At Houston Methodist, the Director of Benefits Administration  is responsible for the strategic and operational design, implementation, administration, governance, compliance, day-to-day plan management and ongoing evaluation of the organization's benefits programs, including medical, dental, vision, life insurance, disability, Worker's Compensation and retirement plans for the system. This position works with executive management to ensure that the total rewards strategy regarding benefits and programs support the organization's business objectives and meet all legal requirements. The Director Benefits Administration position develops benefits budget for assigned areas and manages budget after it is approved and has experience in leading large-scale projects with heavy change management requirements.  This role develops strategy and oversees all benefits related communications including inclusion in weekly newsletters, HR website, print communications, etc.  The Director Benefits Administration also oversees the execution of all physician payments and pay changes and terminations to ensure contract compliance.  This role assists to position the organization to meet increased expectations for performance and growth which reflect the mission and values of Houston Methodist by ensuring the benefits plans enhance the ability to attract, motivate, and retain top talent needed to support the maintenance and growth of being an employer of choice.

The Director position responsibilities include overseeing the activities of the department staff, ensuring quality, productivity, functional excellence and efficiency to accomplish strategic and operational objectives.  In addition, this position is accountable for employee engagement, adequate staffing levels, budget development and compliance, staffing decisions such as hiring and terminating employment, coaching and counseling employees on work related performance, and developing and implementing policies and procedures to ensure a safe and effective work environment.  This position also ensures training, monitoring and operations initiatives are implemented which secure compliance with ethical and legal business practices and accreditation/regulatory/government regulations.

PATIENT AGE GROUP(S) AND POPULATION(S) SERVED
Refer to departmental "Scope of Service" and "Provision of Care" plans, as applicable, for description of primary age groups and populations served by this job for the respective HM entity.

HOUSTON METHODIST EXPERIENCE EXPECTATIONS

• Provide personalized care and service by consistently demonstrating our I CARE values:
  • INTEGRITY: We are honest and ethical in all we say and do.
  • COMPASSION: We embrace the whole person including emotional, ethical, physical, and spiritual needs.
  • ACCOUNTABILITY: We hold ourselves accountable for all our actions.
  • RESPECT: We treat every individual as a person of worth, dignity, and value.
  • EXCELLENCE: We strive to be the best at what we do and a model for others to emulate.

• Practices the Caring and Serving Model

• Delivers personalized service using HM Service Standards

• Provides for exceptional patient/customer experiences by following our Standards of Practice of always using Positive Language (AIDET, Managing Up, Key Words)

• Intentionally collaborates with other healthcare professionals involved in patients/customers or employees' experiential journeys to ensure strong communication, ease of access to information, and a seamless experience

• Involves patients (customers) in shift/handoff reports by enabling their participation in their plan of care as applicable to the given job

• Actively supports the organization's vision, fulfills the mission and abides by the I CARE values

PEOPLE ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Directs, develops and implements strategic and operational/high level projects and processes either through independent/highly autonomous work or through the facilitation of work teams and collaboration with leaders and peers to enable the effective and efficient completion of objectives.

• Oversees management of and ensures development for staff to meet overall objectives in terms of quality, service and cost effectiveness. Provides timely guidance and feedback to help others strengthen specific knowledge/skill areas needed to accomplish a task or solve a problem. Directs management responsibilities of selection, scheduling, supervision, retention, and evaluation of employees.

• Meets or exceeds threshold goal for department turnover and/or system metrics on employee engagement indicators.

• Provides leadership and communication to maintain a competent and engaged employee group by conducting regular department meetings to review policies and procedures and operational matters, rounding on all employees, completing performance appraisals, conducting new hire feedback sessions, coaching/corrective counseling, and providing recognition/commendations to achieve desired outcomes.

• Identifies opportunities and takes action to build strategic relationships between one's area and other areas, teams, departments, and units to achieve business goals. Drives the promotion of teamwork within and between departments; participates and/or leads and facilitates department process improvements as needed.

• Consults with entity HR leaders and business leaders on the alignment of reward programs with business strategies and benefits-related issues. Collaborates with various stakeholders and executive leadership to gain consensus regarding long-term benefit strategy. Prepares executive benefits-related materials for Compensation and Benefits Committee and Board of Directors meetings.

• Collaborates and builds external relationships that leverage Houston Methodist's ability to receive the best service to our employees as they access our benefit vendors.

SERVICE ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Oversees department operations, designated projects, schedules and activities as needed to ensure that goals or objectives are accomplished within the prescribed time frame. Sets priorities and functional standards, giving direction to staff as necessary to ensure the best possible delivery of service and high customer/patient satisfaction.

• Drives department service standards and activities to impact department and/or system score for patient/customer-based satisfaction, through role modeling and fostering accountability. Serves and actively participates on various entity committees as a voice for the department.

• Manages the system benefits including health, retirement, wellness, welfare and voluntary plan options and provides regular updates and recommendations to the Board, Sr. Leadership and management, as needed. Ensures the benefit plans enhance the ability to attract, motivate, and retain top talent needed to support the maintenance and growth of being an employer of choice.

• Leads benefit enrollment efforts, to include analysis and reporting on benefit elections and employee participation. Addresses benefits issues to ensure quick, equitable, courteous resolution, to include any needed service recovery.

• Plans, develops, and/or participates in area and industry surveys. Manages benefits survey selection and appropriate use of market data; drives well-managed local benchmarking efforts, including strategy and methodology, survey selection, special studies, market intelligence, etc.

QUALITY/SAFETY ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Ensures a safe and effective working environment; monitors and/or revises the department safety plan and/or any specific accreditation/regulatory required safety guidelines. Responsible for staff maintenance of credentials and competencies, per accrediting/ licensing agency and/or department guidelines as applicable.

• Employs a proactive approach in the optimization of safe outcomes and information systems by monitoring and improving the department workflow and enhancing operations, using peer-to-peer accountability and identifying solutions via collaboration. Implements process improvements utilizing tools such as lean principles. Role models situational awareness, using teachable moments to improve safety.

• Responsible for employee compliance to policies and procedures and performs associated actions upon non-compliance (i.e., licensure/certification compliance, focal point review requirements, disaster plan, in-services, influenza immunization, wage and hour, standard hours, timely termination submission, timely timecard approval, etc.).

• Oversees HR Customer Service related to areas of oversight as it related to Benefits and Communications. Responsible for all aspects of HR employee communications. Works collaboratively with internal communication resources to plan and execute communication strategies. Ensures high quality effective communication are used to ensure HR key messages and initiatives are understood and required actions taken.

• Implements approved new plans or changes to existing plans by drafting written communications and enrollment materials, plan summary documents, and other media for communicating plans to employees. Ensures receipt of documents and process changes with vendors. Advises and guides management and employees on existing benefits.

FINANCE ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Develops and manages department operational and capital budgets, approvals, and ongoing maintenance of the department(s), ensuring operation in a cost-effective manner. Proactively identifies and plans for capital needs related to current equipment and future department projects. Ensures staffing plans and schedules meet department needs that reflect understanding of the importance of cost-effectiveness.

• Creates department strategies to achieve financial target and staffing needs, through optimizing productivity, supply/resource efficiency, minimizing incidental overtime and overtime percentage, and other areas according to department specifications.

• Provides Sr. Leadership with market trend and budget projections to help manage benefit expenses. Leads reward efforts to provide value-add consultative services to business and HR leaders.

• Evaluates, reviews and maintains the overall competitiveness of the organization's benefits programs for the system. Leads strategic negotiations with third party vendors, including directing the development of proposals. Oversees all aspects of contract compliance for employed physicians including overseeing monthly physician payroll, all bonus and other payments.

• Analyzes market survey results and develops specific recommendations for review by management. Identifies opportunities to ensure that employee's total reward/benefit experiences are effective, comprehensive and meet the needs of employees.

GROWTH/INNOVATION ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Identifies and implements innovative solutions for practice or workflow changes to improve department, entity or system operations by leading unit projects and/or other department/ system-directed activities. Proactively leads task forces and committees. May represent HM at assigned community or professional organization meetings.

• Drives change initiatives, maintaining effectiveness when experiencing major changes in work responsibilities or environment; adjusts effectively to work within new work structures, processes, requirements or cultures. Partners effectively with stakeholders as appropriate.

• Ensures own career discussions occur with appropriate management. Completes and updates My Development Plan (MDP) on an on-going basis. Conducts conversations with staff on their development.

This job description is not intended to be all-inclusive; the employee will also perform other reasonably related business/job duties as assigned. Houston Methodist reserves the right to revise job duties and responsibilities as the need arises.

EDUCATION

• Bachelor's degree

• Master's degree preferred

WORK EXPERIENCE

• Seven years experience in Human Resources (HR) with five years primary focus in benefits and management; may consider HM employee with six years experience in progressive HR leadership which includes four years in benefits

• Health care experience preferred

LICENSES AND CERTIFICATIONS - REQUIRED

• N/A

LICENSES AND CERTIFICATIONS - PREFERRED

• Human Resources\PHR - Professional in Human Resources OR
• Human Resources\SPHR - Senior Professional in Human Resources OR
• Human Resources\SHRM-CP OR
• Human Resources\SHRM-SCP OR
• Certified Benefits Professional (CPB) -- through World@Work

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES

• Demonstrates the skills and competencies necessary to safely perform the assigned job, determined through on-going skills, competency assessments, and performance evaluations

• Sufficient proficiency in speaking, reading, and writing the English language necessary to perform the essential functions of this job, especially about activities impacting patient or employee safety or security

• Demonstrates the ability to interact with others in a way that gives them confidence in one's intentions and those of the organization

• Ability to use appropriate interpersonal styles and techniques to gain acceptance of ideas or plans; modifying one's own behavior to accommodate tasks, situations and individuals involved

• Demonstrates leadership qualities and critical thinking through self-direction initiative and effective interpersonal skills and oral/written communication skills

• Ability to identify and understand issues, problems and opportunities, comparing data from different sources to draw conclusions; using effective approaches for choosing a course of action or developing appropriate solutions; taking action that is consistent with available facts, constraints and probable consequences

• Extensive knowledge of regulatory agency requirements that impact department; stays abreast of industry changes

• Demonstrates highly effective communication skills-strong written communications and platform presentation abilities

• Ability to work effectively in a fast-paced environment

• Demonstrates flexibility and adaptability in the workplace

• Capable of leading teams/facilitating groups, building consensus and garnering highest confidence in professionalism and work product by senior leadership

• Ability to work under pressure and balance many competing priorities; highly responsive and solution/action oriented

• Proficiency in spreadsheet, word processing, and presentation software

• Maintains a positive and supportive attitude and demeanor

• Professional handling of exposure to confidential/sensitive information

• Ability to build trust at all levels of the organization

• Demonstrates the ability to guide and direct others toward goal setting

• Works collaboratively with HR leadership to ensure effective communication to align on consistent strategies, tactics and plans

• Experience in design and implementation of benefit structures

• Strong understanding of interdependencies in program and systems design, legal and tax and financial implications of all benefits elements

SUPPLEMENTAL REQUIREMENTS

WORK ATTIRE

• Uniform No
• Scrubs No
• Business professional Yes
• Other (department approved) No

ON-CALL*
*Note that employees may be required to be on-call during emergencies (ie. DIsaster, Severe Weather Events, etc) regardless of selection below.

• On Call* Yes

TRAVEL**
**Travel specifications may vary by department**

• May require travel within the Houston Metropolitan area Yes
• May require travel outside Houston Metropolitan area Yes

Houston Methodist (HM) is one of the nation’s leading health systems and academic medical centers.  HM consists of eight hospitals: Houston Methodist Hospital, its flagship academic hospital in the heart of the Texas Medical Center, and seven community hospitals throughout the greater Houston metropolitan area.  HM also includes an academic institute, a comprehensive residency program, a global business division, numerous physician practices and several free-standing emergency rooms and outpatient facilities.  Overall, HM employs over 25,000 employees.   Houston Methodist is supported by a wide variety of business functions that operate at the system level to help enable clinical departments to provide the best patient care and service in a spiritual environment.

In 2019 Houston Methodist and its physicians treat more than 6,333 international patients from more than 76 countries. Houston Methodist Global Health Care Services’ consulting and education divisions also provide advisory services and training and development to health care organizations around the world.