This is the third class in the Central Personnel Series Continued (Health Care). Positions in this class manage the administrative, contractual, or strategic functions of state and local government health benefit and flexible benefit plans for state, local, and school board employees, retirees and their dependents. Positions work with the State Health Care Program Managers, Contract Negotiation Specialists, and/or legislative personnel to develop health benefit and flexible benefit program regulations, standards, contracts, and/or strategic plans. Duties also include establishing guidelines, disseminating information to those entities requiring it and supervising a staff of Health Benefit Plans Specialists and/or other administrative support personnel.

Complexity of Work: Performs work of considerable difficulty in developing and administering health benefit program regulations and standards; negotiates contracts to meet the needs of employees, retirees, and dependents; negotiates contracts with state, local, and school board entities; consults with legislators and senior level private and public executives; manages activities of direct reports; plans, directs and monitors the training of state and local program administrators; interprets policies; directs the activities of open enrollment; develops budget; allocates resources; and plans and guides the department in a strategically focused manner.

Supervision Given: Directs the work of benefits administration technical and support staff including State Health Benefits Plans Specialists, Specialist Seniors, and office services staff.

Supervision Received: Receives general direction from the Health Benefits Office Director typically in the form of general guidelines related to benefits administration, policies and procedures.

Scope: Positions in this class establish standards and regulations for administering health benefit and flexible benefit plans according to contract terms; evaluate program quality and effectiveness; recommend improvements; negotiate contracts with specified vendors; and, promote plans to local and school board entities. Positions also plan the future direction of the state health benefits programs.

Impact of Actions: Proper performance, decisions and recommendations from positions in this class have a positive impact on the agency’s mandated responsibility to administer health benefit, flexible benefit and cost containment programs for participating state, local, and school board employees, retirees, and.

dependents and may result in lower costs to the agency, other state agencies, participating local agencies and their employees

Personal Contacts: Positions have frequent internal contacts with benefit administrators in state agencies and frequent external contact with benefit administrators in participating entities; contract specials; and senior level public and private officials.

Knowledge: Comprehensive knowledge of health benefit administration; considerable knowledge of state accounting systems; state organizations, business management principles and practices, negotiating principles, and/or public relations principles and practices; and flexible health benefits programs.

Skills: None identified for this class.

Abilities: Demonstrated ability to negotiate contracts, promote programs, manage projects, interpret and analyze policies; work with diverse individuals; and to communicate effectively orally and in writing.

QUALIFICATIONS GUIDE*

License or Certification: None

Education or Training: Graduation from an accredited college or university with major course work in business, or a related field.

Level and Type of Experience: High level experience in project management, contract negotiations, and/or in the management of employee health benefit administration programs.

An equivalent combination of training and experience indicating possession of the preceding knowledge and abilities my substitute for this education and experience.

This class was established effective 7/1/95 and replaces the class State Health Benefits Plan Administrator.

*The Qualifications guide should be used for classification and compensation analysis. Recruitment and selection standards must be based on job related knowledge, skills, and abilities as indicated in the position description.