Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Employee Benefits Coordinator

🎯 Role Definition

The Employee Benefits Coordinator is an HR professional responsible for administering employee benefit programs, managing carrier relationships, ensuring legal and regulatory compliance (ACA, ERISA, COBRA, HIPAA), supporting open enrollment and onboarding/termination processes, and delivering clear, timely benefits communication and reporting. This role requires strong benefits administration experience, excellent attention to detail, proficiency with HRIS/benefits platforms, and the ability to partner with payroll, finance and external vendors to deliver a seamless employee experience.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

HR Assistant or HR Administrative Specialist with benefits exposure
Payroll Coordinator with cross-functional HR responsibilities
Customer service or benefits specialist in an insurance carrier/vendor setting

Advancement To:

Benefits Analyst / Senior Benefits Specialist
Employee Benefits Manager / Benefits Program Manager
Total Rewards Specialist or HR Operations Manager

Lateral Moves:

HR Business Partner (with broader HR responsibility)
Leave of Absence Specialist / FMLA Administrator
Payroll Analyst or HRIS Analyst

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

Coordinate all aspects of annual open enrollment, including project timelines, enrollment platform setup, employee communications, vendor coordination, plan comparison materials, and post-enrollment reporting to ensure deadlines and participation targets are met.
Administer employee enrollments, changes, terminations and qualifying life event processing in the HRIS and benefits administration system, ensuring accurate effective dates, eligibility rules, and system documentation.
Serve as the primary liaison to insurance carriers, third-party administrators (TPAs) and vendors for medical, dental, vision, life, disability, flexible spending (FSA/HSA), and voluntary benefits; escalate and resolve carrier billing and eligibility issues promptly.
Manage COBRA administration and compliance: track qualifying events, issue timely notices, calculate premiums, coordinate with third-party COBRA vendors, and maintain accurate COBRA participant records.
Maintain and interpret benefit plan documents, Summary Plan Descriptions (SPDs), insurance contracts, and certificate documents; ensure accurate distribution and accessibility to employees.
Ensure regulatory compliance with ERISA, ACA reporting requirements (Forms 1095/1094), HIPAA privacy standards and other federal/state benefits regulations; partner with legal and payroll to prepare filings and responses to audits.
Reconcile monthly carrier invoices and payroll premium deductions, research and resolve variances, and collaborate with finance and payroll to ensure accurate premiums and remittances.
Prepare and deliver benefits education sessions, new-hire orientations and 1:1 counseling to explain plan design, cost, eligibility, claims processes, and wellness programs, enhancing employee understanding and engagement.
Maintain benefits administration systems and HRIS data integrity by auditing enrollments, eligibility tables, deduction codes and lifecycle events; implement data correction and prevention measures.
Support annual benefits renewals and plan design changes by gathering employee census data, preparing renewal packages, organizing carrier RFPs, and coordinating meetings with brokers and leadership.
Respond to employee inquiries and claims escalations via phone, email or ticketing systems; investigate issues with carriers or TPAs and follow through until resolution, documenting case history and outcomes.
Support disability and leave administration processes (short-term disability, long-term disability, FMLA coordination) by verifying benefits interactions, eligibility and required documentation in partnership with leave vendors.
Maintain accurate benefits records, reporting and dashboards for leadership, including enrollment statistics, participation rates, cost trend analysis and key performance indicators (KPIs).
Assist with dependent eligibility audits and verification processes to reduce improper payments, coordinate document collection and follow-up, and implement corrective actions as needed.
Draft and update benefits-related communications, FAQs, intranet materials and procedural documentation to ensure consistency and clarity across the employee lifecycle.
Manage routine benefits transactions for international or multi-state employees, ensuring compliance with local mandates and coordinating with global HR or outside counsel when required.
Participate in cross-functional projects such as benefits system upgrades, HRIS integrations, or payroll-benefits interface implementations, providing subject-matter expertise and testing support.
Monitor market trends and benchmarking data to recommend improvements, cost-saving opportunities and employee-focused enhancements to benefit offerings.
Support the annual benefits budget by providing historical utilization data, forecasting enrollment changes and participating in vendor negotiations to control costs while maintaining competitive offerings.
Maintain confidentiality and secure handling of employee health and benefits information, ensuring records are stored and shared consistent with HIPAA and company policies.
Assist in ad hoc benefits analytics and deep-dive reporting requests, delivering actionable insights to HR leadership for benefit strategy and employee experience improvements.
Coordinate wellness program logistics, incentive administration and participation tracking, partnering with vendors and internal stakeholders to drive engagement and return on investment.
Train new HR staff and support colleagues on benefits processes, enrollment platform functionality, and troubleshooting common issues to elevate team capabilities.

Secondary Functions

Identify and document process improvements and standard operating procedures (SOPs) to streamline benefits administration and reduce manual workloads.
Support implementation and testing of HRIS/benefits system enhancements, integrations with payroll, and data migration activities during vendor transitions.
Assist benefits leadership with preparing audit responses, board or executive summaries and vendor scorecards for continuous program assessment.
Participate on cross-functional committees (compensation, HRIS, compliance) to align benefits strategy with broader HR and business objectives.
Manage small projects such as coordinating benefit fairs, vendor presentations and targeted employee communications during benefits changes or acquisitions.
Provide periodic training to hiring managers on benefit eligibility rules, new-hire enrollment timelines and required documentation to improve onboarding accuracy.
Assist with international benefits coordination when applicable, liaising with global mobility or local providers to ensure continuity of coverage for relocating employees.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

Benefits administration and open enrollment management (medical, dental, vision, life, AD&D, STD/LTD, FSAs/HSAs, voluntary benefits)
HRIS and benefits administration platforms (experience with Workday, ADP, UKG, Oracle HCM, Paylocity, or Benefitfocus)
COBRA administration and vendor coordination
ACA compliance and reporting (Forms 1095/1094) and familiarity with state-level health mandates
Knowledge of ERISA, HIPAA and other benefits-related legal and regulatory requirements
Carrier invoice reconciliation and payroll-premium reconciliation processes
Excel advanced skills (VLOOKUP/XLOOKUP, pivot tables, data cleansing) and experience with benefits reporting tools/BI dashboards
Claims escalation and benefits case management best practices
Vendor management, RFP support and contract review basics
Leave administration / FMLA coordination and interaction with benefits
Benefits plan document and SPD maintenance
Experience with dependent eligibility audits and verification processes

Soft Skills

Excellent written and verbal communication for employee education and vendor negotiation
Strong attention to detail and accuracy in data entry and reconciliation
Customer-service orientation with the ability to handle sensitive situations empathetically
Problem-solving aptitude and ability to manage complex, multi-party issues to resolution
Time management and prioritization skills to manage competing deadlines during open enrollment and renewals
Confidentiality and integrity when handling protected health information (PHI)
Collaborative mindset to partner with payroll, finance, legal, and external vendors
Adaptability to changing regulations, benefit plan changes and system upgrades
Training and coaching skills to support HR colleagues and managers
Analytical orientation to translate benefits data into actionable recommendations

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

Associate degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or related field (or equivalent work experience).

Preferred Education:

Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, Finance, or related discipline.
Professional certification preferred (PHR, SHRM-CP, CBP - Certified Benefits Professional, or similar).

Relevant Fields of Study:

Human Resources
Business Administration
Finance
Public Health / Healthcare Administration

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range:

2–5 years of hands-on benefits administration experience in an HR or benefits role.

Preferred:

3+ years administering employee benefits in a multi-state or mid-to-large sized organization, including open enrollment, COBRA, ACA compliance, and vendor management. Prior exposure to HRIS implementations or benefits system integrations is highly desirable.