Senior Benefits Analyst

Who are we looking for?

Choice Hotels, one of the worlds largest lodging franchisors, has an exciting new opportunity as our Senior Benefits Analyst in the Total rewards department.
The Senior Analyst, Benefits is responsible for implementing, administering, ensuring compliance, analyzing, and reporting on all Choice Hotels employee benefits programs.
They work closely with Total Rewards leadership, plan providers, vendors, and associates at all levels.
The analyst analyzes and interprets all aspects of benefit program offerings and utilization and ensures accurate record-keeping and reporting.
They support benefit compliance and audits, staying informed on applicable regulations and legal requirements.
Additionally, they contribute to the development and implementation of new benefit offerings, focusing on cost-effective options that align with the employee value proposition of Choices benefits platform.

Do you have experience administering employee benefit programs?
We invite you to apply today for our Senior Benefits Analyst role today and #MakeItYourChoice.

Your Responsibilities
BENEFITS ADMINISTRATION
+ Administers all Choice employee benefit plans.
Interprets plan documents, company policies and other reference documentation to assess applicability.

+ Handles escalated benefit inquiries from associates.
Resolves issues or discrepancies for medical, dental, vision, life, disability, HSA, FSA, 401(k), etc.
Provides exceptional customer service while maintaining confidentiality.

+ Manages relationships with plan providers and vendors.
Functions as the main liaison between vendors and employees.

+ Actively participates in the planning and execution of open enrollment and other benefit related projects.

+ Oversees monthly premium payments and reconciliations for financial reporting.

+ Manages executive benefit plans, including distribution of plan documents, plan payments, and reimbursements of premiums.

ANALYSIS & REPORTING
+ Conducts quantitative and qualitative analyses of benefit programs.
Analyzes and interprets benefit/plan-related documentation, including federal, state, and local legislation.

+ Develops and maintains solid data management through the creation of spreadsheets & reports in Microsoft Excel or other tools.

+ Develop reports for testing, surveys, data transmissions, claims analysis, and ad-hoc requests.

+ Participates in and conducts benefit surveys.
Reviews and analyzes survey results and produces metrics and other plan analytics reports.

+ Works closely with Talent Technology to ensure that current technology and system capacity meet the needs of our benefit programs.
Collaborates on system enhancements and scalable long-term solutions that align with the company's objectives and growth.

COMPLIANCE/AUDIT
+ Manages internal and external plan audits, including preparing documents for auditors and maintaining controls and documentation throughout the process.

+ Ensures compliance with all applicable federal, state and local benefit laws and regulations.

+ Assists in the preparation of the plans 5500 and financial statements by performing compliance testing (ADP/ACP).

+ Documents and maintains Sarbanes-Oxley reviews and audits.

+ Develops and performs quality assurance processes.

+ Keeps up on industry trends and regulatory developments that affect benefit programs.

HRIS/PAYROLL INTERFACE
+ Coordinates with HRIS and Payroll and supports day-to-day administration of Workday.

+ Enters benefits-related data and helps ensure that coverage and deductions are accurately reflected in the HRIS.

+ Submits accurate contribution and demographic files to our record keepers each pay period.

+ Runs ad-hoc reports, as needed.

Your Experience, Skills & Competencies
+ Bachelors Degree in HR, Business, Finance, or Accounting, or other relevant field, or equivalent combination of education and work experience.
Professional certification, such as PHR, CPR, CEBS, etc.
is preferred.

+ Minimum of 5 years experience in administering employee benefit programs, preferably in a corporate, multi-state setting.

+ In-depth knowledge of federal and state regulations that govern benefit programs, including HIPAA, PPACA, ERISA, COBRA, FMLA, Section 125, Sarbanes-Oxley, etc.
This includes technical aspects of benefits administration, such as discrimination testing and government reporting requirements.

+ Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.

+ Proficient in the use of Microsoft Office application (Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint).
Experienced in the use of HRIS to respond to demands for data retrieval, information processing and reporting.

+ Excellent written, verbal and listening communication skills.

+ Strong attention to detail and accuracy.

+ Ability to maintain confidentiality.

+ Ability to work independently and collaboratively with a team.

Your Team
This is an individual contributor role that will report to the Director, Benefits.

Your Work Location
As our Senior Benefits Analyst, you will be based in our beautiful, state-of-the-art worldwide corporate headquarters in North Bethesda, MD.
Less than 15 miles from Washington, DC, were located one block away from the North Bethesda Metro station, with service on the Red Line and the MARC Brunswick line, easy access to I-270, and plenty of free parking provided by Choice Hotels.

Salary Range
The salary range for this position is $85,294.00 to $107,212.00 annually.
In addition to the annual salary, this role is eligible for an annual bonus based on the terms of Choice's Management Incentive Plan (MIP).

The pay range listed is for this position and is what Choice Hotels reasonably expects to pay.
We may ultimately pay more or less than the posted range, and the range may be modified in the future.
An employees pay position within the pay range will be based on several factors including, but not limited to, relevant education, qualifications, certifications, experience, skills, seniority, geographic location, performance, shift, travel requirements, sales or revenue-based metrics, and business or organizational needs.

Choice prioritizes our associate wellbeing by offering a comprehensive benefits program that is both competitive and flexible to help you achieve your wellbeing goals - here are just a few:
+ Competitive compensation and benefits, including medical, dental, and vision coverage
+ Leave and paid time-off for holidays, vacation, personal, family, volunteer, sick, jury duty, bereavement, military, and religious observance
+ Financial benefits for retirement and health savings
+ Employee recognition programs
+ Discounts at Choice hotels worldwide
About Choice
Choice Hotels International, Inc. (NYSE: CHH) is one of the largest lodging franchisors in the world.
With nearly 7,500 hotels, representing nearly 630,000 rooms, in 46 countries and territories, with a range of high-quality lodging options from limited service to full-service hotels in the upper upscale, upper mid-scale, midscale, extended-stay, and economy segments.
Were the hotel company for those who choose to bet on themselves the underdog, the dreamer, the entrepreneur because thats who we are, too.

At Choice, we are united by the simple belief that tomorrow will be even better than today for associates, our company, and our franchisees.
At our worldwide corporate headquarters in North Bethesda, MD and St. Louis Park, MN as well as our technology center in Scottsdale, AZ, and through our associates around the globe, every voice is heard, and every idea is listened to, no matter what area of the company they come from.
We are united in supporting the entrepreneurial dreams of our more than 18,000 franchise owners, which propels us forward giving our work at Choice a purpose larger than our business.

Ability to model Choices Cultural Values: Welcome and Respect Everyone, Be Bold, Be Quick, Listen, Be Curious and Show Integrity.