Benefits Specialist

Unlock your potential with Prinova We are Prinova, a leading global supplier of ingredients and premix manufacturing solutions, and trusted by the world’s best-known food, beverage, and nutrition brands. Part of the NAGASE Group, our expertise lies in Ingredient Distribution, Manufacturing Solutions, and Customized Services. Our global network of colleagues, located in offices and manufacturing facilities around the world, deliver sustainable value-added solutions to our customers. We are recognized for our deep expertise, commitment to excellence, and bold innovation, which have earned us a strong reputation as a trusted industry leader. Wherever your career is headed, you’ll find direction, opportunity, and belonging with us. Benefits Specialist Department: Human Resources, Corporate Location: Itasca, IL Type: Full-time Summary: The Benefits Specialist supports the administration, analysis, and continuous improvement of the Company's total rewards programs, including employee benefits, compensation, leave administration, and related compliance activities. The role is responsible for ensuring the effective delivery of competitive, compliant, and employee-focused benefits programs. The Specialist partners closely with Human Resources, Payroll, Finance, and external vendors to administer total rewards initiatives, maintain data integrity, support regulatory compliance, and enhance the overall employee experience. Essential Duties and Responsibilities include the following, but are not limited to: Benefits Administration Administer and support employee benefit programs, including medical, dental, vision, life insurance, disability, 401(k), HSA, and FSA plans, ensuring compliance with applicable federal and state regulations. Manage benefit enrollments, qualifying life event changes, terminations, and dependent eligibility verification. Support the annual open enrollment process, including planning, system configuration, testing, employee communications, and issue resolution. Partner with vendors and brokers to ensure accurate plan administration, timely issue resolution, and effective service delivery. Coordinate employee benefits education and serve as a resource for benefit-related questions and concerns. Coordinate wellness programs and activities by partnering with internal partners and external vendors. Leave of Absence Administration Administer employee leave programs, including FMLA, parental leave, maternity leave, and applicable state and local leave programs. Track ADA accommodations and partner with the HRDs after FMLA has been exhausted. Coordinate leave eligibility, documentation, pay coordination, benefit continuation, and return-to-work processes. Collaborate with third-party leave administrators and internal stakeholders to ensure timely and compliant leave management. Payroll, Finance & Vendor Partnership Partner with Payroll to ensure accurate benefit deductions, compensation payments, leave-related pay adjustments, and reconciliations. Responsible for but collaborates with Finance & Payroll on benefit billing and premium reconciliation. Manage vendor file feeds, data transmissions (EDI), discrepancy resolution, and billing audits to maintain data accuracy and operational efficiency. Data Management, Reporting & Compliance Conduct regular audits and data validation activities to ensure data integrity and compliance. Generate, analyze, and distribute reports related to benefits utilization, compensation, leave administration, and cost management. Maintain accurate employee data related to benefits, compensation, and leave programs and support tracking of bonus programs, including non-discretionary, sign-on, retention, anniversary, and spot bonus programs within the HRIS and associated systems. Support annual compensation planning processes, including merit increases, promotional adjustments, market adjustments, and other compensation initiatives. Support compliance activities, audits, and regulatory reporting requirements, including ACA, ERISA, COBRA, Form 5500, and other applicable federal and state regulations. Maintain confidentiality of employee information and sensitive compensation data. Employee Experience & Continuous Improvement Serve as a subject matter expert and trusted resource for employees and managers regarding benefits and leave programs. Manage the Employee Anniversary Program and be responsible for posting employee birthdays and work anniversaries on company monitors. Develop and maintain employee communications, educational materials, and total rewards resources. Identifies opportunities to streamline processes, improve service delivery, enhance employee experience, and increase operational efficiency. Develop, document, and maintain standard operating procedures (SOPs) and scalable processes across total rewards programs. Support HRIS, benefits, and total rewards system implementations, enhancements, testing, and integrations. Perform other duties and special projects as assigned. Qualifications: To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. Required Education and/or Experience: Bachelor’s degree in human resources, Business Administration, Finance, Accounting, or related field, or an equivalent combination of education and experience. Minimum of 3–5 years of experience in benefits administration, total rewards, human resources, or a related field. Experience administering employee benefit programs, including medical, dental, vision, life insurance, disability, retirement, and voluntary benefit plans. Experience administering leave of absence programs, including FMLA, ADA, parental leave, and applicable state leave regulations. Experience working with HRIS platforms and benefits administration systems. Experience partnering with Payroll and Finance on benefit deductions, compensation processing, reconciliations, and reporting. Experience working with external vendors, brokers, third-party administrators, and leave management providers. Preferred Qualifications: Certified Employee Benefits Specialist (CEBS), Certified Compensation Professional (CCP), Professional in Human Resources (PHR), SHRM-CP, or similar certification preferred. Experience with annual benefits renewal and open enrollment processes. Experience supporting compensation programs, including salary benchmarking, market pricing, job evaluations, and compensation planning. Experience supporting acquisitions, integrations, or HR systems implementations. Advanced proficiency in HR reporting, analytics, and data management. Experience in a manufacturing, distribution, food ingredients, or multi-state environment. Required Skills and Abilities: Strong knowledge of employee benefits administration, compensation practices, and total rewards principles. Working knowledge of applicable federal, state, and local regulations, including ERISA, ACA, COBRA, FMLA, HIPAA, and related employment laws. Ability to interpret and apply compensation data, salary surveys, and market benchmarking information. Strong analytical and critical thinking skills with high attention to detail and accuracy. Ability to manage highly confidential and sensitive employee information with discretion and professionalism. Excellent organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities and meet deadlines in a fast-paced environment. Strong verbal and written communication skills, including the ability to explain complex benefits and compensation concepts to diverse audiences. Strong customer service orientation and commitment to providing positive employee experience. Ability to build effective working relationsh