Remote Benefits Specialist: Leave & Retiree Programs

Ashland Inc.; United States; Remote; USD 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

Ashland Inc. is seeking a Benefits Specialist to join the US HR team in a remote role reporting to the US Benefits Manager.

This visible position handles absence programs, enrollments, retiree benefits, and open enrollment support for union locations, aligning benefits with regulatory requirements. The successful candidate has a bachelor's in HR or related field, 5 years' US benefits experience, strong communication, and proficiency in Word, PowerPoint, Excel, and AI tools like Copilot.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in human resources, organizational development, business, finance or related experience is required
• 5 years of experience working with U.S. Benefits including absence administration.
• Experience administering retiree benefits would be a plus
• Requires knowledge of ERISA, HIPAA, ACA, COBRA, FMLA, DOL and IRS regulations and state laws
• Strong knowledge in U.S. Benefits
• Strong customer facing experience
• Excellent communication skills with the ability to communicate at various levels of the organization to a wide variety of audiences
• Broad knowledge of Human Resources principles and practices
• Strong interpersonal skills
• Good problem-solving skills, with understanding of how absence impacts all facets of benefits.
• Results orientation: consistently delivers on commitments, takes initiative, has a bias toward action and has a sense of urgency
• Must have strong Word, PowerPoint and Excel skills, including pivot tables, view look up
• Comfortable developing and using approved AI solutions such as Microsoft Copilot to streamline and simplify work

Responsibilities

• Administers/Coordinates absence programs including STD/LTD, statutory plans and FMLA with absence vendor, payroll and benefits, and eligibility/enrollment vendor
• Facilitates leave communication between employee, manager and vendor
• Answers complex retiree health, welfare and savings plan questions with employees and providers
• Assists with Annual Enrollment including retirees and COBRA – reviews rates, communication materials, answers escalated questions, etc.
• Prepares, generates and analyzes reports relating to benefits, leaves of absence and other ad hoc reports as needed
• Processes active and retiree life Insurance claims (including executive life) in coordination with carriers and the eligibility/enrollment vendor
• Tracks retiree medical and life insurance eligibility for select union populations and coordinates with Benefits eligibility/enrollment vendor
• Assists with review of SPDs and benefit communication materials
• Participates in various DB and DC audits
• Performs weekly Savings Plan and HSA funding, as well as quarterly HSA match calculations.
• Processes various benefit invoices including complex self-billed invoices
• Assists with miscellaneous benefit projects and audits as needed
• Process Mexico medical reimbursements
• Answers assigned HRconnect cases

Skills

Strong communication

Customer facing

Interpersonal skills

Problem solving

Results oriented

AI tools (Copilot)

Education

Bachelor’s degree in HR/related field

Tools

Word

PowerPoint

Excel

Pivot Tables

VLOOKUP

Copilot (AI)

Job description

Ashland Inc. is seeking a Benefits Specialist to join the US HR team in a remote role reporting to the US Benefits Manager.

This visible position handles absence programs, enrollments, retiree benefits, and open enrollment support for union locations, aligning benefits with regulatory requirements. The successful candidate has a bachelor's in HR or related field, 5 years' US benefits experience, strong communication, and proficiency in Word, PowerPoint, Excel, and AI tools like Copilot.