Benefits Specialist

Bertelsmann SE & Co. KGaA; Westminster (MD); On-site; USD 60,000 - 70,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible schedule

Bonus eligible

Job summary

Bertelsmann SE & Co. KGaA is seeking a Benefits Specialist in Westminster, MD to serve a broad US employee base across Bertelsmann Printing Group, PRH, BMG, Fremantle, Arvato, and more.

You will support enrollment, leave, retiree benefits, and vendor relations while aligning with the HR-Benefits Team. You will handle inquiries, maintain records, translate communications as needed, and participate in annual enrollment with occasional evening hours.

Qualifications

• 4+ years of work experience in human resources with 2+ years in benefits.
• Bachelor's degree required; CEBS preferred.
• Bilingual fluency in English and Spanish.

Responsibilities

• Assist employees with benefit issues across medical, dental, vision, life, FSA, pension and 401(k).
• Support annual enrollment, events, vendor onboarding, and changes for acquired companies.
• Handle high volume inquiries via phone, email, and in person; escalate as needed.
• Coordinate with HRIS, Benefits, and external vendors to resolve enrollment and eligibility issues.
• Provide guidance on benefit policies and communicate translations EN/ES as needed.
• Support leave of absence and data accuracy audits; ensure privacy and retention.

Skills

Benefits administration

HRIS

Spanish

Customer service

Data analysis

Education

Bachelor's degree

Tools

Microsoft Excel

UKG

Job description

Company Description

Bertelsmann is a media, services and education company with about 75,000 employees that operates in some 50 countries around the world. It includes the entertainment group RTL Group, the trade book publisher Penguin Random House, the music company BMG, the service provider Arvato Group, Bertelsmann Marketing Services, the Bertelsmann Education Group and Bertelsmann Investments, an international network of funds. The company generated revenues of €19 billion in the 2024 financial year. Bertelsmann stands for creativity and entrepreneurship. This combination promotes first-class media content and innovative service solutions that inspire customers around the world. www.bertelsmann.com.

Role Description

As the Benefits Specialist, you are part of the Employee Benefits Team, which serves as the main point of contact for our U.S. employees. Together with your team members, you provide excellent customer service support for all employee benefit programs offered to Bertelsmann Printing Group, Penguin Random House, BMG, Fremantle, Arvato, Bertelsmann Corporate, and employees at our other operating companies. You also support the leave of absence and disability process. In this role, you will coordinate with benefit vendors, research, and resolve any escalated employee issues and questions that arise. You are also responsible for assisting former employees with retiree medical, retiree life insurance, and pension benefits. In addition, you will work closely with the entire HR-Benefits Team on organizational initiatives, such as annual enrollment.

The Benefits Specialist is part of the HR-Benefits Team, which has the responsibility of developing, negotiating, and customizing the health, welfare, and retirement programs for each of Bertelsmann's U.S. operating Companies. The Benefits Specialist is expected to possess a wealth of knowledge and understanding of employee benefits at an employee-facing and corporate level.

This role generally works standard business hours, with the exception that, on occasion, the schedule will be shifted to support employees in the evening shift. This role is expected to work in the office at least two days per week (subject to change based on business needs).

This role reports to the Director of Employee Benefits.

Role and Responsibilities

• Assist employees with benefit issues, including medical, prescription drug, dental, vision, life insurance, flexible spending accounts, leaves of absences, voluntary benefits, pension, 401(k) and other company-provided benefits and services
• Support the annual enrollment process, qualifying life event changes, implementation of new vendors and onboarding of employees for acquired companies
• Respond to high daily volume of phone, email, and face-to-face inquiries and assist current and former employees with resolving benefits-related issues
• Resolve administrative problems with the carrier representatives, investigate discrepancies, escalated issues and provide information in non-routine situations
• Partner and collaborate with HRIS, Corporate Benefits, HR Business partners, and external vendors to resolve issues related to enrollment, eligibility, claims and vendor performance
• Research, interpret, and provide employees guidance on established benefit policies and procedures
• Draft and coordinate the distribution of communications for ad hoc participant issues, present and facilitate benefits orientations for annual enrollment and new hire orientations
• Support the translation of benefit communications and plan documents between English and Spanish as needed
• Collaborate with vendors and HR partners to administer leave of absence and key entries as needed
• Support audit activities and the accuracy of data and benefit records
• Support and respond to employees, including support for evening shift as needed and during peak periods such as annual enrollment
• Ensure proper document retention in accordance with statutory and internal business practices
• Other duties as assigned to meet business needs

Qualifications

• 4 or more years of work experience in human resources required, including 2 or more years in a benefits role
• Bachelor's degree or related experience required; CEBS certification preferred
• Bilingual fluency in both English and Spanish required; including the ability to translate technical benefits and health related plan information
• Knowledge of health & welfare plans, retirement plans, leave of absence, FMLA and workers compensation coordination
• Must be detail-oriented, highly organized, and comfortable working on complex problems
• Solid interpersonal skills, judgment, and client service orientation with focus on high-quality service to internal and external stakeholders
• Strong written and verbal communication skills with the ability to effectively communicate information across a large organization and translate complex benefits information into clear, actionable guidance
• Ability to work independently or as a team player in a fast-paced and decentralized environment
• Must be proficient in Microsoft Excel, including VLOOKUP and Pivot Tables, and other Office applications
• Must be proficient in researching information, data entry, and running reports in an HRIS, ideally UKG
• Must maintain strict confidentiality and employee privacy
• Must be willing and able to work a flexible schedule, including periodic shifts outside standard business hours to support employees on an evening shift.
• Eagerness to learn and grow within the benefits function and take on increasing scope over time

The Salary for this position is $60,000 - $70,000. (USD). This position is bonus eligible