished in written, oral, diagrammatic, or schedule form.

Requires the ability to record and deliver information, to explain procedures, to follow oral and written instructions. Must be able to communicate effectively and efficiently in a variety of technical or professional languages, including personnel and insurance industry terminology.

Numerical Aptitude:

Requires the ability to utilize mathematical formulas; to add and subtract; multiply and divide; utilize decimals and percentages.

Requires the ability to inspect items for proper length, width and shape.

Motor Coordination:

Requires the ability to coordinate hands and eyes rapidly and accurately in using automated office equipment.

Manual Dexterity:

Requires the ability to handle a variety of items, office equipment, control knobs, switches, etc. Must have minimal levels of eye/hand/foot coordination.

Requires the ability to differentiate colors and shades of color; requires the visual acuity to determine depth perception, peripheral vision, inspection for small parts; preparing and analyzing written or computer data, etc.

Interpersonal Temperament:

Requires the ability to deal with people beyond giving and receiving instructions.Must be adaptable to performing under stress and when confronted with persons acting under stress.

Physical Communication:

Requires the ability to talk and/or hear: (Talking: expressing or exchanging ideas by means of spoken words. Hearing: perceiving nature of sounds by ear). Must be able to communicate via telephone.

PERFORMANCE INDICATORS

Job Knowledge:

Has thorough knowledge of the methods, procedures, and policies of the Benefits Division of the Human Resource Department as they pertain to the performance of duties of the Benefits Counselor. Has considerable knowledge of the policies, procedures, methods, and practices associated with personnel administration, training programs and administration, and policy administration for the Human Resource Department. Has knowledge of the benefits offered by the school district. Has knowledge of Federal, State, and local laws, rules, and regulations governing personnel administration. Has knowledge of general office practices, methods, and procedures used. Has knowledge of the organization and operational policies and procedures. Has knowledge of basic accounting principles and procedures. Has knowledge of ethical guidelines applicable to the position as outlined by professional standards and/or Federal, State, and local laws, rules, and regulations. Is skilled in the use of common office equipment, including computer-driven word processing, spreadsheet, and file maintenance programs. Is able to prepare and maintain accurate personnel records. Is able to explain personnel matters to employees. Is able to make routine decisions independently in accordance with laws, regulations, and policies and procedures. Is able to analyze and interpret policy and procedural guidelines and to resolve problems and questions. Is able to maintain a high level of productivity when faced with frequent interruptions. Is able to develop and modify work procedures, methods and processes to improve efficiency. Is able to exercise considerable tact and courtesy in frequent contact with the public. Is able to exercise tact and discretion in handling confidential personnel information. Is able to establish and maintain effective working relationships as necessitated by work assignments.

Quality of Work:

Maintains high standards of accuracy in exercising duties and responsibilities. Exercises immediate remedial action to correct any quality deficiencies that occur in areas of responsibility. Maintains high quality communication and interacts within department and division, and with co-workers and the general public.

Quantity of Work:

Maintains effective and efficient output of all duties and responsibilities as described under "Specific Duties and Responsibilities."

Assumes responsibility for doing assigned work and meeting deadlines. Completes assigned work on or before deadlines in accordance with directives, policy, standards and prescribed procedures. Accepts accountability for meeting assigned responsibilities in the technical, human and conceptual areas.

Attends work regularly and adheres to policies and procedures regarding absences and tardiness. Provides adequate notice to higher management with respect to vacation time and time off requests.

Initiative and Enthusiasm:

Maintains an enthusiastic, self - reliant and self-starting approach to meet job responsibilities and accountability. Strives to anticipate work to be done and initiates proper and acceptable direction for completion of work with a minimum of supervision and instruction.

Judgment:

Exercises analytical judgment in areas of responsibility. Identifies problems or situations as they occur and specifies decision objectives. Identifies or assists in identifying alternative solutions to problems or situations. Implements decisions in accordance with prescribed and effective policies and procedures and with a minimum of errors. Seeks expert or experienced advice and researches problems, situations and alternatives before exercising judgment.

Cooperation:

Accepts supervisory instruction and direction and strives to meet the goals and objectives of it. Questions such instruction and direction when clarifications of results or consequences are justified, i.e., poor communications, variance with policy or procedures, etc. Offers suggestions and recommendations to encourage and improve cooperation between all staff persons within the department.

Relationships with Others:

Shares knowledge with supervisors and staff for mutual benefit. Contributes to maintaining high morale among employees. Develops and maintains cooperative and courteous relationships inter- and intra-departmentally, and with external entities with whom the position interacts. Tactfully and effectively handles requests, suggestions and complaints in order to establish and maintain good will. Emphasizes the importance of maintaining a positive image.

Coordination of Work:

Plans and organizes daily work routine. Establishes priorities for the completion of work in accordance with sound time management methodology. Avoids duplication of effort. Estimates expected time of completion of elements of work and establishes a personal schedule accordingly. Attends meetings, planning sessions and discussions on time. Implements work activity in accordance with priorities and estimated schedules. Maintains a calendar for meetings, deadlines and events.

Safety and Housekeeping:

Adheres to all safety and housekeeping standards established by the organization and various regulatory agencies. Sees that the standards are not violated. Maintains a clean and orderly work place.