Benefits Specialist (Analyst)

The employee is responsible for, monthly, the auditing, bill processing and reconciliation of Health, Dental, Vision, Life and Flexible Spending accounts to the MUNIS database. Additionally, the employee assists with the overall maintenance of updated Health, Dental, Vision, Life, Long Term Disability and Flexible Spending records of Subscriber and dependents in the HRIS database. Employee is required to perform all similar or related duties.

The essential functions or duties listed below are intended only as illustrations of the various type of work that may be performed. The omission of specific statements of duties does not exclude them from the position if the work is similar, related, or a logical assignment to the position.

• Reconciles all benefits to the invoices and general ledger to ensure accuracy of bills, deduction collection and posting to general ledger timely on a monthly basis.
  • Gather data from multiple sources in order to facilitate the reconciliation process.
  • Ensure vendors are billing the correct plan rate.
  • Ensure employees are paying the correct deductions.
  • Ensure the correct deductions and invoices are posted to the general ledger.
  • Identify, reconcile and resolve discrepancies/conflicts.
• Manage the Leave of Absence process to ensure benefits do not become unpaid through communications with employee and setting up payment plans.
• Establishes documented guidelines and procedures on how to handle various benefit related scenarios, e.g., protocols on individuals going into an unpaid status, etc
• Reconcile and pay for benefit invoices monthly.
• Monthly billing of retirees/surviving spouses who are not receiving a pension or are balance billed.
• Communicates benefit changes to payroll and employees by drafting letters/emails and posting changes in MUNIS system.
• As part of the benefits team, some benefits administration is required particularly during
• open enrollment in processing employee benefit changes in MUNIS and in vendor systems as well as the monitoring to the Benefits phone line and Benefits email.
• Assists with the preparation of mandated reports, e.g. ACA Reporting.
• Participates in RFP processes.
• Other duties as assigned by manager or director.

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the position’s essential functions.

Few physical demands are required to perform the work. Work effort principally involves sitting to perform work tasks, with intermittent periods of stooping, walking, and standing. May also be some occasional lifting of objects such as office equipment and computer paper (up to 30 lbs).

Duties are largely mental rather than physical, but the job may occasionally require minimal motor skills for activities such as moving objects, operating a telephone, personal computer and/or most other office equipment including word processing, filing and sorting of papers.

Visual demands require constantly reading documents for general understanding and analytical purposes.

Hours: Full-Time, In-Person, City Hall Hours. 
Salary: $85,000-$88,400 annualized, plus benefits.
Union: Non-Union
FLSA: Exempt
Date Posted: October, 2026 

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Auxiliary aids and services, written materials in alternative formats, and reasonable modifications in policies and procedures will be provided to qualified individuals with disabilities free of charge, upon request. Persons with disabilities who need auxiliary aids and services for effective communication (i.e., CART, ASL), written materials in alternative formats, or reasonable modifications in policies and procedures in order to access the programs, activities, and meetings of the City of Somerville should please contact the ADA Coordinator at 617-625-6600 x 2059 or ADA@somervillema.gov.

Pre-Employment Requirements for All Employees:

• MA Criminal Offender Record Information (CORI) clearance
• Completion of Conflict-of-Interest Law Education training for municipal employees

• 4 weeks annual vacation for non-union positions. Union positions vary by contract. Please note, police officers are members of the SPEA union. Public Health Nurses are part of Union A (SMEA).
• Medical insurance through the Group Insurance Commission (GIC) - 80% of premium costs paid by City
• Dental coverage low and high plans through Delta Dental
• Vision care through Vision Service Plan (VSP)
• Long term disability through Sun Life
• Group and voluntary life insurance through Boston Mutual
• Health Care and Dependent Care flexible spending through Benefit Strategies
• Deferred compensation plans through a choice of three vendors
• Free, confidential services through the Employee Assistance Program (EAP) provided by E4Health
• Annual cancer screening & wellness release
• Somerville Retirement Pension System
• Tuition reimbursement
• MBTA pass program
• FREE Blue Bikes membership
• Eligible employer for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program (PSLF)