Employee Benefits Specialist Lead (Frankfort)

Summary : The Benefits Manager plays a critical role at the ASPCA, supporting disability and absence management and overseeing the Benefits teams communications strategy. Who We Are Our People ARE the ASPCA. The People team (HR) at the ASPCA enables the organization to thrive by empowering and valuing every team member and providing an exceptional workplace across our varied disciplines. To make the greatest impact on animals, we must support the people who do the work, so our staff feel investment from the organization and can effectively prioritize and engage with our mission, work together, and develop necessary skills and capabilities, so we can successfully serve the ASPCAs guiding vision that the United States is a humane community in which all animals are treated with respect and kindness . What Youll Do The ASPCAs Benefits team, part of our People team, works to ensure our people have thoughtfully designed employee benefit plans and time off policies, and skillfully administers requests for leaves of absence and workplace accommodations. The Benefits Manager supports these efforts by creating and executing communications strategies to elevate staff understanding of our benefits plans and programs, incorporating multiple communications channels and media to reach staff with different work environments and learning styles, and by administering leave and accommodation requests. This person will apply research and benefit plan requirements, engage in critical thinking, deploy emotional intelligence, and exercise sound judgment to support a complex workforce, frequently shifting between managing communications and processes for the full organization and one-on-one interactions with employees and managers, and always balancing empathy, confidentiality, professionalism, objectivity, and discretion. The Benefits Manager reports directly to the Senior Director, Benefits and has no direct reports. Where and When Youll Work This position is based at the ASPCAs 8th Avenue office in New York, NY but does not require full-time onsite work; the role allows for flexibility to work from home to the extent approved by the manager and Department Head. This position is generally expected to work Monday Friday, approximately during standard business hours in the Eastern time zone and specifically be available by 9 : 00 AM ET on Monday mornings. This position requires the ability and willingness to report to ASPCA locations in New York, NY up to about 1-2 days per week, and travel up to 5% annually (1-2 trips per year), as needed. What Youll Get Compensation Starting pay for the successful applicant will depend on a variety of factors, including but not limited to education, training, experience, location, business needs, internal equity, market demands or budgeted amount for the role. The target hiring range is for new hire offers only, and staff compensation may increase beyond the maximum hiring range based on performance over time. The maximum of the hiring range is reserved for candidates with the highest qualifications and relevant experience. The expected hiring salary range for this role is set forth below and may be modified in the future. The target hiring range for this role is $83,000 - $88,000 annually. Benefits At the ASPCA, you dont have to choose between your passion and making a living. Our comprehensive benefits package helps ensure you can live a rewarding life at work and at home. Our benefits include, but are not limited to : Affordable health coverage , including medical, employer-paid dental, and optional vision coverage. Flexible time off that includes vacation time, sick and bereavement time, paid parental leave, 10 company paid holidays, and paid personal time off that allows you even more flexibility to observe the days that mean the most to you. Competitive financial incentives and retirement savings, including a 401(k) plan with generous employer contributions we match dollar for dollar up to 4% and provide an additional 4% contribution toward your future each year. Robust professional development opportunities, including classes, on-the-job training, coaching and mentorship with industry-leading peers, internal mobility, opportunities to support in the field, and so much more. Responsibilities : Responsibility buckets are listed in general order of importance, and include but are not limited to : Benefits Outreach and Communications Develop and execute the benefits communication strategy, including advance planning for required disclosures and annual events; designing campaigns to promote enhancements and engage staff; and employing flexibility to address unplanned developments such as new legal requirements and vendor changes. Maintain multiple communication channels for engaging employees and providing information, including comprehensive Workvivo pages and group updates, frequent features in the Scoop (the ASPCAs internal staff newsletter), emails, videos and webinars, flyers, mailings, etc., ensuring information is accurate, complete, and up-to-date, and content is user-friendly, accessible, and engaging. Draft and design all-staff emails, working with Benefits teammates and the Internal Communications team to finalize copy and coordinate timing for distribution. Work with vendors to obtain and leverage education materials and tools to maximize employee participationand engagement; maintain all-staff Box folders and ensure benefits materials on benefit plans and programs stay up-to-date; manage incoming physical mail at the ASPCAs 8th Avenue office from benefit plan vendors and others. Partner with teammates on project planning and execution for annual benefits open enrollment, including communication and outreach, Workday testing, fielding questions, and assisting with enrollment follow-up; create and update benefits orientation e-learning for new hires and summaries for prospective employees. Disability and Absence Management Administer employee requests for leaves of absence and workplace accommodations, including correctly identifying and applying applicable laws, providing required forms and notices, maintaining timely communication with employees and managers, and ensuring complete and accurate documentation of the interactive process. Manage the interactive process for employee requests, appropriately balancing legal requirements, employee support, operational needs, and other relevant considerations, and maintaining discretion, confidentiality, and professionalism in all employe and manager interactions. Handle claims for disability and state paid family and medical leave (PFML) benefits, manage continuous and intermittent leaves and wage replacement in Workday, and document pay information for the Payroll team. Help identify and connect employees with supportive resources and educate managers on resources to share with team members in need of support. Create and maintain Workvivo content, job aids, and other communications related to time off, leave of absence, and workplace accommodation policies and processes. Other Duties Back up Benefits teammates, including the other Benefits Manager, as needed. Engage in full People team, Benefits team, and cross-functional meetings and events. Support cross-functional work that impacts or involves employee benefits or absence management. Work on special projects as assigned by Senior Director, Benefits or Vice President, People. Qualifications Working knowledge of benefit plan administration and related laws and regulations, including but not limited to the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) and the Internal Revenue Code (IRC). Proficiency with disability and absence management, including leaves of absence and workplace accommodations, and strong understanding of applicable laws and regulations, including but not limited to the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (PWFA), and state leave laws. Strong interpersonal and customer service skills; must be comfortable interacting with all levels of employees and be able to maintain strict confidentiality of sensitive information, balance empathy with objectivity and professionalism, and use an assertive yet tactful approach in difficult situations. Effective oral and written communication skills, including the ability to explain complex, technical information to various audiences in an accessible way and integrate visual design principles into communications. Strong critical thinking and decision-making skills, ability to synthesize feedback from multiple parties and integrate research and evidence into problem-solving. Strong organization and time management skills, ability to manage multiple workstreams and deadlines in a fast-paced, ever-changing environment, while maintaining attention to detail, and ability to learn and use technology to streamline processes and automate tasks. Ability to work independently with minimal supervision and collaborate as part of a team. Ability to exemplify ASPCAs core values, behavioral competencies, and commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion. Education and Work Experience