Benefits Specialist, Americas

At CooperVision, a business unit of CooperCompanies (Nasdaq: COO), we’re driven by a unified purpose of helping people experience life’s beautiful moments. We are connected through our shared values - dedicated, innovative, friendly, partners, and do the right thing. As a leading global manufacturer of contact lenses, we are committed to helping improve the way people see each day. Through our diverse lens portfolio, we tackle the toughest vision challenges – including astigmatism, presbyopia, and childhood myopia. We offer the most complete collection of spherical, toric, and multifocal products available, enabling us to fit 99% of all contact wearers. Learn more at www.coopervision.com.

• This role is not eligible for employer-sponsored work authorization now or in the future. Applicants must be authorized to work in the United States on a permanent and ongoing basis without the need for future sponsorship (i.e., H1B, STEM OPT extensions, TN, etc.)
• This position requires full-time onsite work (5 days per week) in Victor, NY and is not eligible for relocation assistance

Job Summary:
This role serves as the primary point of contact for employee and HR Business Partner inquiries related to benefits. The role requires collaboration across various departments and key stakeholders across the organization.

Essential Functions & Accountabilities:

• Delivers professional, accurate, and customer-focused benefit expertise to our employees across the United States and Canada. 
• Manages the benefits email accounts, responding to employee inquiries regarding benefits, claim issues and plan changes.
• Manages plan enrollment and eligibility while working alongside vendor partners to include requests related to QLEs, Medicare, Child Support and Proof of Coverage. 
• Responsible in developing, maintaining, and streamlining processes and SOPs. 
• Responsible for New Hire Onboarding communications with HRBP’s, new hires and vendor partners.
• Assist with all aspects of the annual Open Enrollment process for the U.S – including preparing and distribution of communication materials, scheduling of webinars/meetings, updating the benefits portal, coordination with internal HR Business Partners and assisting with employee questions. 
• Build and maintain solid partnerships with payroll and finance to manage the administration of programs under your responsibility. 
• Collaborate with other team members to conduct benefit premium, employee status and enrollment audits, ensuring employee data integrity and make corrections as necessary. 
• Responsible for maintaining benefit documents and other regulatory notices on the intranet, Bswift benefits portal, and U.S. and Canadian Benefits Microsites.
• Responsible for the communication of the ACA process from other team members findings, including monthly review of calculations, system flags and other data.
• Responsible for tracking enrollment numbers and costs per plan.
• Create and distribute standardized reports (i.e., census) and produce ad-hoc reports, as needed.
• Assist with the distribution of important annual notices and employee communications (i.e., mailings and postings).
• Serves as the primary back up for the Health & Welfare Benefits Analyst to partner with the Payroll Team to ensure accuracy of employee deductions and the EE/ER HSA account number and funding process.
• Serves as the primary back up to Health & Welfare Benefits Analyst for monthly insurance premium/billing and reconciliation, ensuring they are tracked and remitted timely. 
• Keep current with knowledge of health and welfare plans, trends, and regulations. 
• Special projects and M&A support as needed. 
• Perform other duties as assigned. 

Travel Requirements: 

• This role may require travel. 
• Estimated less than 5% (3 weeks per year)

Experience:

• 3 - 5 years of experience administering benefits programs with increasing levels of responsibility. 
• Experience in multi-state, multi-location work environments and assisting employees remotely is strongly preferred.

Education:

• Bachelor’s degree in Business, HR or related field or equivalent education and experience.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Excellent written and oral communication and presentation skills required.
• Excellent interpersonal skills, initiative, attention to detail and follow-through skills required.
• Commitment to customer service excellence and teamwork.
• Strong project management, organizational, and prioritization skills required.
• Handle confidential and sensitive information with discretion and professionalism.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite applications - Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Outlook or the equivalent.
• Bilingual - English/Spanish Speaking, preferred.

Work Environment:

• Professional office setting.
• Willing to report to work at the Victor, New York office
• Willing to work in a fast-paced environment. 
• Prolonged sitting in front of a computer
• Frequently operates a computer and phone

For U.S. locations that require disclosure of compensation, the starting base pay for this role is between $61,943 and $82,590 per year and may include cost of living adjustments.  The actual base pay includes many factors and is subject to change and modification in the future.  This position may also be eligible for other types of compensation and benefits.

We are committed to equal employment opportunity regardless of race, color, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, citizenship, marital status, disability, gender, gender identity or expression, or veteran status. We are proud to be an equal opportunity workplace.

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