Benefits Specialist - Italian or Spanish speaker

Role: Senior Benefits Specialist (Italian or Spanish speaker HIGHLY desired)

Location: Chester, (50/50 remote/ hybrid)

Duration: 12 Months

Pay rate: £22 per hour

Position Summary:

The Senior Specialist Benefit Operations will be part of People Services and has responsibility for execution and administration of the company benefits and retirement program, including health & welfare, savings plans, and wellness.

Key Business Partners:

Benefit Strategy and Governance Center of Excellence (COE) / Payroll / Strategic Benefits Delivery Management Team / Capability Center peers / HR and People Services Business Partners / Finance / Third Party Vendors and Brokers.

Detailed Position Responsibilities:

·       Responsible for the effective, end to end operation of benefits programs for assigned markets, ensuring efficiency and positive customer experience.

·       Understand, interpret, and communicate benefit plan provisions and processes.

·       Proactively document all processes and activities, drafting and updating Local Work Instructions (LWI’s) and Knowledge Articles, including defining streamlined processes for all applicable scenarios.

·       Drive implementation of new benefits / benefit designs and process changes into operations, process improvement activities and other projects related to benefit programs.

·       Execute and administer day to day activities related to benefit plan eligibility, enrolments, status changes, terminations and claims, including:

- Actioning changes in provider portals.

- Reviewing and reconciling system generated reports and integrations.

- Administering invoicing and payment processes: raising POs, validating invoice specifications and tracking payments, within the defined vendor management framework.

- Logging, managing and monitoring through to resolution any deviations from agreed service standards.

·       Manage renewals and enrolment windows in partnership with benefits system provider and Benefits Strategy and Delivery Management teams. Agree and maintain annual calendars of activities.

·       Review / update system generated communications, and content on the benefits system and HR portal, ensuring they support employee self-service, are current, accurate and market-relevant.

·       Research and problem-solve on issues related to benefit programs and procedures as the escalation point for Key Business Partners and Employees.

·       Assist with compliance and governance of all total rewards plans including identifying risks, participating in audits and delivering corrective actions.

·       Specify and implement required benefits system changes:

- prepare change request documentation.

- manage and perform testing activities.

- train team members, and HRAs on benefit topics, processes and changes.

·       Complete annual Benefit Surveys.

·       Assist with administration of wellness programs and vendors. Coordinate wellness communications.

Must have requirements:

·       Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience.

·       In depth experience in Benefits Administration.

·       Demonstrated analytical abilities and attention to detail.

·       General knowledge and understanding of HR policies, processes, regional Employment Laws and Benefits legislative requirements for the relevant region.

·       Proficiency in Excel, particularly vlookups and pivot tables, and other Microsoft Office applications.

·       Experience working in a rapid, fast-moving environment which is both complex and changing, together with the ability to successfully manage multiple competing tasks and priorities.

·       Ability to use business judgment when assessing requirements and performance, in order to identify the right solution to meet business needs.

·       Experience working in a multi-cultural/multi-country work environment.

·       Ability to network across a global organization in order to align with organization objectives and strategy.

·       Ability to present complex technical information in a clear and understandable way to staff, callers, and functional business and technical groups.

·       Demonstrated continuous improvement mindset.

Ideal Candidates would have:

·       Practical operational experience of other HR processes, e.g., talent acquisition, payroll, performance.

·       Experience working within an HR Shared Services delivery model.

·       Experience working with current HR and Benefits enabling systems: Workday, ServiceNow, Darwin, Morneau Shepell’s Ariel.

·       Experience in coaching others to build capabilities or enhance functional depth.