Hickok & Boardman

Account Manager, Employee Benefits

A Vermont Best Places to Work winner for five consecutive years, Hickok & Boardman is an industry leader with locations in Vermont and upstate New York. Our growing organization offers an inclusive and progressive work environment, with a culture of support, transparency, and collaboration. We are dedicated to employee growth and development and driven by our long-standing values of doing the right thing, with a sense of urgency, while exceeding expectations. Hickok & Boardman differentiates itself by providing superior support and value-added services to our clients.

Locally managed, Hickok & Boardman HR Intelligence is an Agency Partner of Acrisure, LLC, a top six insurance brokerage firm nationally. This partnership supports the work Hickok & Boardman does, and better serves our current clients by leveraging expert resources and collaborating on effective solutions.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

• Manages and partners on overall service and benefit administration of established client accounts in a proactive and positive manner.
• Responsible for onboarding oversight of new client in coordination with Client Manager Coordinator, including but not limited to creating CRM Account and Policy Profile, obtaining current policy, contract and rate information from carriers and vendors. Accountable to completion of new client checklist and notification to other Practice Areas in the event the scope of client work is impacted immediately by the Practice Area(s).
• Responds to requests for information for client and carrier issues, such as billing, claims submission, claim processing, interpretation of contracts, etc. Makes carrier request and client delivery of claim and premium experience data on a frequency as so denoted by client or proactively provides the client with such information.
• Coordinates and manages communications between clients, carriers, vendors and HBHRIQ team members regarding established accounts.
• Initiates, coordinates, and provides assistance and requested analysis to the Senior HR and Benefits Consultant or HR and Benefits Consultant with Requests for Proposals (RFPs) for carriers and vendors in conjunction with the client, to obtain and summarize sufficient information to meet client’s needs and allow client to make an informed decision.
• Assist with compiling data or other account information for review and presentation to client by Senior HR and Benefits Consultant or HR and Benefits Consultant on a regular basis, depending on the specific client need and size of account.
• Coordinates and manages plan renewal, plan or carrier changes and leads new carrier implementation in conjunction with other HBHRIQ team members as is necessary.
• Responsible for maintaining account/client/renewal/plan and policy information within the CRM Agency Management System, included but not limited to Client Profile, Plan Information, Service Projects, Key Account Contacts, Rate Information, Commission Details, Customized Fields, etc.
• Provides assistance with data gathering coordination and management of the annual Form 5500 Filing Process in partnership with 5500 Tax Group for those clients with this valued-added service provided by HBHRIQ.
• Responsible for assisting with developing and presenting carrier or vendor information to client, including but not limited to open enrollment presentations to employees.
• Maintains current and relevant knowledge of HBHRIQ benefit services and solutions offered through the HBHRIQ Practice Area(s).
• Develops baseline financial knowledge in underwriting, analysis, projections, etc. as to be an additional team resource to client.
• Maintains comprehensive benefit related compliance and regulatory knowledge to assist and advise clients.
• Prepares and delivers employee group presentations, including but not limited to benefit descriptions, covered healthcare services, carrier product provisions, industry tools, financial modeling, personal savings account mechanics, web tools, benefit administration systems, etc.
• Contributor to content for Compliance Newsletter
• Attends planned HBHRIQ Team and Practice Area meetings to communicate progress reports on assigned activities and keep team members informed of ongoing work. Regular attendance to scheduled Client Manager Practice Area and Internal Working Group meetings.
• Develops and maintains positive relationships with carriers and vendors in a way to stay informed and knowledgeable of their programs, products, and protocols.
• Maintains industry knowledge to continue to be valuable to clients by subscribing to and reading industry publications in addition to the required licensing continuing education.
• Performs special projects on behalf of the firm or clients to meet HBHRIQ’s business or organizational needs. For example, Vermont Employee Benefits Survey Annual Project, Client Benchmarking, etc. Active Participant to internal self-managed, working teams, e.g. Internal Working Group. Attends or participates as a committee member on internal practice area projects as assigned.
• Along with other HBHRIQ Team Members supports the coordination of firm or client activities as necessary to accomplish organizational goals and objectives.
• Familiar with and knowledgeable of technology solutions and applications to meet client or organization needs.
• Active participant to internal self-managed, working teams, e.g., Client Manager Practice Area, Internal Working Group. Attends or participates as a committee member on internal practice area projects as assigned.
• Responsible for compiling client Stewardship Report and Executive Summary.
• Maintains strict confidentiality of all client and corporate data at all times.
• Embraces and actively practices HBHRIQ’s Vision, Mission, and Values
• Contributes to HBHRIQ Team effectiveness by bringing a positive approach to collaboration, responding dynamically to new challenges and conditions, and recognizing interdependencies.
• Other duties, responsibilities and activities may change or be assigned at any time with or without notice

This description is not meant to be all-inclusive and may be modified from time to time at the discretion of management.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, EXPERIENCE: (Minimum education, experience, technical and communication skill levels and licenses/certificates normally required to perform the duties of this position.)

• Minimum of two years’ work experience in a customer service setting.
• Minimum of one to two years’ work experience in the employee benefits, insurance, or human resources industry.
• Within six months active in the position, possession of Group Life, Health and Accident Insurance Licenses from the State of Vermont or ability to secure non-resident VT Group Life, Health and Accident License.
• Ongoing and adequate knowledge of employee benefits regulatory and compliance environment.
• Proficiency in the use of MS Office Suite.
• Strong interpersonal skills, as well as written and oral communication skills are required.
• Ability to handle multiple tasks and projects concurrently with little supervision.
• Demonstrated ability to be organized, detail oriented and accurate is essential.

WORKING CONDITIONS: (Typical working conditions associated with this type of work and environmental hazards, if any, that may be encountered in performing the duties of this position.)

Internal- This job operates in a professional office environment. This role routinely uses standard office equipment such as computers, phones, photocopiers, filing cabinets and fax machines.

External- Limited travel in Vermont may be required and travel area is subject to change.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS: (The physical effort generally associated with this position.)

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to talk and hear. This position requires the ability to occasionally lift office products and supplies, up to twenty pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception and ability to adjust focus.  Work normally requires finger dexterity and eye-hand coordination to operate computer keyboards at a moderate skill level.

POSITION TYPE/EXPECTED HOURS OF WORK:

This is a full-time position, and hours of work and days are Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. A flexible working arrangement may be possible if the arrangement meets the needs of the employer and employee.

SUPERVISED BY:

Supervision and Mentoring is coordinated and received from Director of Client Manager Practice Area and Senior HR and Benefits Consultant or HR and Benefits Consultant.

We offer a competitive salary and a comprehensive benefits package which includes Medical, Prescription, Dental, Paid Time Off, 401k plan, Life and Disability Insurance, and Flexible Spending Accounts.

Hickok & Boardman HR Intelligence is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will be considered for employment without regard to their race, religion, ancestry, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, age, disability, marital status, domestic partner status, or medical condition.

Please reach out to Kate Emert for more information. She can be reached at 802.383.1652 or emailed at  [email protected]