Manager, Benefits and Leave Programs

Are you an experienced and dynamic HR professional passionate about employee benefits? We are looking for a Manager, Benefits & Leave Programs to join our team and make a significant impact by continuing to explore and implement innovative, competitive, and effective benefits programs that support our talent and organizational objectives.

Position Overview:
As the Manager of benefits and Leave Programs, you will play a key role in shaping our total rewards strategy and ensuring the optimal administration of our benefits offerings, including medical, dental, retirement, life insurance, leave programs, and more. You’ll collaborate with internal teams, manage vendor relationships, and continuously analyze programs to improve and align with organizational and employee needs.

Reporting to the Executive Director of People, you will lead and develop initiatives that attract, retain, and motivate top talent while ensuring compliance with ever-changing regulations. Your strategic thinking and strong leadership skills will drive the success of our benefits programs and contribute to the growth of a Best Place to Work culture.

Responsibilities

Develops benefits and employee leaves education and engagement campaigns highlighting programs and policies, and supports wellness initiatives as needed Assists in the development and analysis of vendor Requests for Proposal (RFPs), as needed Collaborates with payroll and ensures that employer contributions and payroll deductions are processed accurately and in a timely manner Ensure all benefits programs comply with federal, state, and local regulations, including ERISA, HIPAA, COBRA, ACA, and FMLA Manages relationships with benefits vendors, brokers, and third-party administrators, ensuring high-quality service and cost-effective plans Oversees benefits audits, reporting, and compliance filings Handles complex benefits escalations and identifies solutions Analyzes benefits utilization, claims experience, cost trends, and industry benchmarks to provide recommendations on plan design, financial performance and cost-control strategies Leads annual benefits enrollment, including communications, system configuration, vendor coordination and activities Collaborates in the development and implementation of total rewards strategies that attract, retain, and motivate top talent, ensuring internal equity and external competitiveness Partners with internal and external clients to understand Best Place to Work needs and support the development and implementation of benefits plans in alignment with objectives and goals Oversees benefits processes and survey participation; monitors survey data to provide recommendations to achieve cost management and network objectives  Serves as an expert in national and state leave programs, assisting with managing leave programs including but not limited to, long term disability, short term disability and FMLA and Kootenai Health leave management Oversees special projects as assigned Ensures benefits and leave programs are consistently administered in compliance with internal guidelines, procedures, regulations and federal, state and local regulations and employment laws

Requirements and Minimum Qualifications

Bachelor's degree in Human Resources or a related field required; Master's degree preferred Minimum 5 years’ progressive work experience in the Human Resources field required; healthcare experience preferred Minimum 5 years’ employee benefits experience in a fast-paced environment required Certification through World at Work (CCP or CBP) or CEBS, SHRM or HRCI preferred Previous supervisory, leadership, and/or senior/lead experience required Strong analytical skills and thorough knowledge of plan designs required  Strong interpersonal skills to support sensitive and confidential situations Ability to manage multiple tasks/projects, and deadlines with ability to plan, prioritize and regularly improve processes Excellent organization, written, interpersonal, and communication skills; strong attention to detail Ability to effectively summarize and present complex or unfamiliar information for a variety of audiences Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite applications (i.e., Word, Excel, PowerPoint) and HRIS required

About Kootenai Health

Kootenai Health is a highly esteemed healthcare organization serving patients throughout northern Idaho and the Inland Northwest. We have been recognized with many accolades and distinctions, including being a Gallup Great Workplace, No. 1 Best Place to Work in Large Healthcare Organizations, and Magnet™ Status for Nursing Excellence. We pride ourselves on our outstanding reputation as an employer and a healthcare provider.

As your next employer, we are excited to offer you:

Kootenai Health offers comprehensive medical plan options, including options for fully paid employer premiums for our full-time employees. For part-time employees, we offer the same plan options with affordable part-time premiums. In addition to medical insurance, we offer many voluntary benefits ranging from dental and vision to life and pet insurance. Kootenai Health also offers well-being resources and telemedicine service options to all employees, regardless of benefit eligibility. Benefits begin on the 1st of the month following 30 days of employment. Kootenai Health’s tuition assistance program is available after 90 days. If you want to further your education, we'll help you pay for it Kootenai Health sponsors retirement plans for employees that enable you to save money on a pre-tax and Roth after tax basis for your retirement. Kootenai Health will match your contributions based on years of service ranging from 3-6 percent.  Competitive salaries with night, weekend, and PRN shift differentials An award-winning and incentive-driven wellness program. Including a MyHealth corporate team, onsite financial seminars, and coaching  Employees receive discounts at The Wellness Bar, PEAK Fitness, various cell phone carriers, and more Employee referral program that pays you for helping great people join the team And much more

Kootenai Health provides exceptional support for extraordinary careers. If you want to work on a high-quality, person-centered healthcare team, we can't wait to meet you! 

Apply today! 

Kootenai Health complies with applicable federal civil rights laws and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, or sex. Kootenai Health does not exclude people or treat them differently because of race, color, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, or sex.