Lead Benefits Specialist - Back Office

Lead Benefits Specialist - Back Office Apply now Job no: 561123 Work type: Staff Location: Chancellor's Office Categories: Confidential, Administrative, Probationary, Full Time Chancellor's Office Statement Join our team at the California State University, Office of the Chancellor, and make a difference in providing access to higher education. We are currently seeking experienced candidates for the position of Lead Benefits Specialist - Back Office. The CSU Chancellor's Office, is the headquarters for the nation's largest and most diverse system of higher education. The CSU Chancellor's Office offers a premium benefit package that includes outstanding vacation, health, and dental plans; a fee waiver education program; membership in the California Public Employees Retirement System (PERS); and 15 paid holidays a year. Salary The anticipated salary hiring range is up to $88,008 per year, commensurate with qualifications and experience. Work Arrangements THIS RECRUITMENT IS OPEN TO CURRENT CSU EMPLOYEES ONLY. THIS POSITION MAY BE LOCATED AT A CSU CAMPUS OR THE CHANCELLOR'S OFFICE IN LONG BEACH, CA. Flexibility to telecommute two days a week, with three days on-site at the designated reporting campus. Premium Benefits Comprehensive Health, Dental, and Vision Benefits Generous vacation plan 15 paid holidays a year Tuition waiver education program (also applies to eligible family members) Membership in the California Public Employees Retirement System (PERS) More details here: Comprehensive Benefits Package Classification Confidential Administrative Support III Position Information The California State University, Office of the Chancellor, is seeking a Lead Benefits Specialist - Back Office to be responsible for providing support and coordination for various benefit program areas within Shared Services. The incumbent will perform a variety of highly complex technical tasks and provide operational support for benefits administration. Independently performs complex Shared Services benefits back-office work with a focus on operational excellence and benefits administration. Provides expert guidance on HR policies and compliance, resolves complex issues, and improves processes and workflows. Administers and supports benefit operations, ensuring accuracy, compliance, and alignment with organizational goals. Partners with internal teams, vendors, and leadership to implement programs, manage reporting and reconciliations, and deliver timely, high-quality results with a high degree of autonomy and accountability. Responsibilities Under the general direction of the Assistant Director, Shared Services Benefits - Back Office, the Lead Benefits Specialist - Back Office will perform duties as outlined below: CHRS Functional Lead: Serve as a functional lead resource for CHRS benefits data integrity, coordinating audits, overseeing updates, and providing advanced guidance on enrollment and eligibility matters to ensure accuracy and compliance. Benefits Deduction Oversight: Lead the administration, audit and reconciliation of benefit deductions (health, vision, dental, life, LTD) in coordination with the State Controllers Office (SCO), ensuring accuracy, resolving discrepancies, and identifying process improvements. Dental Benefits Coordination: Oversee the submission, reconciliation, and compliance of dental enrollment data with CSU providers, addressing complex issues and ensuring timely and accurate processing. Retired Employee CalPERS Coordination: Serve as the lead resource for Retired Annuitant and Faculty Early Retirement Program (FERP) appointment auditing, ensuring proper retirement c ding, and maintaining compliance with CalPERS and employment regulations. Systemwide Discrepancy Resolution: Lead cross-functional collaboration to investigate and resolve data inconsistencies across CHRS, SCO (PIMS), dental, vision, and CalPERS systems, partnering with HR and payroll stakeholders to improve data integrity. ACA Compliance Leadership: Coordinate ACA data monitoring and compliance efforts, ensuring accurate coding in SCO PIMS, SCO ACAS, and PeopleSoft; resolve complex errors and provide guidance on federal and state regulatory requirements. CalPERS Functional Oversight: Serve as the lead liaison for CalPERS administration, overseeing service credit purchases, validating membership eligibility, ensuring accurate enrollment and PSR processes, and resolving arrears and enrollment discrepancies. Review PIMS and CIRS for payroll reporting errors to resolve issues. Collective Bargaining: Support the collective bargaining process by collecting and reviewing recommended changes to benefit provision language within the collective bargaining agreements (CBA), responds to requests from campus and CO HR staff on changes to union language proposals and provides input to the Assistant Directors. Lead Work Coordination: Assign and direct work, monitor performance, provide coaching and feedback, and contribute to employee performance evaluations. Does not have administrative supervisory authority, including responsibility for hiring, discipline, leave approval, or final performance evaluations, which remain with the Assistant Director. Qualifications This position requires: -Bachelors degree in a related field (Human Resources or Business) or equivalent combination of education and work experience is required. A minimum of four years of professional experience benefits experience that incorporates complex and comprehensive knowledge. -Additional experience which demonstrates acquired and successfully applied knowledge and abilities shown above may be substituted for the required education on a year-for-year basis. -Experience with the CSU CHRS PeopleSoft Benefits Administration module. -Experience in Human Resources in higher education. -Experience with policies, procedures, and outside regulations pertaining to Human Reso