You spend more than half of your waking hours working. Make these precious, fleeting moments matter by working for an organization and a cause you can believe in.
Western Growers exists for one reason only: to ensure the future viability of its members – the hard-working, salt of the earth farmers who grow the fruits, vegetables and tree nuts that feed our nation and nourish our bodies. But their way of life, their ability to pass their multi-generational farms and family legacies on to their children and grandchildren, is being jeopardized by a host of threats, many of them beyond their control. They face a growing litany of laws and regulations that make it increasingly difficult and expensive to do business.
Our members depend on us to help them remain competitive and profitable in spite of these trying circumstances, which we do by fighting – heart and soul – for them every single day. We passionately advocate for them in the halls of Congress and on the steps of the state capitol. We actively facilitate the advancement of technology designed to help them become more efficient and less dependent on diminishing resources. We diligently provide health insurance to their farm workers, as well as other insurance solutions tailored to the unique business. We do all of this, and more, from a position of leadership in the agriculture industry, which requires a team of intelligent, inquisitive and innovative individuals sold out for our common purpose.
Compensation: $66,839 - $91,890 with a rich benefits package that includes profit-sharing.

Summary

This position reports directly to the AVP of Human Resources. The incumbent will develop and implement policies and procedures related to benefits administration and leaves of absence. In addition, the incumbent works closely with HR Management, Legal, and the Payroll Specialist to ensure that benefits administration and WGFC’s Leaves of Absence program are managed correctly and efficiently.

Qualifications

• Demonstrated experience with HRIS systems.
• High-level proficiency with Excel (e.g., v-lookups, pivot tables, if/then formulas) and a proven ability to consolidate and manipulate large data sets with a commitment to accuracy.
• Strong ability to manage relationships with a third-party benefits administrator and broker.
• Comprehensive knowledge and understanding of benefit plan administration and leave management.
• Home router with wired Ethernet (wireless connections and hotspots are not permitted).
• Certified Employee Benefits Specialist (CEBS) a plus.
• Ability to travel to various locations in the U.S. (mainly CA and AZ) up to 5% of the time.
• Strong written, verbal, and graphic communication skills, including effectively communicating technical information to varying audiences.
• Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Finance, Economics, Accounting, or a related field and five (5) to seven (7) years of benefits administration and leave management experience preferred.
• A designated room for your office or steps taken to protect company information (e.g., facing computer towards wall, etc.)
• Exceptional understanding of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA), Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Section 125 and cafeteria plan regulations, Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA), and COBRA.
• Highly skilled at managing the day-to-day benefits administration and leaves of absence processes.
• Internet access provided by a cable or fiber provider with 40 MB download and 10 MB upload speeds.
• A functioning smoke detector, fire extinguisher, and first aid kit on site.
• Experience interacting with Payroll regarding benefits administration and leaves management.
• Ability to present, speak, read, and write in Spanish, required.

Duties And Responsibilities

Leave Management

• Work with Payroll to ensure that time and attendance for employees on leave is managed per federal and state laws and company policies.
• Consult with HR management and Legal to provide guidance and interpretation of leave policies and programs, evaluate requests and make determinations of eligibility.
• Manage all federal, state, local, and company leave programs. Ensure that all federal and state requirements are met and that proper documentation is maintained.
• Work with the management team to ensure that employees going on leave receive a seamless off-boarding, and those returning from leave receive a seamless re-onboarding.
• In conjunction with Legal, update and maintain all required leave of absence notices and forms.
• Conduct training and meetings with respective business units to provide updates and support in managing leave requirements and regulations.
• Maintain in-depth knowledge of legal requirements related to leave administration, reducing legal risks and ensuring regulatory compliance.

Benefits Administration

• Lead the coordination and facilitation of open enrollment each year with the broker.
• Work with Legal compliance to periodically revise plan documents, SPDs, SBCs, and policies.
• Provide support to employees regarding all Western Growers (WG) benefit offerings. Develop/update resources to enhance the employee’s understanding of the Company’s benefits package.
• Responsible for the administration and compliance benefit payment collection for employees on LOA.
• Provide Paycom support, including but not limited to researching and resolving benefit-related issues and recommending solutions or alternate methods to ensure effective benefit operations.
• Conduct benefits audit each payroll to ensure that all benefit deductions are accurate.
• Manage company benefit programs (e.g., mom-to-be, education reimbursement, etc.)
• Manage benefits administration (e.g., enrollments, COBRA, terminations, changes, beneficiaries, disability, accident and death claims, billing, and compliance testing.)
• Manage relationships with all third-party service providers, including review and evaluation of service levels and service level agreements, and vendor searches.
• Manage benefits and online enrollment system processes for all benefit plans, including designing and maintaining automated file feeds, troubleshooting errors, and problem resolution.
• Collaborate with Payroll to review, analyze, and reconcile payroll, eligibility, and census-related data.
• Manage the relationship with the Health Management vendor to ensure the successful implementation of the Health Rewards and Wellness Program.
• Manage all benefits data and file feeds. Perform audits of benefits-related data.
• Design and distribute materials for benefits orientations and open enrollment.
• Work with 401(k) plan administrator on annual 401(k) census and audits.
• Conduct surveys and analysis relative to benefits cost and design.

HR Operations Support

• Document and maintain administrative procedures for assigned benefits and leave processes.
• Act as liaison between employees and management to answer questions or concerns regarding company policies, practices, and regulations.
• Contribute to the weekly Fresh Thoughts newsletter.
• Ensure completion of salary surveys, compensation, and demographic reporting (e.g., Mercer, EEO-1).
• Work with other HR Generalists to ensure policies remain updated and comply with all federal, state, and local laws/ordinances. Update the handbook as law, public policy, and company policies change.
• Prepare, review, and reconcile company benefit billings and submit them for payment on time.
• Occasionally travel to member locations (mostly CA and AZ) to assist with 401(k) open enrollment for Spanish-speaking participants.
• Support the Talent Acquisition team with pre-offers and final offers when necessary.
• Ensure compliance with applicable government reporting requirements for benefits and leaves.

Other

• Maintain the ability to travel to various locations in the U.S. (mainly CA and AZ) up to 5% of the time.
• Maintain internet speed of 40 MB download and 10 MB upload and router with wired Ethernet.
• Utilize all capabilities to satisfy one mission — to enhance the competitiveness and profitability of our members. Do everything possible to help members succeed by being curious and striving to understand what others are trying to achieve, planning, and executing work helpfully and collaboratively. Be willing to adjust efforts to ensure that work and attitude are helpful to others, being self-accountable, creating a positive impact, and being diligent in delivering results.
• Maintain and service safety equipment (e.g., smoke detector, fire extinguisher, first aid kit).
• Maintain a HIPAA-compliant workstation and utilize appropriate security techniques to ensure HIPAA-required protection of all confidential/protected client data.
• All other duties as assigned.

Physical Demands/Work Environment

The physical demands and work environment described here represent those that an employee must meet to successfully perform this job’s essential functions. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to communicate with others. The employee frequently is required to move around the office. The employee is often required to use tools, objects, and controls. This noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.