Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Benefits Coordinator

🎯 Role Definition

The Benefits Coordinator is an HR operations specialist responsible for the accurate administration of employee benefits programs, end-to-end enrollment support, vendor and carrier coordination, data reconciliation, compliance with federal and state regulations (ACA, COBRA, HIPAA, FMLA), and clear employee communication. This role combines technical HRIS knowledge, keen attention to detail, and high-touch customer service to ensure employees understand and successfully access their health, retirement, and voluntary benefits. Ideal candidates are experienced with benefits administration systems (Workday/ADP/UKG/Zenefits), benefits billing and reconciliation, and managing open enrollment campaigns for distributed or multi-state workforces.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

HR Assistant / HR Coordinator with generalist exposure
Payroll Assistant with benefits cross-training
Benefits Intern or Administrative Coordinator supporting HR operations

Advancement To:

Benefits Manager / Benefits Analyst
Total Rewards Specialist or Compensation & Benefits Analyst
HR Operations Manager or Senior HR Generalist

Lateral Moves:

HR Generalist (employee relations + benefits)
Onboarding & Employee Experience Specialist
Payroll Specialist focused on deductions and reporting

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

Manage the end-to-end administration of employee benefit programs including medical, dental, vision, life insurance, disability, FSA/HSA, commuter benefits, and voluntary products, ensuring accurate enrollment, eligibility verification, and timely changes.
Lead open enrollment planning and execution: develop communications, run enrollment timelines, coordinate benefits fairs/webinars, configure enrollment platforms, and produce post-enrollment reconciliations and reports.
Serve as the primary point of contact for employees and managers on benefits questions, counseling staff on plan options, eligibility, qualifying life events, and claim resolution to deliver high-touch, customer-focused support.
Administer COBRA and state continuation coverage: timely notifications, election tracking, premium billing coordination, terminations processing, and compliance documentation.
Maintain and update employee benefits data in HRIS/payroll systems (e.g., Workday, ADP, UKG, BambooHR, Paylocity), ensuring accurate deductions, eligibility rules, and audit-ready records.
Reconcile benefits invoices and premiums with payroll and carrier statements monthly; investigate discrepancies, submit correction requests, and partner with payroll to ensure accurate employee deductions and employer contributions.
Coordinate with carriers and third-party administrators (TPAs) for enrollments, claims escalations, policy renewals, rate negotiations, and problem resolution to maintain excellent vendor relationships and service levels.
Support compliance with federal and state regulations including ACA reporting (1095s), HIPAA privacy standards, ERISA documentation, unemployment audits, and state-mandated leave laws.
Process pre-tax accounts (FSA/HSA/Commuter): enrollment, contribution changes, claims substantiation, and year-end administration, working with administrators to resolve denied claims.
Administer leave programs in coordination with HR and legal (FMLA, short/long-term disability), tracking leave entitlements, coordinating paperwork, communicating status to employees, and updating benefits and payroll systems accordingly.
Prepare and distribute benefits communications, plan guides, and FAQ documents; craft clear messaging for in-person and virtual education sessions that increase enrollment participation and reduce inbound questions.
Execute benefits-related audits and due diligence, prepare documentation for internal and external audits, and implement corrective action plans in partnership with legal and HR leadership.
Support new hire onboarding by enrolling new employees in benefits programs, explaining plan options, processing initial elections, and ensuring timely eligibility and deduction setup.
Analyze benefits utilization, claims trends, and participation metrics; prepare regular reporting and dashboards to inform leadership, drive cost-savings opportunities, and support total rewards strategy.
Manage annual renewal and carrier RFP processes: gather vendor quotes, compile comparative analyses, summarize trade-offs, and support benefits leadership during decision-making.
Coordinate COBRA employer-required notice distribution, privacy notices, SPD and summary of material modification updates, and maintain version-controlled benefits documentation.
Track and maintain voluntary benefits programs (life buy-up, accident, critical illness), ensuring accurate payroll deductions, benefit confirmations, and troubleshooting vendor invoicing issues.
Oversee eligibility audits and census clean-ups prior to renewals or carrier submissions to minimize rate impact and ensure accurate premium calculation.
Create and maintain standardized processes, benefit administration SOPs, and training materials for HR team members to ensure consistent benefit administration across locations and teams.
Collaborate with payroll to validate deduction setup, year-end reporting, garnishments, and off-cycle adjustments related to benefits changes and life events.
Provide escalated support for complex employee benefit issues, working with legal counsel or external consultants when necessary to resolve disputes or ambiguous coverage matters.
Execute benefit system configurations for life event changes, terminations, rehires, and status changes, testing system rules and integrations before production deployment.
Participate in cross-functional HR projects such as HRIS implementations, benefits platform migrations, or mergers & acquisitions benefits integration to ensure continuity of benefits administration.
Maintain confidentiality of employee health and benefits records and enforce privacy policies consistent with HIPAA and company standards.
Continuously review and refine benefits communications, enrollment UX, and process efficiencies to improve accuracy, reduce manual work, and increase employee satisfaction.

Secondary Functions

Support ad-hoc benefits data requests and exploratory analysis to help HR partners make informed decisions.
Contribute to the organization's benefits strategy and roadmap by collecting employee feedback and benchmarking market trends.
Collaborate with business units to translate benefits-related needs into actionable HRIS and process requirements.
Participate in project planning and cross-functional initiatives related to HR systems, benefits renewals, and compliance updates.
Assist in vendor onboarding, RFP evaluation, and performance scorecarding to maintain high service levels and competitive pricing.
Cross-train with payroll, HR generalists, and talent acquisition teams to ensure seamless benefits delivery during peak periods.
Create and maintain up-to-date documentation and SOPs for benefits processes, audits, and annual renewals.
Participate in employee wellness and engagement initiatives, coordinating benefits-related campaigns and partner events.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

Benefits administration and enrollment platforms (Workday Benefits, ADP Benefits, UKG, BambooHR, Benefitfocus, Ease, Zenefits).
COBRA and state continuation administration, including notices, timelines, and premium tracking.
ACA compliance and reporting (1094/1095 forms), and experience with ACA eligibility and tracking.
HRIS configuration and data management — proficiency updating life events, eligibility rules, and deduction codes.
Advanced Excel skills (VLOOKUP, pivot tables, data cleansing) and experience building reconciliation spreadsheets and dashboards.
Benefits invoice reconciliation and carrier premium reconciliation with payroll.
Familiarity with FMLA, short/long-term disability administration, and leave tracking systems.
Experience with benefits vendor management, RFP processes, and carrier negotiations.
Data reporting and analytics: creating benefits utilization reports, participation metrics, and executive summaries.
Knowledge of ERISA, HIPAA privacy considerations, and state benefits regulations.
Payroll integration and deduction mapping experience (ensuring benefits deductions flow correctly to payroll).
Documentation and SOP creation for benefits processes and audit readiness.

Soft Skills

Clear, empathetic written and verbal communication to explain complex benefits concepts to diverse employee populations.
Strong attention to detail and accuracy when processing enrollments, deductions, and compliance tasks.
Customer-service orientation with the ability to manage high-volume employee inquiries professionally and efficiently.
Time management and organizational skills to manage overlapping open enrollment, renewals, and daily casework.
Problem-solving and investigative mindset for resolving billing discrepancies, coverage gaps, and system issues.
Confidentiality and discretion in handling sensitive employee health and compensation information.
Collaboration and stakeholder management: ability to partner with HR, payroll, finance, and external vendors.
Adaptability and comfort working in a fast-paced, changing regulatory environment.
Project management capability for coordinating open enrollment campaigns and benefits system updates.
Critical thinking to identify process improvements and recommend best practices for benefits delivery.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:
Associate degree in Business, Human Resources, or related field — or equivalent relevant professional experience (typically 2+ years in benefits or HR).

Preferred Education:
Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, Finance, Public Health, or related field. Professional certification (CBP, SHRM-CP, PHR) a plus.

Relevant Fields of Study:

Human Resources Management
Business Administration
Finance / Accounting
Public Health / Health Administration
Communications

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range:
2–5 years of hands-on benefits administration or HR generalist experience with benefits responsibilities.

Preferred:
3+ years administering multi-state employee benefit programs, proven experience managing open enrollment campaigns, strong HRIS and payroll integration experience, and demonstrated knowledge of ACA/COBRA/FMLA compliance. Prior experience with 500+ employee populations or in fast-growing organizations is advantageous.