What are the responsibilities and job description for the Assistant Director of Human Resources/Employee Benefits Manager position at Eastern Oregon University?
The Human Resources Department provides the full array of modern human resources management and services for all of Eastern Oregon University including management assistance and coaching, program management, career enhancement, policy development and refinement, regulatory compliance, worklife quality support, and compensation and employee benefits administration.
Major goals and initiatives of the HR Department include maximizing quality of work life, employee career and skill development, facilitating employee work satisfaction and productivity, employee recruitment and retention, regulatory compliance, effective program and services administration, workforce planning, compensation administration, employee benefits and ensuring effective program support and services to all campus communities.
The Assistant Director of Human Resources/Employee Benefits Manager is a key HR team member who contributes individually and collectively to the integrity, compassion, competence and professionalism of the HR Department and ensures the success of multiple major accountabilities. The incumbent has important HR team and campus leadership roles and is pivotal in shaping a forward-thinking, inclusive, emotionally safe and engaged campus work culture that enhances the strategic leadership and operational management of all Human Resources (HR) functions and initiatives in full support of faculty, staff and student success.
The successful incumbent is an experienced, emotionally mature, and competent professional with refined skills, knowledge and abilities in employee relations, regulatory compliance, and program management including:
Major goals and initiatives of the HR Department include maximizing quality of work life, employee career and skill development, facilitating employee work satisfaction and productivity, employee recruitment and retention, regulatory compliance, effective program and services administration, workforce planning, compensation administration, employee benefits and ensuring effective program support and services to all campus communities.
The Assistant Director of Human Resources/Employee Benefits Manager is a key HR team member who contributes individually and collectively to the integrity, compassion, competence and professionalism of the HR Department and ensures the success of multiple major accountabilities. The incumbent has important HR team and campus leadership roles and is pivotal in shaping a forward-thinking, inclusive, emotionally safe and engaged campus work culture that enhances the strategic leadership and operational management of all Human Resources (HR) functions and initiatives in full support of faculty, staff and student success.
The successful incumbent is an experienced, emotionally mature, and competent professional with refined skills, knowledge and abilities in employee relations, regulatory compliance, and program management including:
- Employee healthcare benefits
- Retirement benefits
- Paid time off benefits
- Employee leaves
- Classification and complensation administration
- Employee relations support
- Workers’ comp claim reporting
- Employee benefits education and events
- Manager and supervisor counsel and coaching
- HR administration and communications
The Assistant Director of HR/Employee Benefits Manager incumbent reports directly to the Eastern Oregon University Director of Human Resources/EEOC Officer.
Essential duties:
The Assistant Director of HR/Employee Benefits Manager incumbent conducts all activities in compliance with Eastern Oregon University policies, procedures, employee handbooks, and collective bargaining agreements; federal and state laws and regulations including but not limited to EEOC, FLSA, ADA, FMLA, PPACA, Oregon Family Leave Act, Oregon Sick Leave Law, Oregon PMFL, and the laws and regulations of other states and municipalities as applicable.
Employee Relations
Provide counsel and advice in employee relations related requests and cases as assigned. Serves as assistant director of HR on assigned complaint and disciplinary cases and responsibilities and in the absence of or as assigned by the director of HR.
Labor Relations
Assist and advise supervisors, deans, directors, managers, VP’s and other unit heads on various contract language and a wide range of inquiries and issues. Review documents as needed to ensure compliance to union contracts. Provide labor relations strategic and administrative support serving as alternate management bargaining representative with OPU-SEIU and EOU-AAP negotiations as assigned.
Employee Benefits Administration
Responsible for the hands-on administration of the full scope of employee benefits including healthcare, retirement benefits, optional insurance plans and worker’s compensation. Handle day-to-day confidential inquiries involving benefits policy interpretation, intervention and/or explanation of employee benefits issues. Manage the development of reports to audit for data integrity. Manage the annual PEBB benefits Open Enrollment process and related employee communications while working closely with other administrative staff.
Monthly Benefit Reporting and Payment
Responsible for completing monthly reports and invoices and verifying payments to PEBB, PERS, and external carriers and vendors involving multiple reports and processes scheduled throughout each month. Investigate and resolve issues with the reports, payments, or calculated figures, complete all necessary steps to correct the errors and track payments as needed.
Retirement Plan Administration
Oversee retirement plan administration and directly provide education and information to new and current employees about making their retirement plan choices, including confidential consultations. Manage the PERS EDX program for eligible employees. Work closely with PERS and Oregon Public Universities Retirement Office to develop presentations and publications to communicate retirement plan choices.
Workers Compensation Claim Administration
Oversee University workers’ compensation claim administration and management. Ensure that incident investigation reports are properly completed online and forwarded to Safety and Security. Provide competent work injury leave management in compliance with Oregon laws.
Leaves of Absence Management
The incumbent is the designated administrator for all types of employee leaves of absence including ensuring regulatory compliance with all applicable leaves of absence federal and states laws, collective bargaining agreements, employee handbooks, and EOU policies. Incumbent serves as the central leaves administration and management “point person” for all matters relating to employee leaves of absence involving compliance with Family Medical Leave Act, Oregon Family Leave Act, Oregon Paid Medical Family Leave (aka Paid Leave Oregon), Oregon Sick Leave Law, Oregon Family Leave Act, workers’ compensation, LWOP, paid and unpaid time off leaves and discretionary/personal leaves. This includes full coordination of claims with internal management and external entities. Ensure compliance and integrity of ADA leave interaction processes and employment protections. Counsel supervisors, employees and legal representatives regarding employer/employee rights during and following protected leaves. Coordinate with appropriate outside organizations and Payroll Office in handling benefit, leave and pay issues related to leave issues.
HR Customer Service
Provide coaching and general training to all EOU employees regarding employee employment handbooks, collective bargaining agreements, benefits knowledge, administration, changes to healthcare and retirement plans and changes in federal and state employment and leave laws.
Benefits Education and Events
Organize and publicize the annual Benefits Fair during Open Enrollment. Invite all PEBB vendors, retirement plan representatives and TDI plan representatives. Organize and publicize the annual Flu Shot Clinic to run concurrent with the Benefits Fair. Schedule and publicize when ORP retirement plan vendors come to campus for one-on-one private consultations with employees.
Work with the HR Director to provide guidance and training to hiring managers, supervisors, deans, directors and senior executives with regard to benefits eligibility for new hires, contracts, FTE changes, post-retiree contracts, protected or non-protected leaves and separation from employment. Develop communication tools/templates for meeting with faculty and staff who are planning retirement or facing layoff. Explain pension/retirement plan benefits, health coverage availability and applicable insurance continuation.
Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act
Oversee and coordinate compliance. Monitor all non-benefited employee hours to determine PPACA eligibility in the look-back period. Work as the University point of contact to ensure compliance and timely offerings to qualified employees.
Class and Compensation
Incumbent is the representative for OPU/USSE Class and Compensation Committee, which involves rewriting existing class specifications, developing new class specifications, and ensuring that EOU and other OPUs are consistent in their interpretation of SEIU class specifications. Responsible to employee, management, or union requests for reclassification; perform position analysis of classified and unclassified positions to determine appropriate classification and salary grade assignments.
Essential decision-making responsibilities:
Ensure adherence to all federal and state employment regulations, PEBB regulations, protected leaves of absence compliance, State of Oregon public employee retirement programs, COBRA administration, and assist in the recruitment and retention of employees. Manage the PERS EDX program for eligible employees. Oversee eligibility for 403(b), 401(a), and 457 retirement program participation. Constantly look to improve reports to proactively determine 401(a) plan eligibility for part-time employees who do not have consistent schedules or employment. Oversee and approve the premium payments to third party administrator. Manage claims, work with independent insurance carrier. Administer the Workers Compensation and Employer At Injury programs.
Minimum Qualifications
The Assistant Director of HR/Employee Benefits Manager incumbent conducts all activities in compliance with Eastern Oregon University policies, procedures, employee handbooks, and collective bargaining agreements; federal and state laws and regulations including but not limited to EEOC, FLSA, ADA, FMLA, PPACA, Oregon Family Leave Act, Oregon Sick Leave Law, Oregon PMFL, and the laws and regulations of other states and municipalities as applicable.
Employee Relations
Provide counsel and advice in employee relations related requests and cases as assigned. Serves as assistant director of HR on assigned complaint and disciplinary cases and responsibilities and in the absence of or as assigned by the director of HR.
Labor Relations
Assist and advise supervisors, deans, directors, managers, VP’s and other unit heads on various contract language and a wide range of inquiries and issues. Review documents as needed to ensure compliance to union contracts. Provide labor relations strategic and administrative support serving as alternate management bargaining representative with OPU-SEIU and EOU-AAP negotiations as assigned.
Employee Benefits Administration
Responsible for the hands-on administration of the full scope of employee benefits including healthcare, retirement benefits, optional insurance plans and worker’s compensation. Handle day-to-day confidential inquiries involving benefits policy interpretation, intervention and/or explanation of employee benefits issues. Manage the development of reports to audit for data integrity. Manage the annual PEBB benefits Open Enrollment process and related employee communications while working closely with other administrative staff.
Monthly Benefit Reporting and Payment
Responsible for completing monthly reports and invoices and verifying payments to PEBB, PERS, and external carriers and vendors involving multiple reports and processes scheduled throughout each month. Investigate and resolve issues with the reports, payments, or calculated figures, complete all necessary steps to correct the errors and track payments as needed.
Retirement Plan Administration
Oversee retirement plan administration and directly provide education and information to new and current employees about making their retirement plan choices, including confidential consultations. Manage the PERS EDX program for eligible employees. Work closely with PERS and Oregon Public Universities Retirement Office to develop presentations and publications to communicate retirement plan choices.
Workers Compensation Claim Administration
Oversee University workers’ compensation claim administration and management. Ensure that incident investigation reports are properly completed online and forwarded to Safety and Security. Provide competent work injury leave management in compliance with Oregon laws.
Leaves of Absence Management
The incumbent is the designated administrator for all types of employee leaves of absence including ensuring regulatory compliance with all applicable leaves of absence federal and states laws, collective bargaining agreements, employee handbooks, and EOU policies. Incumbent serves as the central leaves administration and management “point person” for all matters relating to employee leaves of absence involving compliance with Family Medical Leave Act, Oregon Family Leave Act, Oregon Paid Medical Family Leave (aka Paid Leave Oregon), Oregon Sick Leave Law, Oregon Family Leave Act, workers’ compensation, LWOP, paid and unpaid time off leaves and discretionary/personal leaves. This includes full coordination of claims with internal management and external entities. Ensure compliance and integrity of ADA leave interaction processes and employment protections. Counsel supervisors, employees and legal representatives regarding employer/employee rights during and following protected leaves. Coordinate with appropriate outside organizations and Payroll Office in handling benefit, leave and pay issues related to leave issues.
HR Customer Service
Provide coaching and general training to all EOU employees regarding employee employment handbooks, collective bargaining agreements, benefits knowledge, administration, changes to healthcare and retirement plans and changes in federal and state employment and leave laws.
Benefits Education and Events
Organize and publicize the annual Benefits Fair during Open Enrollment. Invite all PEBB vendors, retirement plan representatives and TDI plan representatives. Organize and publicize the annual Flu Shot Clinic to run concurrent with the Benefits Fair. Schedule and publicize when ORP retirement plan vendors come to campus for one-on-one private consultations with employees.
Work with the HR Director to provide guidance and training to hiring managers, supervisors, deans, directors and senior executives with regard to benefits eligibility for new hires, contracts, FTE changes, post-retiree contracts, protected or non-protected leaves and separation from employment. Develop communication tools/templates for meeting with faculty and staff who are planning retirement or facing layoff. Explain pension/retirement plan benefits, health coverage availability and applicable insurance continuation.
Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act
Oversee and coordinate compliance. Monitor all non-benefited employee hours to determine PPACA eligibility in the look-back period. Work as the University point of contact to ensure compliance and timely offerings to qualified employees.
Class and Compensation
Incumbent is the representative for OPU/USSE Class and Compensation Committee, which involves rewriting existing class specifications, developing new class specifications, and ensuring that EOU and other OPUs are consistent in their interpretation of SEIU class specifications. Responsible to employee, management, or union requests for reclassification; perform position analysis of classified and unclassified positions to determine appropriate classification and salary grade assignments.
Essential decision-making responsibilities:
Ensure adherence to all federal and state employment regulations, PEBB regulations, protected leaves of absence compliance, State of Oregon public employee retirement programs, COBRA administration, and assist in the recruitment and retention of employees. Manage the PERS EDX program for eligible employees. Oversee eligibility for 403(b), 401(a), and 457 retirement program participation. Constantly look to improve reports to proactively determine 401(a) plan eligibility for part-time employees who do not have consistent schedules or employment. Oversee and approve the premium payments to third party administrator. Manage claims, work with independent insurance carrier. Administer the Workers Compensation and Employer At Injury programs.
Bachelor’s degree in human resources management, industrial relations, business, public administration or similar discipline.
Five or more years of professsional experience and demonstrated competence in human resources programs and policy administration, Oregon public employee benefit administration, employee relations, and employment regulatory compliance and administration in a rural public institution of higher education with >250 employees including:
Five or more years of professsional experience and demonstrated competence in human resources programs and policy administration, Oregon public employee benefit administration, employee relations, and employment regulatory compliance and administration in a rural public institution of higher education with >250 employees including:
- Have excellent professional collaboration skills and team mindset and working style.
- Communication and culturally competent interaction skills.
- Have a high value for innovation, streamlined processes, on-time completion and efficiency.
- Demonstrate a proactive and solution-oriented mindset in serving the needs of employees and students.
- Ability to demonstrate self-management and take initiative in most any modern human resources program, compliance or development arena.
- Have superior diplomatic interaction and verbal communication skills in English with specific experience and competence drafting written correspondence, procedures and policy documents.
- Demonstrate accuracy and attention to detail, maintaining accurate records and documentation.
- Conducting, documenting and resolving employment related complaints and investigations.
- Labor relations, including assisting in union negotiations support, administering labor contracts, and grievance resolution support.
- Knowledge of best practices for compliance with the full array of federal and Oregon employment related regulations.
- Possess intuitive, strategic, and organized project management skills.
- Have a results-driven, task-oriented work style that is sensitive to the tangible and intangible needs of employees.
- Utilize excellent time management skills, meeting deadlines, and handling multiple tasks in a fast-paced environment.
- Demonstrate strong interpersonal, discretion, and judgment skills.
- Proficiency with PC and network data base and reporting technology and electronic devices.
- Competence using MSOffice and HRIS software technology.
- Demonstrate sense of warmth, welcome, and professionalism and excellent customer service.
- Must satisfactorily complete EOU criminal and credential background check. Having a criminal history is not an automatic bar to employment.
- In compliance with federal law, all persons hired will be required to verify identity and eligibility to work in the United States and to complete the required employment eligibility verification form upon hire. Eastern Oregon University does not sponsor applicants for employment visas.
- Multiple years of human resources experience at an Oregon Public University covering as many of the essential duties (listed above) as possible.
- Experience and expertise in State of Oregon public employee benefits systems, adminstration and management.
- Banner payroll and HRIS systems including FAST reports.
- PeopleAdmin recruiting software.
- Understanding of and appreciation for eastern Oregon culture and of a rural public university in the Pacific Northwest region of the USA.
Applicant must provide:
1) Letter of application (which should include why this position is attractive to the applicant, how it meets the applicant’s professional goals, and what attracts the applicant to EOU);
2) Resume/Curriculum vitae;
3) Submit names, emails, and phone numbers for at least three references in the reference section of the application.
1) Letter of application (which should include why this position is attractive to the applicant, how it meets the applicant’s professional goals, and what attracts the applicant to EOU);
2) Resume/Curriculum vitae;
3) Submit names, emails, and phone numbers for at least three references in the reference section of the application.
Candidates are encouraged to review the values and principles of Eastern Oregon University.
Only complete files of qualified applicants will be reviewed.
EOU is a beautiful, quaint campus nestled in a remarkably scenic, high elevation valley populated by wonderful, community-minded citizens that have balanced work-life flexibility. Take a virtual tour of Eastern Oregon University.
EOU offers a very attractive package of State of Oregon public employee benefits including:
EOU is a beautiful, quaint campus nestled in a remarkably scenic, high elevation valley populated by wonderful, community-minded citizens that have balanced work-life flexibility. Take a virtual tour of Eastern Oregon University.
EOU offers a very attractive package of State of Oregon public employee benefits including:
- Paid holidays (10 days/year), and paid sick time-off (12 days/year), paid vacation (22 days/year)
- Individual and Family Healthcare Insurance (95% employer-paid medical, dental, vision)
- Generous Oregon Public Employee Retirement System benefits
- Employer-paid life insurance
- Discounted tuition benefits for employees and eligible dependents
- Reloction assistance.
- For more details, see Prospective Employees https://www.eou.edu/hr/prospective-employees/.
Eastern Oregon University is an EEO Employer and welcomes applications from women, members of historically underrepresented minority groups, US Veterans, and persons with disabilities. EOU is committed to providing equal opportunity in its recruitment, admissions, educational programs, activities and employment without illegal discrimination on the basis of age, color, disability, national origin, race, marital status, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression or any status as protected by state or federal law.
Salary $65,000 to $71,000 per annum DOESalary : $65,000 - $71,000
