Senior Benefits Administrator

Space Telescope Science Institute

$80K — $95K *
Education, Government & Non-Profit
5 - 7 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or related field.
  • Minimum of 5 years of progressive Human Resources experience with a focus on employee benefits administration.
  • Experience administering self-funded medical plans for employer-sponsored health programs.
  • Proven experience in designing or managing employee wellness initiatives.
  • Strong knowledge of federal and state employment laws and employee benefits regulations.
  • Proficiency in HRIS platforms and Microsoft Office Suite, especially Excel.
  • Exceptional interpersonal, communication, problem-solving, and organizational skills.

Responsibilities

  • Administer self-funded medical, dental, vision, life, disability, and retirement benefit programs.
  • Serve as the primary HR contact for employee benefit inquiries and complex escalations.
  • Partner with third-party administrators and vendors for plan administration and compliance.
  • Assist with open enrollment planning, employee education, and communications.
  • Analyze utilization trends to recommend enhancements to employee benefit programs.
  • Maintain compliance with employment laws and regulations including FMLA, ADA, and HIPAA.
  • Develop and implement comprehensive wellness initiatives aligned with organizational objectives.

Benefits

  • Comprehensive benefits package with generous retirement options.
  • Emphasis on work-life balance.
  • Stimulating and diverse work environment.
Full Job Description
The Senior Human Resources Generalist plays a critical role in delivering strategic and operational HR support across the Institute. Reporting to HR leadership, this position serves as a trusted advisor to managers and employees while leading key initiatives in benefits administration, employee relations, wellness programming, policy implementation, compliance, and HR operations.

The ideal candidate brings significant experience administering self-funded employee health plans within a nonprofit or similarly complex organization and has demonstrated success developing and managing employee wellness initiatives that improve engagement and support workforce well-being.

This role supports an organization of approximately 850 employees and collaborates closely with internal stakeholders and external vendors to ensure exceptional employee experiences and operational excellence.
Key Responsibilities
Benefits Administration
• Administer and support the organization's self-funded medical, dental, vision, life, disability, and retirement benefit programs.
• Serve as the primary HR contact for employee benefit inquiries and complex escalations.
• Partner with third-party administrators, brokers, and insurance vendors to ensure efficient plan administration and regulatory compliance.
• Assist with annual open enrollment planning, employee education, and communications.
• Analyze utilization trends and recommend improvements that enhance employee experience while supporting cost containment.
• Maintain compliance with federal, state, and local employment laws and regulations, including FMLA, ADA, COBRA, HIPAA, ERISA, and ACA requirements.
• Develop, implement, and evaluate comprehensive employee wellness initiatives aligned with organizational goals.
• Coordinate wellness challenges, preventive care campaigns, and vendor-sponsored activities.
• Monitor participation metrics and recommend strategies to increase employee engagement and program effectiveness

Human Resources Operations
• Provide guidance to managers and employees regarding HR policies, procedures, and best practices.
• Ensure accuracy and integrity of employee data within the Human Resources Information System (HRIS). UKG PRO experience a plus.

Strategic Partnership
• Partner with leadership to identify benefits trends and recommend HR solutions.
• Assist in policy development and organizational initiatives as related to benefits.
• Support audits, reporting requirements, and compliance activities.

Requirements
• Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or a related field.
• Minimum of 5 years of progressive Human Resources experience, including substantial responsibility for employee benefits administration.
• Demonstrated experience administering self-funded medical plans for an employer-sponsored health program.
• Experience designing or managing employee wellness initiatives and engagement programs.
• Strong knowledge of federal and state employment laws and employee benefits regulations.
• Experience working with HRIS platforms and Microsoft Office Suite, particularly Excel.
• Excellent interpersonal, communication, problem-solving, and organizational skills.
• Ability to handle confidential information with professionalism and discretion.
Preferred Qualifications
• Experience supporting a nonprofit, research, higher education, or scientific organization.
• Experience with HR analytics and reporting.
• Knowledge of self-funded health plan financial management and vendor oversight.
• Experience supporting organizations with approximately 500-1,000 employees.

The annual salary range for this title is $80-95K. The posted salary range represents a general guideline; however, STScI considers a number of factors when determining base salary offers, such as internal pay equity, the scope and responsibilities of the position, the candidate's experience, education, and skill, and current market conditions.

Candidates should submit cover letter and resume by July 17th

Benefits

We offer an excellent and comprehensive benefits package, generous retirement, work life balance and a stimulating and diverse work environment. Explore our benefits: http://www.stsci.edu/opportunities/benefits

Individuals needing assistance with the employment process can contact us at [email protected].

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