Employee Benefits and Wellness Manager (Vacancy)

Employee Benefits and Wellness Manager (Vacancy)

Salary

$48.25 - $72.41 Hourly

Location

Varies by position

Job Type

Full-time

Job Number

26-0276-V1

Department

46 Department of Human Resources

Division

Human Resources

Opening Date

10/16/2026

Closing Date

10/30/2026 11:59 PM Eastern

• Description
• Benefits
• Questions

Definition

The Employee Benefits and Wellness Manager serves as a strategic leader and subject matter expert responsible for the design, execution, compliance, and financial sustainability of the City's comprehensive health, welfare, and wellness programs. This role blends long-term strategic vision with high-volume operational excellence, leveraging data analytics to optimize plan performance, control costs, and maintain competitive offerings that meet the diverse needs of the City's workforce.

The Manager will oversee critical vendor partnerships, drive the end-to-end Request for Proposal (RFP) process, and act as a key contributor during labor relations negotiations. As a trusted advocate for our employee population, the Employee Benefits and Wellness Manager will lead, coach, and mentor a dedicated team of benefits professionals, fostering a culture of accountability and service excellence while ensuring regulatory compliance as the designated HIPAA Privacy Officer and Plan Administrator.

Strategic Leadership & Financial Planning

• Develops and executes a long-term robust benefits strategy that leverages data to inform recommendations, implements enhancements, and ensures programs remain competitive and aligned with the City's needs.
• Designs and implements strategies to minimize plan cost increases over time while ensuring high-quality coverage for employees and dependents.
• Serves as the internal subject matter expert (SME) on benefits strategy, plan administration, and cost implications in support of collective bargaining, labor relations, and management decision-making.

Compliance, Risk & Policy Management

• Oversees budget management, ACA and state reporting requirements, nondiscrimination testing, regulatory compliance, dependent verification and auditing to mitigate plan risk.
• Serves as the designated HIPAA Privacy Officer and primary authority on benefits-related public records requests.

Vendor & Contract Management

• Drives the end-to-end Request for Proposal (RFP) process for health and welfare benefits, from initial scoping through final vendor selection.
• Oversees critical partnerships with third-party advisors, consultants, and benefit providers.
• Leads contract negotiations with third-party administrators (TPAs) and vendors to maximize value and compliance.

Operations, Data & Analytics

• Establishes and monitors key performance indicators (KPIs) for plan performance, vendor service levels, employee engagement, affordability, and operational accuracy.
• Monitors market trends, claims data and benchmarking to inform future planning strategies.
• Identifies and resolves complex administrative issues related to benefits plans, legacy errors, and system configuration challenges.
• Develops and maintains standard operating procedures (SOPs), data validation routines, and audit trails to proactively identify and resolve process inefficiencies.
• Manages high-volume operational processes, including open enrollment and life events.

Communications & Customer Service

• Oversees the employee benefits service model to ensure timely issue resolution, high-quality customer service, and user-friendly processes.
• Develops and executes a year-round benefits communication and engagement strategy, including open enrollment and education campaigns, decision-support resources, and targeted outreach to diverse employee populations.

Team Leadership

• Develops, coaches, and mentors a team of benefits professionals, fostering a culture of service excellence, accountability, and continuous improvement.

Preferred Qualifications

• 7 to 10+ years of progressive experience in benefits administration, with at least 3 to 5 years in a leadership or management role.
• Experience in self-funded medical plans, pharmacy, and plan financing.
• Knowledge of public-sector benefits environment.
• Experience supporting unionized workforces / collective bargaining.
• Strong working knowledge of ACA, HIPAA, COBRA, FMLA, Section 125, Medicare coordination, nondiscrimination testing, and relevant state requirements.
• Experience with RFPs, procurement, and vendor management.
• Experience with benefits administration systems and payroll integration.
• Ability to translate technical benefits issues for executives, employees, and labor stakeholders.

Core Competencies

• Strategic Plan Design
• Financial Acumen
• Vendor Management and Negotiation
• Compliance and Risk Management
• People Development
• Cross-Functional Collaboration
• Data-Driven Decision Making
• Communication and Change Management

Minimum Qualifications

Possession of a bachelors degree and five (5) years of experience in the administration of employee benefits, liability insurance, public finance, or employee safety and health programs. Substitution(s): A masters degree in business administration, public administration, finance, public finance, economics, or a related field may be substituted for one (1) year of the required experience as specified.

Possession of a valid driver's license.

Test/Job Contact Information

Recruitment #: 26-0276-V1

Employment Type: Full-Time (Regular)

Should you have questions regarding this vacancy, please contact:

Tammy Bethea

Department of Human Resources

77 North Front Street

Columbus, Ohio 43215

P: (614) 645-0792

E: tmbethea@columbus.gov

The City of Columbus is an Equal Opportunity Employer

The City of Columbus seeks to promote compensation strategies that maximize the recruitment, performance, development, and retention of quality employees in support of the Citys Covenant and strategic plan. In addition to a competitive pay plan, the City offers a comprehensive benefits program that includes the following:

• Medical
• Dental
• Vision
• Short-term Disability
• Life Insurance
• Wellness Program
• Tuition Reimbursement

Specifics about these benefit opportunities and eligibility can be discussed with one of the Citys human resources professionals at the time of your interview or by contacting the Department of Human Resources, Labor Relations Office at (614)645-7206 for further information.

01

Do you have 7 to 10+ years of professional experience in benefits administration with 3 to 5 years in leadership a management role?

• Yes
• No

02

Do you have experience in self-funded medical plans, pharmacy, and plan financing?

• Yes
• No

03

Do you have knowledge of a public-sector benefits environment?

• Yes
• No

04

Do you have experience supporting unionized workforces?

• Yes
• No

05

Do you have a strong, working knowledge of ACA, HIPAA, COBRA, FMLA Section 125, Medicare coordination, and nondiscrimination testing?

• Yes
• No

06

Do you have experience with Request for Proposals (RFPs), procurement, and vendor management?

• Yes
• No

07

Do you have experience with benefits administration systems and payroll integration?

• Yes
• No

08

Have you included all of your relevant work experience (previous and current)? Resumes will not be accepted as a substitute for completing the application.

• Yes
• No

09

Have you reviewed the Minimum Qualifications for the job that you are applying to ensure that you meet specified requirements?

• Yes
• No

10

Have you attached the documents that provide proof of your license, education (post high school), and/or professional or state certification as you have referenced in your applicant profile? Such documents may include a photocopy or scan of your drivers license, bachelors/masters degree or transcript of completed coursework.

• Yes
• No

Required Question

Employer City of Columbus

Address 77 N. Front Street, Suite 330

Columbus, Ohio, 43215

Phone (614) 645-8301

Website https://www.columbus.gov/Government/Jobs