Manager Benefits & Vendor Relations

The individual selected for this position will monitor and ensure vendor compliance with all Total Rewards contracts and required Service Level Agreements (SLAs).  This individual will manage the Request for Information / Proposal (RFI/RFP) process and includes development of RFI/RFP, negotiate contract terms, and work with Legal to finalize contracts.  This individual will also partner with other areas of Human Resources on RFIs/RFPs, contract negotiations, and to finalize contracts.

Responsibilities:

v  Partner with Total Rewards leadership team and other areas of Human Resources to proactively review potential areas of cost savings or control in these areas for all contracts (i.e. fees, SLAs, and length of contracts)

v  Negotiate and monitor contracts between Meijer and all Total Rewards vendors , including medical (PPO and HMO plans), dental, prescription drugs, life insurance brokers, consulting firms, and voluntary benefits;  as well as provide support as needed for other areas of Human Resources

v  Develop and analyze RFI / RFP for all Total Rewards related plans and programs (working with various other internal functions including centers of influence, business partners, etc.) to ensure market competitiveness; provide assistance or support as needed to other areas of Human Resources

v  Create standardized contract and SLAs that can be applied to multiple vendor contracts for compliance consistency;  ensure payments of penalties (or offset future payments) for failure to meet agreed upon SLAs

v  Conduct regular vendor meetings (i.e. quarterly, bi-annual) on performance trends, billings, and other areas of contract management;  participate in both internal and external provider/vendor meetings)

v  Conduct periodic vendor site visits to ensure quality and data security (both physical and electronic)

v  Continuously assess and work with vendors to improve performance, processes, and reporting mechanisms

v  Conduct annual key service level audits with vendors and conduct follow-up audits as needed

v  Maintain and update online Human Resources list of contracts and SLAs

v  Partner with Total Rewards and other Human Resources leadership for the implementation of new vendor contracts to ensure proper contract administration and SLAs are being achieved

v  Develop and provide periodic management reports to track key performance indicators (KPIs)

v  Manage budget for department and justify/explain any over/under expenses for each period (every 4 weeks)

v  Provide support to other areas of Human Resources (i.e. Team Relations, Communications, Workforce Planning, and Loss Prevention) on RFP development and contract negotiations

v  Provide annual report of all vendors and vendor status (i.e. compliance, trends, and opportunities)

v  Work with Total Rewards department support to maintain and update contract online catalog

v  Perform other duties as requested by VP, Total Rewards

Qualifications:

v  Bachelors degree or relevant work experience required; advance degree (Masters or JD) is a plus

v  Minimum 10 years vendor management and service supplier management experience required; benefits related experience is preferred

v  Strong knowledge of Total Rewards plans and programs (including health care, retirement, and other areas of Human Resources)

v  Demonstrated contract negotiation and influencing skills

v  Strong verbal and written communication skills

v  Strong analytical skills

v  Proven ability to work well with cross-functional teams

v  Strong computer skills (Microsoft Office)