Benefits Specialist

Administer all employee benefit programs for the district. This role serves as the district expert for all benefit matters, ensuring efficient administrative processes and high-quality service to internal and external stakeholders. The ideal candidate will demonstrate exceptional interpersonal skills, effective critical thinking and problem solving skills, strong data management capabilities, and a keen eye for accuracy and confidentiality.

Essential duties and responsibilities include serving as the primary contact for benefits' enrollments, changes, terminations, and inquiries from staff, applicants, and the public, providing clear communication, accurate documentation, and compassionate and timely guidance. Additionally, the role involves serving as the primary contact for benefit vendors to process leave programs accurately, maintaining accurate employee records, databases, and digital files in compliance with district policies and legal requirements, leading open enrollment periods and onboarding processes, and preparing and updating orientation materials.

The position also requires processing unemployment claims, including managing disputes and appeals, coordinating with finance and human resource personnel to maintain accurate personnel tracking, performing enrollment reviews and benefits reconciliation problem solving, developing and amending forms and procedures for the enrollment of employees into the benefits programs, maintaining confidentiality of sensitive information, and upholding professional integrity at all times.

Skills and abilities include strong knowledge of policies and laws regarding personnel and benefits administration, familiarity and understanding of health, dental, life, unemployment, and disability insurance programs, and other employee benefits programs, exceptional communication and interpersonal skills, high level of accuracy and attention to detail in all HR functions, ability to manage multiple priorities and work both independently and as part of a team, ability to understand, apply and use personal computers and effectively navigate spreadsheets, ability to develop effective working relationships with students, staff and the school community, ability to communicate clearly and concisely, both orally and in writing, and ability to perform duties with awareness of all district requirements and Board of Education policies.

Education and/or experience providing the required skill and knowledge for successful performance would be qualifying. Typical qualifications would be equivalent to: Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, Public Administration, a related field, or HR certification (e.g., SHRM-CP, PHR). Minimum of 2 years of progressive experience in human resources, preferably in a public sector, school district, or collective bargaining environment. Demonstrated experience in employee/customer service, handling sensitive inquiries with discretion and professionalism. Experience with HRIS systems and maintaining confidential employee records.

Terms of employment include $28 to $34 per hour. Competitive benefits including health, dental, and paid sick and vacation leave. Monday - Friday; 8 hours daily; year-round; in-person office setting. Maine State Criminal History Record Check (CHRC) authorization required, which cost $70.