Benefits Specialist

Benefits Specialist

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Please see Special Instructions for more details.

Dartmouth College has a Tobacco-Free Policy. Smoking and the use of tobacco-based products (including smokeless tobacco) are prohibited in all facilities, grounds, vehicles or other areas owned, operated or occupied by Dartmouth College with no exceptions. For details, please see our policy. https://policies.dartmouth.edu/policy/tobacco-free-policy

Position Details

Position Information

Posting date	09/15/2026
Closing date
Open Until Filled	Yes
Position Number	1126934
Position Title	Benefits Specialist
Hiring Range Minimum	$59,300
Hiring Range Maximum	$74,200
Union Type	Not a Union Position
SEIU Level	Not an SEIU Position
FLSA Status	Exempt
Employment Category	Regular Full Time
Scheduled Months per Year	12
Scheduled Hours per Week	40
Schedule	Hybrid schedule with the opportunity to be remote for the right candidate
Location of Position	Hanover, NH 03755 7 Lebanon Street Suite 203
Remote Work Eligibility?	Hybrid
Is this a term position?	No
If yes, length of term in months.
Is this a grant funded position?	No
Position Purpose	Dartmouth’s Total Rewards team is hiring a Benefits Specialist to work across our Health & Welfare programs. The role owns leave-of-absence administration, shares responsibility for Open Enrollment execution, and advises employees and managers on medical, dental, vision, and retiree benefits. It suits someone who wants real depth in more than one area of benefits administration and is comfortable being a resource that employees and colleagues rely on. We’re a small team, and cross-coverage is part of how we work. You’ll interpret plan documents, policies, and federal and state regulations to make eligibility and coverage determinations, resolve non-routine cases, and become someone employees can count on for a clear, accurate answer.
Description
Required Qualifications - Education and Yrs Exp	Bachelors or equivalent combination of education and experience
Required Qualifications - Skills, Knowledge and Abilities	2–4 years of benefits or HR service-delivery experience; experience spanning more than one program area (leave administration, health & welfare, retiree benefits, or wellness) is a strong plus Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with strong customer-service instincts as a front line point of contact Working knowledge of FMLA, ADA, and related leave regulations Demonstrated ability to interpret plan documents and regulations and make eligibility determinations independently Working knowledge of self-insured and fully insured benefit plan operations Strong organizational skills with close attention to detail Proficiency with HRIS/HRMS systems and Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Access); ability to learn new systems quickly Ability to maintain confidentiality and comply with HIPAA Demonstrated ability to manage multiple, competing priorities across more than one program area
Preferred Qualifications	Direct experience with leave-of-absence case administration Experience supporting open enrollment logistics or benefits communications Working knowledge of retiree health benefits, Medicare, and coordination of benefits Prior experience with bswift or a comparable benefits administration platform Experience in higher education or another complex, multi-constituency benefits environment
Department Contact for Recruitment Inquiries	Kelli Ritter
Department Contact Phone Number	603-646-3773
Department Contact for Cover Letter and Title	Kelli Ritter, Sr Dir Comp, Int Exec Dir Total Rewards
Department Contact's Phone Number	603-646-3773
Equal Opportunity Employer	Dartmouth College is an equal opportunity employer under federal law. We prohibit discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, disability, veteran status, marital status, or any other legally protected status. Applications are welcome from all.
Background Check	Employment in this position is contingent upon consent to and successful completion of a pre-employment background check, which may include a criminal background check, reference checks, verification of work history, conduct review, and verification of any required academic credentials, licenses, and/or certifications, with results acceptable to Dartmouth College. A criminal conviction will not automatically disqualify an applicant from employment. Background check information will be used in a confidential, non-discriminatory manner consistent with state and federal law.
Is driving a vehicle (e.g. Dartmouth vehicle or off road vehicle, rental car, personal car) an essential function of this job?	Not an essential function
Special Instructions to Applicants	Dartmouth College has a Tobacco-Free Policy. Smoking and the use of tobacco-based products (including smokeless tobacco) are prohibited in all facilities, grounds, vehicles or other areas owned, operated or occupied by Dartmouth College with no exceptions. For details, please see our policy. https://policies.dartmouth.edu/policy/tobacco-free-policy
Additional Instructions
Quick Link	https://searchjobs.dartmouth.edu/postings/87213

Key Accountabilities

Description	Leave Administration Manage leave-of-absence cases: determine eligibility under FMLA, state leave law, and STD/LTD plan terms; designate and track leave; coordinate the ADA interactive process with HR Business Partners; advise managers on their obligations; and resolve non- standard cases.
Percentage Of Time	25

Description	Open Enrollment Execution Plan and manage Open Enrollment execution with the Health & Welfare lead: develop the testing approach, resolve enrollment exceptions, decide what escalates, and recommend changes to materials and communications based on employee questions and errors.
Percentage Of Time	25

Description

Benefits Advising & Issue Resolution Interpret plan provisions and Dartmouth policy to resolve complex and escalated medical, dental, vision, and retiree benefit questions. Determine handling of exceptions and appeals. Serve as a point of contact with carriers and administrators to resolve claims and eligibility issues on employees’ behalf. Identify recurring issues and recommend process, system, or communication changes.

Percentage Of Time

30

Description	Compliance & Process Ownership Maintain current knowledge of federal and state regulations and Dartmouth policy affecting benefits administration, and recommend policy and procedure updates as regulations change. Represent Total Rewards on cross-functional projects. Partner with Benefits colleagues, HR, vendors, and campus departments to keep processes consistent and well-documented.
Percentage Of Time	20

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--	Demonstrates professionalism and collegiality through actions, interactions, and communications with others appropriate to an environment that is welcoming to all.
--	Performs other duties as assigned.

Supplemental Questions

Required fields are indicated with an asterisk (*).

1. * How did you learn about this employment opportunity?
   • Current Dartmouth employee (Please specify full name below)
   • Word of mouth
   • Mentioned on social, digital, or print media (e.g. LinkedIn feed, VOX, Valley News, listserv)
   • [email protected] email outreach (includes Job Alert notifications, marketing emails from Talent Acquisition)
   • Recruiter (Please specify full name or event below)
   • abilityJOBS
   • Chronicle of Higher Education
   • Glassdoor
   • Handshake
   • HigherEdJobs
   • HigherEdMilitary
   • Indeed
   • Inside Higher Ed
   • LinkedIn’s Job Board
   • RecruitMilitary
   • Dartmouth’s Job Board (searchjobs.dartmouth.edu)
   • Other (Please specify below)
2. If you would like to add more information to your answer, please specify here:

   (Open Ended Question)

Documents Needed to Apply

Required Documents

1. Resume
2. Cover Letter

Optional Documents