We are looking for an experienced Benefits Specialist to join our team in Connecticut within the advertising industry. This contract opportunity with permanent potential is ideal for someone who can confidently manage complex benefits matters, guide employees through coverage questions, and bring issues to resolution with a high level of ownership. The person in this role will work onsite Monday through Friday and serve as a trusted resource for employees while collaborating closely with HR, payroll, benefits partners, and external providers.
Responsibilities:
- Manage complex employee benefits cases from initial inquiry through final resolution, using sound judgment and strong follow-through.
- Explain benefit programs, coverage details, enrollment options, and eligibility rules so employees can make informed decisions.
- Investigate claim issues and unresolved benefit matters by coordinating directly with insurance carriers, administrators, and external vendors.
- Act as a higher-level resource for escalated concerns, bridging support teams and program leads to keep cases moving efficiently.
- Work across benefits, human resources, payroll, and related internal teams to address issues that involve multiple functions.
- Provide subject matter support on U.S. health and welfare plans, including enrollment, eligibility, claims, and general program administration.
- Identify recurring service challenges or process breakdowns and recommend practical improvements to strengthen employee support.
- Coach frontline support resources on more difficult benefits questions and help build consistency in issue resolution.
- 3–5 years of direct experience supporting employee benefits administration and employee inquiries.
- Strong working knowledge of U.S. health and welfare benefits, including claims, eligibility, and enrollment practices.
- Experience interacting with carriers, third-party administrators, and benefits vendors to resolve employee issues.
- Demonstrated ability to investigate problems independently, assess options, and drive cases to closure.
- Confidence communicating policies clearly, including situations that require firm boundaries or denial of requests.
- Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment while maintaining accountability and accuracy.
- Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or a related field preferred; comparable experience will also be considered.
- Familiarity with tiered HR or benefits service delivery models and exposure to leave-related topics such as FMLA is a plus.