Arabella Advisors helps foundations, philanthropists and investors who are serious about impact achieve the greatest good with their resources. We work on issues ranging from the social and economic advancement of women and girls, and conservation of our climate and planet, to reducing poverty and inequity in the United States and around the world. Our staff members are mission-driven and action-oriented, and have a unique combination of experience in philanthropy, business, nonprofits, government, finance, law, and other fields. We combine creative, strategic thinking with knowledge and networks developed through decades of hands-on experience. The fastest-growing philanthropic advisory firm in the nation, Arabella is also a certified B Corporation. 

ABOUT THE POSITION

Benefits Lead, Managed Organizations (Chicago, IL | Durham, NC | Washington, DC)                                                      

Essential Responsibilities

Serve as an escalation point for client service issues, communicating quickly, effectively and efficiently.  Includes maintaining a strong working knowledge of relevant benefit plans and laws.

Oversee open enrollment(s) among client organizations, and associated benefits renewal processes

Analyze existing benefits policies and prevailing practices to determine appropriate benefits programs and policies

Oversee benefits vendor relationships, liaising with vendor POC’s and advocating for staff as necessary

Manage the annual benefits calendar and associated annual and ad hoc projects, including overseeing project plans, stakeholders, and timelines

Support benefits billing processes, including benefits review and approval, and liaising between vendors and finance teams to ensure timely processing, payment, and issue resolution

Ensure timely filing of all mandatory benefits reporting

Lead retirement plan management calendar, including leading annual audits, filings and supporting committee meetings

Oversee content development associated with benefits resources, intranet and proactive communication efforts. Identify, champion and develop new resources as needs arise

Manage benefits training initiatives and annual communications.  Provide ad hoc individual and project-specific support as needed (including custom training sessions)

Support in the management of parental and disability leave programs, particularly as it relates to payroll impacts

Support experimental benefits management services or prototype models as needed

Manage compliance related to benefits policies, including monitoring for and staying ahead of emerging laws and trends

Help to maintain employee electronic files in compliance with policies and legal requirements. Maintains employee confidence and protects confidentiality of personnel data

To Be Successful in This Role, You’ll Need:

Minimum 5 years of professional experience, including leading strategic initiatives, staff management, and engagement with executives.

Bachelor’s degree or equivalent; preference for a Master’s in HR, HR certification, or equivalent

Experience with client management

Experience negotiating and managing employee benefits programs, including managing and navigating benefits software

Possess a command of Business Intelligence and other reporting systems as it relates to the extraction, manipulation, and analysis of benefits-related data

Experience managing a variety of vendor relationships.

Strong organizational and project management skills.

Excellent attention to detail and accuracy.

Business development experience a plus.

Ability to balance strict compliance with business need and maintain focus on strategic priorities and discretion in a multi-stakeholder environment.

Ability to instantly instill confidence and establish a trusted partner relationship with executives.

Exceptional interpersonal skills, both written and verbal, with a strong customer service mentality and high degree of integrity, accountability, and emotional intelligence

Ability to manage a high volume of tasks with shifting priorities and deadlines

Superior analytic and problem-solving skills with a thoughtful approach to addressing challenges

Experience in a progressive, mission-driven, and entrepreneurial environment

Optimism and adaptability

Experience in a PEO or equivalent a plus 

Our Core Competencies:

Ability to provide excellent service to clients, including being able to diagnose and anticipate difficult service challenges, provide proactive and effective client-centered solutions, pass along service lessons to teammates, and demonstrate a strong understanding of the client’s perspective. 

The ability to effectively manage projects, proactively problem solve, and ensure quality control 

 A high level of emotional intelligence and the ability to use that intelligence to appropriately adapt to stakeholders’ needs 

The ability to effectively help communicate complex and nuanced messages to a variety of audiences, including adapting style, tone and content to meet various needs.  

The ability to work cooperatively and inclusively with others to achieve shared goals, including supporting efforts that promote a safe and welcoming culture, providing timely and constructive feedback, and highlighting and sharing significant and new knowledge across the team 

The ability to use available resources and feedback to continually develop mastery in your role and facilitate team learning, including a willingness to request feedback and incorporate it to improve individual performance and to seek out and participate in career-relevant learning activities  

The ability to take ownership and be creative and solutions-oriented when encountering challenges that don’t have obvious answers, including the ability to solve challenges independently 

The ability to integrate DEI into work processes and demonstrate understanding of how oppression, privilege, and power present in interactions and work 

HOW TO APPLY

Click here for more information or to apply. Submit a resume and a one-page cover letter online. The cover letter should address why you’re excited to work at Arabella and why you’re qualified for this specific job.