Manager, Employee Benefits

Agency

Department

About Texas A&M AgriLife

Texas A&M AgriLife is comprised of the following Texas A&M University System members:

• Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service
• Texas A&M AgriLife Research
• College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Texas A&M University
• Texas A&M Forest Service
• Texas A&M Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory

As the nation’s largest most comprehensive agriculture program, Texas A&M AgriLife brings together a college and four state agencies focused on agriculture and life sciences within The Texas A&M University System. With over 5,000 employees and a presence in every county across the state, Texas A&M AgriLife is uniquely positioned to improve lives, environments and the Texas economy through education, research, extension and service.

Click here to learn more about how you can be a part of AgriLife and make a difference in the world!

Responsibilities:

• Oversee the AgriLife employee benefits team, serving employees and retirees of Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service, Texas A&M AgriLife Research, including the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, and Texas A&M Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Lab.
• Manage the functions and daily operations of employee and retiree benefits, retirement programs, wellness programs and leave administration for AgriLife. Supervise, hire, train and evaluate performance of staff members. Delegate and oversee staff work related to processing new employee enrollment, retirement processing including billing review, and Open Enrollment. Serve as decision-maker on complex benefit situations, using judgment, customer-service focus and knowledge of applicable laws, regulations and procedures.
• Counsel prospective TRS/ORP retirees. Provide guidance on the retirement process and ensure required forms are submitted and retiree insurance elections are selected in Workday. Maintain retirement spreadsheets and monthly metrics.
• Provide assistance to employees, retirees, supervisors and unit contacts in the utilization and understanding of various benefit plans including long term disability, premium waiver, group insurance, and tax saver spending accounts. Work directly with employees to resolve claim problems by providing guidance and/or submitting a trouble ticket to System Benefits Administration office for assistance.
• Assist employees, retirees and survivors in completing the required forms/steps to make benefit-related changes in Workday (insurance, ORP, TDA). Review/approve insurance coverage changes outside of Open Enrollment.
• Serve as primary contact for Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service Civil Service Retirement System participants. Responsible for preparation of CSRS retirement forms, reviewing completed forms for accuracy, submitting forms to OPM, counseling retirees, and preparing estimates. Responsible for submitting Official Personnel folders for retired CSRS employees to National Personnel Records Center.
• Monitor and track employees on leave of absence without pay and communicate the impact to benefits. Provide guidance on leave of absence process to unit contacts.
• Assist in development of benefits and Open Enrollment communication, web-based benefit information, special programs and benefit counseling materials.
• Participate in planning for Open Enrollment period. Assist employees and retirees regarding insurance choices, review and resolve Open Enrollment error reports, and coordinate with TAMU to assist with Open Enrollment Fair.
• Work with retirees in the area of benefits utilization, claim resolution and Medicare coordination. Research and correct discrepancies in premiums (may require submission of premium adjustment form to payroll) as directed by System audits.
• Research and prepare employment histories for retiring Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service employees, in order for Administration to prepare retirement plaques.
• Conduct benefits and/or retirement related sessions as requested.
• Notify Texas A&M AgriLife Extension personnel of employee, retiree and dependent spouse of retiree deaths.
• Review/process Medical Support Notices.
• Run, review and work reports as needed.
• Serve as backup for leave administrator.
• Single Sign On Administrator for Texas A&M AgriLife.  
• Assist employees and retirees with accessing Workday and issues involving new employee training and benefit enrollment.
• Serve as member of Texas A&M AgriLife employee wellness committee; assist in planning, implementing and evaluating wellness activities.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Qualifications

Required Education and Experience:

Bachelor's degree in related field or equivalent combination of related education and experience (four years of related experience with high school graduation or two years of related experience with associate’s degree).

Five years of related experience in benefits administration and/or human resources including some related supervisory experience.

Required Special Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Functional skills in word processing, spreadsheet, and database applications.
• Customer service skills
• Ability to multitask and work cooperatively with others.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Ability to work with sensitive information and maintain confidentiality.
• Proficiency in HRIS systems

Preferred Qualifications:

• Skills and knowledge of Workday functionality related to benefits and staffing.
• Experience in retirement benefits and employee consultation
• Knowledge of absence management functions
• Knowledge of Texas A&M University System benefit programs, retirement plans and applicable federal/state regulations (e.g., ACA, COBRA, HIPAA, FMLA).
• Ability to interpret policies, analyze benefit data, and resolve complex issues.
• Excellent communication and customer service skills, including the ability to present information clearly and effectively.
• Ability to independently manage multiple projects, prioritize tasks, and meet deadlines with accuracy and attention to detail.
• Knowledge of general HR functions and procedures, including staffing, employment, and HR compliance.

Why Work at Texas A&M AgriLife?

When you choose to work for Texas A&M AgriLife, you become part of an organization that is an established leader in agriculture and life sciences with a wide range of capabilities to meet the needs of our statewide, national, and international constituents.

In addition, Texas A&M AgriLife offers a comprehensive benefit package including the following:

• Health, dental, vision, life and long-term disability insurance with Texas A&M AgriLife contributing to employee health and basic life premiums 
• 12-15 days of annual paid holidays  
• Up to eight hours of paid sick leave and at least eight hours of paid vacation each month
• Automatic enrollment in the Teacher Retirement System of Texas  
• Employee Wellness Initiative for Texas A&M AgriLife

Applicant Instructions

Applications received by Texas A&M AgriLife must either have all job application data entered or a resume attached. Failure to provide all job application data or a complete resume could result in an invalid submission and a rejected application. We encourage all applicants to upload a resume or use a LinkedIn profile to prepopulate the online application.

All positions are security-sensitive. Applicants are subject to a criminal history investigation, and employment is contingent upon the institution’s verification of credentials and/or other information required by the institution’s procedures, including the completion of the criminal history check.

Equal Opportunity/Veterans/Disability Employer.