Sr Consultant - Employee Benefits

Posting Description Summary: The Senior Consultant interacts with clients on a day-to-day basis while developing and being an excellent partner with both client and carrier representatives. This individual will research, analyze, and evaluate medical, life, disability and other benefit plans and act as a trusted benefit advisor to clients. This role requires the employee to solve the role of lead consultant and primary point of contact for clients. A credible advisor at this level may work on large, sophisticated accounts with some degree of supervision and approval from their Supervisor. At this level, the guide consultant might provide direct oversight of team members. Essential Duties and Responsibilities: Crafting, implementing and handling all aspects of an employer sponsored benefits program. Developing and executing client strategic plan and defined deliverables Exploring strategic alternatives and providing strategic mentorship while quantifying the financial implication and associated risk of options presented for consideration Negotiating terms, conditions, coverage limits and pricing with carriers and vendors Building and sustaining ongoing connections with clients; acting as the subject matter authority on Health & Welfare Benefits and vendor/carrier offerings and solutions Maintaining and completing a project plan to ensure client deliverables are provided on a timely basis. Delegating work to less experienced colleagues as appropriate. Understanding and articulating alternative funding strategies, analyzing viability on a client specific basis Demonstrating a genuine understanding of the mechanics of client financials and related projections Building and maintaining positive relationships with clients and carriers Keeping clients apprised of appropriate industry trends including all state and federal regulatory issues Explaining adherence to regulatory standards and legislative guidelines including as related to COBRA, HIPAA, ERISA, Section 125, and Health Care Reform Interpreting plan rules to ensure compliance with Plan Documents and Summary Plan Descriptions (SPDs) Anticipating client needs and identifying strategies to address them Coordinating the implementation of new business Leading all aspects of open enrollment; developing and/or reviewing client presentations and communication materials May have direct supervisory responsibility of entry-level staff Review the work of junior team members and provide appropriate guidance and skill development Ensure all client data is entered into CRM System (Salesforce) in a timely manner. Knowledge, Skills and/or Abilities: Extensive knowledge of carrier products and services, industry trends, benefits administration, regulatory compliance and HealthCare Reform Ability to work independently and anticipate client and team needs Effective project management, time management and organizational skills Strong analytical and financial skills Excellent attention to detail and commitment to outstanding client service Ability to express ideas clearly in both written and oral communications Strong Microsoft Excel and PowerPoint skills Commanding presentation and public speaking abilities Education and/or Experience: A Bachelor’s Degree in Risk Management, Business, Finance or a related field preferred 8+ years health and welfare consulting experience Certificates, Licenses, Registration: Life, Accident and Health Insurance License required GBA or CEBS Certification a plus What We Offer: We're proud to offer a competitive salary, PTO & paid holidays, 401(k) with match, best-in-class discount programs, health & wellness programs, and more. Our PeopleFirst culture focuses on building and nurturing lifelong relationships with our employees because, at the end of the day, we exist to be there for others. The salary range for this position is $85,000 – $100,000. Compensation at the base level will be determined by factors such as experience, credentials, education, and