A benefits administrator oversees an organization’s retirement and health benefits. To become one, a degree in human resources or related field, work experience in personnel management or finance, and involvement in benefits procedures are recommended. Public and private sector benefits administration differ, and industry-specific experience is important.
A benefits administrator is a senior professional who has a high degree of responsibility in an organization. This individual typically must oversee retirement benefits and possibly health benefits for an entire organization. To become a benefits administrator, an individual may progress through the ranks of human resources or personnel management, or may be a senior member of a corporate finance department. If an organization has the resources to dedicate an entire division to benefits, a professional can rise to the role of administrator after starting as a team member and working with a more senior individual until a promotion opportunity arises.
To become a benefits administrator and begin handling sensitive financial and personal information about an organization’s personnel, consider earning a college degree in human resources or a related field. Employers expect candidates for this role to complete higher education and a related degree to further their credentials. Work experience in a personnel management capacity or in payroll or finance can also prepare you to become a benefits administrator.
Human resource professionals typically oversee an organization’s benefits related to retirement, health care, disability, and various types of employee leave. Gaining work experience in the human resources department can lead to an opportunity to become a benefits administrator. New employers may require some work experience as a benefits administrator to be hired, so it may be advantageous to excel in the human resources division within a single corporation until the administrator designation is achieved. If this is unreasonable, you can make yourself an attractive candidate for an administrative role at another company by becoming as involved as possible in benefits procedures while working as a member of the team. For example, you can participate during open enrollment when decisions are made around employer benefits for the subsequent year.
There is a difference between overseeing benefits in the public sector of the economy and serving as a benefits administrator in the private sector. Both sectors can be assigned a board of directors for major decisions, but the public sector is generally governed by laws and legislative policies relating to employee benefits in a region. Private sector employers may find greater flexibility and opportunity for a more assertive approach to benefits implementation and management. To become a benefits administrator, you may need to have experience in the industry for which you will be running a retirement plan, health care package, or both. Decide which group you prefer to integrate with so that the work experience remains relevant to the industry.
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