People and Culture Benefits Manager

DescriptionSUMMARY

The People & Culture Benefits Manager is responsible for the comprehensive administration of employee benefits, leave programs, faculty contracts, and key operational compliance functions for Jackson College. The role ensures accurate and timely processing of benefits and leave transactions, maintains data integrity across HR and payroll systems, and serves as a primary subject matter expert for employees and leaders regarding benefits, and contractual obligations. It administers faculty contracts and workload in accordance with labor agreements, oversees Workers’ Compensation, unemployment claims, and FOIA requests, and ensures compliance with federal, state, contractual, and institutional requirements. Through close collaboration with Payroll, academic leadership, and senior People and Culture staff, this position supports organizational effectiveness, financial accuracy, and adherence to the College’s mission, values, and regulatory responsibilities.

Essential FunctionsESSENTIIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Benefits Operations

Manage the daily processing of benefits transactions, including new hire enrollments, status changes, and terminations

First line of contact for employee questions regarding retirement programs

Ensure data integrity by regularly auditing benefits information within Colleague or the benefits portal

Maintain meticulous records of employee insurance files and beneficiaries, ensuring strict adherence to privacy and confidentiality.

Act as first-line support and subject matter expert by answering employee questions regarding plan options, eligibility, and coverage details.

Participate in New Employee Orientations to explain the value of Jackson College’s total compensation program including benefits.

Reconcile monthly invoices from vendors, identifying and resolving billing discrepancies.

Leave Processing and Maintenance

Process annual leave accruals and rollover in conjunction with the labor contracts and Administrative Manual

Process, administer, and track employee FMLA, Short-Term Disability, and Long-Term Disability leaves according to labor contracts, Jackson College policy, and Federal/State laws

Collaborate with Payroll to ensure correct leave-pay calculations and with benefits to manage premium payments/arrears while an employee is on unpaid status.

Compliance oversight – stay current on changing federal and state leave laws to ensure organizational policies, contract and handbooks remain compliant.

Compensation Administration

Supports the Director of People & Culture in administration of base pay, merit pay, and overload pay according to labor agreements.

Accurately administer annual performance pay according to labor agreements and administrative manual requirements under the direction of the Director of People & Culture

Confidentially maintain records for pay changes outside of annual performance pay process.

Audit Colleague to ensure compensation changes are accurately captured and reflected in the payroll system to prevent over/under payments.

Coordinate with the Director of People and Culture to participate in annual salary surveys and perform market analysis to recommend needed market adjustments, pay scale adjustments and new hire offers.

Faculty

Administer the issuance of annual faculty contracts and teaching assignments in alignment with institutional policies, academic schedules, and labor agreements.

Maintain accurate tracking of annual faculty appointments to ensure compliance for transition to continuing contract status.

Coordinate and process faculty overload assignments in accordance with applicable labor agreements and institutional approval requirements.

Monitor faculty instructional loads and overload activity to ensure compliance with contractual limits and workload provisions.

Maintain documentation and reporting related to faculty appointments, workload, and contract status to support audits, planning, and decision-making.

Additional Operational Administration

Administer the Workers’ Compensation program, including coordination of claims, communication with employees, supervisors, medical providers, and insurance carriers, and ensuring timely reporting and documentation in compliance with regulatory requirements.

Manage unemployment insurance claims by reviewing separation information, preparing responses, coordinating hearings when necessary, and ensuring compliance with state and federal unemployment regulations.

Coordinate the intake, tracking, and fulfillment of Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests, ensuring timely responses, accurate record retrieval, and adherence to legal and institutional disclosure requirements.

Maintain accurate records, case documentation, and reporting related to Workers’ Compensation, unemployment claims, and FOIA activity to support audits, compliance reviews, and operational transparency.

Responsible for understanding, supporting and actively demonstrating the College’s beliefs, values, mission and vision and being in agreement to be evaluated by same.

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES:

This position does not have direct reports; however, it provides indirect functional oversight and guidance to department leaders and staff regarding People & Culture policies, benefit administration and compensation practices.

CONTACTS AND PURPOSE OF CONTACTS:

Internal: Frequent contact with staff at levels in various campus departments in an information gathering, collaboration, and problem-solving capacity.

External:Contact with students, community leaders, and members of professional organizations as a representative of Jackson College.

Minimum QualificationsQUALIFICATIONS:

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 for the position. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Education and/or Experience

Required:

Bachelor s degree in an area related to Labor Relations, Human Resources Management, or Education Administration

Minimum of five (5) years of Human Resource generalist background

This individual will be required to obtain SHRM Certification.

Preferred:

Master’s degree in an area related to Human Resources Management or Education Administration.

Experience in higher education

Knowledge Skills and Abilities

Required:

Knowledge of AI and demonstrated willingness to grow professionally as AI tools develop.

Working knowledge of Federal and State benefit related laws (i.e. HIPAA, FMLA, FSA, HSA, COBRA and Worker’s Compensation).

Experience with maintaining employee records

Ability to maintain strict confidentiality and accuracy when handling sensitive information, records, and reports

Contract compliance, records management tracking, and reporting experience

Excellent interpersonal skills and strong organizational skills.

Ability to manage several projects at once

Proficient in Microsoft Office, Outlook, Excel, PowerPoint, and Database management

Demonstrated success in a customer service environment

Work as a team in an open office setting.

Ability to adapt to changes in work environment, manage competing demands and deal with frequent changes, interruptions, or unexpected events

Excellent interpersonal, writing, and communication skills.

Strong organizational skills.

Language Skills

Ability to read, analyze, and interpret common scientific and technical journals, financial reports, and legal documents. Must have the ability to respond to common inquiries or complaints from employees, regulatory agencies, or members of the community. The position requires the ability to effectively present information to top management, public groups, and/or boards of directors.

Mathematical Skills

Must have the ability to work with mathematical concepts such as probability and statistical inference and the ability to apply concepts such as fractions, percentages, ratios, and proportions to practical situations.

Reasoning Ability

Ability to define problems, collect data, establish facts, and draw valid conclusions. The position requires the ability to interpret an extensive variety of technical instructions in mathematical or diagram form and deal with several abstract and concrete variables.

Physical Demands

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of the job. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit, stand, walk, and use hands to finger, handle or feel. The employee frequently is required to talk or hear. The employee is occasionally required to reach with hands and arms.

WORK ENVIRONMENT:

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.

“This description is intended to indicate the kinds of tasks and levels of work difficulty that will be required and shall not be construed as declaring the specific duties and responsibilities. It is not intended to limit or in any way modify the right of any supervisor to assign, direct, and control the work of employees under his or her supervision. The use of a particular expression or illustration describing duties shall not be held to exclude other duties not mentioned that are of similar kind or levSupplemental Information

Jackson College only accepts on-line applications though this system. For assistance with this, please call 517-796-8468.

Please use your legal first and last names on your application. If you are hired, you will have the opportunity to identify and utilize your preferred name.

The Jackson College Nepotism policy prohibits hiring of a relative or someone with a familial relationship to work in the same instructional department, office or administrative unit of the College including spouse, child, stepchild, parent, stepparent or sibling of the employee or spouse, aunt, uncle, niece/nephew, grandparent, grandchild, and members of the same household including domestic partner.

It is important that your application show all the relevant education and experience you possess (even if you are repeating it from your resume or cover letter). For instance, do not say, "See Resume or C/V." Your resume, cover letter, and if a degree is required an unofficial transcript must be attached to your application. Applications will be rejected if incomplete.

When you apply for the position, you will get to the document upload area where you will be given an opportunity to attach your documents such as your vita, transcripts, etc.. Instructions will also be found there.

The College reserves the right to request proof of degree or certification at a later date if these documents are required as part of the qualifications for the position. Final candidates will be subject to a criminal background as part of the employment process.

If selected you will be required to complete the US Citizenship and Immigration Services, Employment Eligibility Verification form I-9 and provide documentation verifying identity and eligibility to work in the United States. Jackson College is NOT able to support Visa applications for employment at the college. Applicants must already be eligible to work in the United States to be considered.

Applicants with disabilities may request accommodation to complete the application and interview process. Please notify Human Resources at least three (3) working days prior to the date of need. A copy of Jackson College's is available on the JC Campus Safety & Security website. The security report contains crime statistics for the previous three years for all of our campus locations and the annual fire safety report, which contains statistics for any reported fires in campus housing units and fire safety systems in these buildings. Additionally, the report contains policies, available resources and information concerning personal safety, fire safety and reporting procedures for both crimes and fires.

Applicants have rights under Federal employment . Jackson College is an Equal Opportunity Employer that actively supports workforce diversity.