Employee Benefits & Wellness Specialist

Job Description

Job Description

Join a team that nourishes life from farm to table! Upstate Niagara Cooperative, proudly owned by 200+ local family farms, is one of America’s largest and most stable dairy cooperatives. Guided by farmer- and employee-led values, we process and market high-quality milk, yogurt, dips, sour cream, cottage cheese, and more under our trusted brands : Upstate Farms®, Bison®, Milk for Life®, and Intense Milk®. Here, you’ll support sustainable farming, strong communities, and the mission to deliver fresh, local dairy to families every day.

The Employee Wellbeing and Benefits Specialist promotes and oversees the coordination of daily operations of the organization’s group benefit plans and wellness / wellbeing programs. This role ensures that employees receive excellent support and education on benefits, retirement, and wellbeing offerings. Reporting to the Director of Total Rewards, this role manages vendor relationships, supports benefits and retirement administration and compliance, and provides analytical support to leadership. Additionally, this role develops and coordinates wellness and wellbeing initiatives and programming to promote healthy lifestyles among employees.

Key Responsibilities

Benefits Program Administration

• Administer a wide range of benefit programs including medical, dental, vision, life, disability, wellness, and other voluntary benefits across union and non-union populations.
• Support benefits invoicing process by reviewing, reconciling, and processing monthly vendor invoices for accuracy and compliance across multiple plans; conducts regular and annual audits; collaborates with Finance to ensure timely payment and proper cost allocation.
• Support 401(k) plan administration, including employee enrollments, contribution changes, loans, and distributions.
• Manage COBRA administration and processing.
• Serve as a resource for employees and HR team members regarding benefit inquiries, eligibility, and issue resolution.
• Ensure compliance with federal, state, and union-specific benefit regulations (e.g., ERISA, HIPAA, COBRA, ACA).
• Interpret and apply collective bargaining agreements (CBAs) related to benefits.
• Collaborate with labor relations and HR team members to ensure accurate administration of union-negotiated benefit and retirement plans.
• Assist with the negotiation and implementation of benefit and retirement programs.

Employee Education & Support

Continuous Improvement

Other duties as may be assigned.

Qualifications

Education

Experience

Skills

Competencies

Preferred Certifications :

Working Conditions (Physical demands)

Pay :

$70,000 to $90,000 per year

Upstate Niagara Cooperative, Inc. is committed to equal employment opportunity for all, without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, citizenship, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, veteran status, disability, genetic information, or any other protected characteristic.