Benefits Specialist

Dartmouth College; Hanover (NH); On-site; USD 59,000 - 74,000; Full time

Job summary

Dartmouth College is seeking a Benefits Specialist in Hanover, NH to manage leave-of-absence administration, support Open Enrollment, and advise employees and managers on medical, dental, vision, and retiree benefits.

The role requires interpreting plan documents and regulations to determine eligibility, resolve non-routine cases, and serve as a trusted resource with a small, cross-covered team.

Qualifications

• 2-4 years of benefits or HR service-delivery experience; cross-program exposure is a strong plus.
• Excellent verbal and written communication with strong customer-service instincts.
• Working knowledge of FMLA, ADA, and related leave regulations.
• Ability to interpret plan documents and make eligibility determinations independently.
• Working knowledge of self-insured and fully insured benefit plan operations.
• Strong organizational skills with close attention to detail.
• Proficiency with HRIS/HRMS and Microsoft Office; ability to learn new systems quickly.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality and comply with HIPAA.
• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple priorities across programs.

Responsibilities

• Leave-of-absence administration and eligibility determinations.
• Plan and execute Open Enrollment with Health & Welfare lead.
• Interpret plan provisions and resolve benefits questions for employees.
• Maintain compliance with federal and state regulations and Dartmouth policy.
• Collaborate with Benefits colleagues, HR, vendors, and campus departments.

Skills

Benefits administration

Communication skills

FMLA/ADA knowledge

Plan interpretation

HRIS/HRMS proficiency

Confidentiality/HIPAA

Multi-tasking

Education

Bachelor's degree or equivalent

Tools

HRIS/HRMS systems

Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Access)

bswift or equivalent benefits platform

Job description

Position Information

Posting date: 09/15/2026

Job number: 1126934

Job title: Benefits Specialist

Salary range: $59,300 - $74,200

Employment type: Regular Full Time

Scheduled hours per week: 40

Scheduled months per year: 12

Schedule: Hybrid schedule with the opportunity to be remote for the right candidate

Location: Hanover, NH 03755, 7 Lebanon Street Suite 203

Remote Work Eligibility: Hybrid

Term position: No

Grant funded: No

Position purpose: Dartmouth's Total Rewards team is hiring a Benefits Specialist to work across our Health & Welfare programs. The role owns leave-of-absence administration, shares responsibility for Open Enrollment execution, and advises employees and managers on medical, dental, vision, and retiree benefits. It suits someone who wants real depth in more than one area of benefits administration and is comfortable being a resource that employees and colleagues rely on. We're a small team, and cross-coverage is part of how we work. You'll interpret plan documents, policies, and federal and state regulations to make eligibility and coverage determinations, resolve non-routine cases, and become someone employees can count on for a clear, accurate answer.

Required Qualifications

Education and Years of Experience: Bachelors or equivalent combination of education and experience

• 2-4 years of benefits or HR service-delivery experience; experience spanning more than one program area (leave administration, health & welfare, retiree benefits, or wellness) is a strong plus
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with strong customer-service instincts as a front line point of contact
• Working knowledge of FMLA, ADA, and related leave regulations
• Demonstrated ability to interpret plan documents and regulations and make eligibility determinations independently
• Working knowledge of self-insured and fully insured benefit plan operations
• Strong organizational skills with close attention to detail
• Proficiency with HRIS/HRMS systems and Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Access); ability to learn new systems quickly
• Ability to maintain confidentiality and comply with HIPAA
• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple, competing priorities across more than one program area

Preferred Qualifications

• Direct experience with leave-of-absence case administration
• Experience supporting open enrollment logistics or benefits communications
• Working knowledge of retiree health benefits, Medicare, and coordination of benefits
• Prior experience with bswift or a comparable benefits administration platform
• Experience in higher education or another complex, multi-constituency benefits environment

Recruitment Contact

Kelli Ritter

Phone: [phone]

Title: Kelli Ritter, Sr Dir Comp, Int Exec Dir Total Rewards

Dartmouth College is an equal opportunity employer under federal law. We prohibit discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, disability, veteran status, marital status, or any other legally protected status. Applications are welcome from all.

Employment in this position is contingent upon consent to and successful completion of a pre-employment background check, which may include a criminal background check, reference checks, verification of work history, conduct review, and verification of any required academic credentials, licenses, and/or certifications, with results acceptable to Dartmouth College. A criminal conviction will not automatically disqualify an applicant from employment. Background check information will be used in a confidential, non-discriminatory manner consistent with state and federal law.

Dartmouth College has a Tobacco-Free Policy. Smoking and the use of tobacco-based products (including smokeless tobacco) are prohibited in all facilities, grounds, vehicles or other areas owned, operated or occupied by Dartmouth College with no exceptions. For details, please see our policy. https://policies.dartmouth.edu/policy/tobacco-free-policy

Leave Administration

Manage leave-of-absence cases: determine eligibility under FMLA, state leave law, and STD/LTD plan terms; designate and track leave; coordinate the ADA interactive process with HR Business Partners; advise managers on their obligations; and resolve non-standard cases.

Percentage Of Time: 25%

Open Enrollment Execution

Plan and manage Open Enrollment execution with the Health & Welfare lead: develop the testing approach, resolve enrollment exceptions, decide what escalates, and recommend changes to materials and communications based on employee questions and errors.

Percentage Of Time: 25%

Benefits Advising & Issue Resolution

Interpret plan provisions and Dartmouth policy to resolve complex and escalated medical, dental, vision, and retiree benefit questions. Determine handling of exceptions and appeals. Serve as a point of contact with carriers and administrators to resolve claims and eligibility issues on employees' behalf. Identify recurring issues and recommend process, system, or communication changes.

Percentage Of Time: 30%

Compliance & Process Ownership

Maintain current knowledge of federal and state regulations and Dartmouth policy affecting benefits administration, and recommend policy and procedure updates as regulations change. Represent Total Rewards on cross-functional projects. Partner with Benefits colleagues, HR, vendors, and campus departments to keep processes consistent and well-documented.

Percentage Of Time: 20%

Additional Responsibilities

• Demonstrates professionalism and collegiality through actions, interactions, and communications with others appropriate to an environment that is welcoming to all.
• Performs other duties as assigned.