Sr. Benefits Analyst bei Circular Services

About Circular Services:

Circular Services is the largest privately held recycling and organics service provider in the U.S. It operates over 25 facilities serving major long-term municipal and commercial contracts. The mission of Circular Services is to keep valuable materials in circulation and minimize the cost and environmental impact of landfills. The company services municipal contracts with some of the largest and fastest growing cities in the U.S. including New York City, Austin, San Antonio, and Phoenix. 

About the Role:

We are seeking a data-driven and detail-oriented Senior Benefits/HR Analyst to join our HR team. This role is ideal for an experienced professional with a strong technical background in Excel-based analytics, benefit reconciliations, and self-insured plan administration. The ideal candidate will play a critical role in the ongoing administration, compliance, and financial integrity of our employee benefit programs while partnering cross-functionally to support strategic HR initiatives.

Key Responsibilities:

Self-Insured Plan Administration

• Support the ongoing administration and analysis of the company’s self-insured medical, dental, and pharmacy plans, including claims reporting, trend analysis, and cost modeling.
• Coordinate with third-party administrators (TPAs) and carriers to validate eligibility, claims, and stop-loss reimbursements.
• Reconcile self-insured plan funding, including weekly claims funding, carrier invoice validation, and cost allocations.

Advanced Excel-Based Reporting & Reconciliation

• Develop and maintain complex Excel models and reports using pivot tables, VLOOKUP/XLOOKUP, INDEX-MATCH, IF statements, and nested formulas.
• Perform monthly benefits reconciliation across HRIS, payroll, and vendor platforms to ensure data accuracy and resolve discrepancies proactively.
• Create dashboards and ad hoc reports to support Finance, Accounting, and HR leadership with benefits utilization, cost trends, and compliance metrics.

Benefits Operations & Compliance

• Oversee the end-to-end administration of benefits programs including medical, dental, vision, life, disability, wellness, and other ancillary offerings.
• Ensure ongoing compliance with federal and state regulations across multiple states, including ERISA, ACA, COBRA, HIPAA, IRS Section 125, and FMLA.
• Monitor evolving state-specific requirements such as paid leave laws, state disability programs, and state-mandated benefits to ensure compliance in all jurisdictions.
• Manage annual open enrollment, including data audits, system testing, employee communications, and file integrations with vendors.

Vendor & Audit Management

• Serve as the primary liaison for brokers, TPAs, and other third-party vendors. Monitor service performance and escalate issues as needed.
• Support internal and external audits, including 401(k) plan audits, benefits plan audits, and compliance filings (e.g., Form 5500, ACA 1094/1095).
• Assist in the due diligence and integration of benefits programs during mergers and acquisitions.

Leave of Absence & Employee Support

• Administer company’s leave of absence programs (FMLA, STD, LTD, parental leave), ensuring compliance and effective employee communication.
• Provide tier-2 support for employee inquiries related to benefits, claims, and eligibility.

Job Qualifications:

• 5+ years of progressive experience in benefits administration, including self-insured medical plans and complex reconciliation processes.
• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel is required (e.g., pivot tables, lookup functions, conditional logic, data validation, charts) is required.
• Hands-on experience with benefits reconciliation, carrier file audits, and root cause analysis of data discrepancies.
• Strong working knowledge of HRIS platforms (e.g., ADP, Workday, UKG, or similar systems).
• Demonstrated ability to manage vendors and conduct detailed benefits-related audits and reporting.
• Solid understanding of federal and state benefit compliance regulations (ERISA, ACA, COBRA, etc.).
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills with a strong customer-service orientation.
• Ability to manage competing priorities in a fast-paced, dynamic environment.
• Certification such as CEBS, CBP, PHR/SPHR a plus.
• Ability to travel occasionally (up to 25%).

EEOC: Circular Services is an Equal Opportunity Employer and Prohibits Discrimination and Harassment of Any Kind: Circular Services is committed to the principle of equal employment opportunity for all employees and to providing employees with a work environment free of discrimination and harassment. All employment decisions at Circular Services are based on business needs, job requirements and individual qualifications, without regard to race, color, religion or belief, national, social or ethnic origin, sex (including pregnancy), age, physical, mental or sensory disability, HIV Status, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, marital, civil union or domestic partnership status, past or present military service, family medical history or genetic information, family or parental status, or any other status protected by the laws or regulations in the locations where we operate. Circular Services will not tolerate discrimination or harassment based on any of these characteristics.