Benefits Financial Specialist

Department: Office of Human Resources
Salary/Grade: EXS/6

Job Summary

The Benefits Senior Financial Data Analyst has responsibility for the preparation of payments for University-wide benefits, including the funding for multiple retirement plans. Collects, analyzes, reconciles, and summarizes participant and vendor data for active and inactive employee benefits. Provides support for Benefit audits for all retirement and health & welfare plans, as well as regulatory requirements for the plans. Assists the Benefits Financial Specialist when required and works across the Benefits team to resolve issues and discrepancies as they arise.

*Note: Not all aspects of the job are covered by this job description.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Performs data collection, reconciliation and funding for bi-weekly and monthly payrolls for multiple retirement plans and HSA. Partners with the plans' recordkeepers and Benefit operations on resolving issues and funding corrections.
• Runs monthly payroll deduction queries; ensures wire payments by vendor are accurate and timely.
• Reviews and reconciles assigned monthly balance sheet accounts to ensure accounts are properly stated, transactions accurately reported, and discrepancies identified and corrected.
• Regularly prepares taxable tuition imputes using queries from internal databases.
• Performs monthly billing-administrator report reconciliations for designated populations.
• Provides statistical information to support annual audits and other regulatory requirements including non-discrimination testing, actuarial valuations and prepare ad-hoc analysis, as needed.
• Responsibility for the processing of Benefit refunds, working directly with vendors and query results of employee records, ensuring accuracy and validity.
• Trains new employees, is a resource to the Benefits Financial Specialist to resolve outstanding issues, and takes on other duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications (education, experience, certifications, skills)

• Bachelor's degree or the equivalent combination of education, training and experience from which comparable skills can be acquired.
• 3-5 years of work experience performing financial and analytical duties in benefits or accounting; excellent computational skills.
• Microsoft Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint. Advanced competencies relating to complex uses of Excel (vlookup and pivot tables).
• Excellent data and analytical skills; uses good judgment to identify, analyze and solve problems.
• Good organizational skills, dependable and reliable. Able to continuously meet critical deadlines.

Preferred Qualifications (Education, Experience, Certifications, Skills)

• A Master's Degree in a related field.
• Five or more years work experience in benefits or accounting.
• Knowledge of University procedures and systems (HRIS/PeopleSoft, NU Financials, Cognos).
• Certified Employee Benefits Specialist (CEBS) designation.

Target hiring range for this position will be between $77,000 - $87,000 per year. Offered salary will be determined by the applicant's education, experience, knowledge, skills and abilities, as well as internal equity and alignment with market data.

Northwestern University is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of protected characteristics, including disability and veteran status. View Northwestern's non-discrimination statement. Job applicants who wish to request an accommodation in the application or hiring process should contact the Office of Civil Rights and Title IX Compliance. View additional information on the accommodations process.