Director of Benefits and Wellness

7261BR

Finance & Administration

Human Resources

Job Summary

RIT, one of the nation’s preeminent universities, seeks an innovative, creative, experienced professional to serve as Director of Benefits and Wellness to lead the employee benefits and wellness function for approximately 4,000 faculty and staff. A proven leader, the successful candidate will have deep knowledge and proven experience developing and administering progressive human resources and employee benefits policies and programs.

Job Responsibilities

The Director of Benefits and Wellness is responsible for RIT’s employee benefits and wellness strategies, benefits administration, fiscal management of a nearly $100M benefits budget, and ensuring legal and regulatory benefits compliance, as well as strategy and management of the employee wellness program. The individual will develop and maintain benefits programs, as well as provide direction and oversight for the implementation of related policies and procedures. Key responsibilities include:

• Develop comprehensive, contemporary, inclusive, competitive, and cost-effective benefits and employee wellness strategies and programs in collaboration with senior leadership; manage implementation of adopted strategies.
• Provide direction and oversight for the administration of benefit programs for all university employees, including health and welfare, retirement, tuition, worker’s compensation, disability, leave administration, and other related benefits.
• Provide direction and oversight for retiree benefits, including medical coverage and RIT’s Medicare Exchange.
• Oversee administration of the institution’s 403(b) retirement plan. Support annual plan audit. Serve on Retirement Savings Plan Investment Committee.
• Ensure benefit plans’ compliance with relevant Federal and state laws and regulations (i.e., HIPAA, COBRA, ERISA, ADA, IRS regulations, NYS Paid Family Leave, NYS Paid Sick Leave, etc.) and update summary plan descriptions, plan documents, benefits forms, and policies as necessitated by law and ease of administration. Serve as ERISA Plan Administrator for benefit plan appeals.
• Authorize employee benefit and employee wellness program expenditures, including overseeing management of $40K annual health plan wellness fund.
• Review and ensure accurate reporting and payment of premiums, claims, and all other benefit-related expenses, as well as employee contributions, COBRA payments, etc., and audit budget report of benefits expenditures.
• Interface with RIT administration, finance, legal & faculty and staff shared governance groups regarding benefit matters.
• Foster a culture of customer service within the benefits and wellness areas; continuously review and modify benefits services as necessary.
• Develop and deliver comprehensive communication programs for benefits and wellness, through in-person presentations, web presence, social media, and other appropriate means.
• Develop and revise written policies and procedures (as needed) related to employee benefits administration.
• Direct university’s participation in benefits benchmarking and surveys; monitor RIT’s employee benefits competitiveness on an ongoing basis.
• Direct selection and ongoing management of and negotiation with benefit and wellness vendors and consultants.
• Manage annual benefit renewals with broker and provider representatives, and in strategic planning for benefit programs, including consideration of new programs, alternate providers, plan design modifications, etc.
• Supervise, train and develop staff of eight professional benefits and wellness specialists to ensure quality, integrity and responsiveness of benefits administration and wellness programs.
• Serve on the HR Leadership Teamepresent RIT on relevant external community committees & boards.
• Live our values, embrace diverse perspectives, and nurture the RIT community to remain a great place to work for all.

Required Qualifications

Education/Experience:

• BA/BS degree
• Experience: At least eight years’ relevant experience, including four years’ experience in supervisory/ management role

Skills

• Must have superior knowledge of labor and employment law, particularly employee benefit laws and regulations, and experience using MS Office and benefit management software.
• Deep understanding of and experience with contemporary benefits and wellness strategies and programs.
• Must demonstrate ability to communicate effectively and work with a wide variety of individuals from diverse backgrounds.
• Proven success producing high quality oral and written communications; strong and effective presentation skills.
• Demonstrated effective analytical ability.
• Proficiency with benefits administration software.
• Strong customer service, organizational and prioritization skills also required.

Preferred Qualifications

Education:
Master’s degree and/or CEBS, SHRM or HRCI certifications
Experience:
Higher education experience

Work Location

Hybrid — Remote/On-campus

Employment Category

Fulltime

Required Application Documents

Cover Letter, Curriculum Vitae or Resume

What do we believe at RIT?

Rochester Institute of Technology is a diverse and collaborative community of engaged, socially conscious, and intellectually curious minds. Through creativity and innovation, and an intentional blending of technology, the arts and design, we provide exceptional individuals with a wide range of academic opportunities, including a leading research program and an internationally recognized education for deaf and hard-of-hearing students. We are dedicated to building a diverse community, one where employees feel a sense of belonging, and are valued for their contributions and the perspectives they bring.

As a member of the RIT community, you’ll receive a comprehensive employee benefits package that offers multiple options and access to additional employment advantages. You can tailor your benefit elections to meet your needs (affordable medical/dental/vision benefits; paid vacation/sick time/retirement saving plan with exceptional employer match; and tuition assistance for you and your family, to name a few).

How To Apply

In order to be considered for this position, you must apply for it at: http://careers.rit.edu/staff . Click the link for search openings and in the keyword search field, enter the title of the position or the BR number.

Additional Details

The hiring process for this position may require a criminal background check and/or motor vehicle records check. Any verbal or written offer made is contingent on satisfactory results, as determined by Human Resources. RIT does not discriminate. RIT promotes and values diversity, pluralism and inclusion in the work place. RIT provides equal opportunity to all qualified individuals and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, creed, age, marital status, sex, gender, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, national origin, veteran status or disability in its hiring, admissions, educational programs and activities. RIT provides reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities under the Rehabilitation Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act, the New York Human Rights Law, or similar applicable law. If you need reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process, please contact the Human Resources office at 585-475-2424 or email your request to hr@rit.edu . Determinations on requests for reasonable accommodation will be made on a case-by-case basis.

Commitment To Safety

COVID 19: Please familiarize yourself with the requirements of the RIT Safety Plan . Information on the responsibility for each employee can be found on the RIT Ready website. As per the RIT Employee COVID-19 Vaccination Policy , all university employees must be fully vaccinated for COVID-19. Vaccination exemptions may be granted: (1) to employees who are unable to be vaccinated due to a medical condition or disability; (2) on the basis of an employee’s sincerely held religious belief, practice, or observance, or (3) to employees who are fully remote and sign an Employee Attestation stating that they will not be on campus for any reason, nor will they participate in any in-person university-sponsored activities.