Human Resources Benefits Administrator

Position Overview

UMGC in Europe is hiring a Human Resources Benefits Administrator for its Kaiserslautern Administrative Headquarters in Kaiserslautern, Germany. This is an overseas regular employee role at 100% time and Grade 005. The position manages day-to-day benefits administration for employees across Europe, the Middle East, and Africa, acting as a key point of contact between employees, managers, Payroll, Finance, HR Systems, and external benefits providers to keep health, retirement, and related benefits accurate, timely, and compliant.

Key Responsibilities

• Maintain and monitor medical and dental clearance records for employees assigned to CENTCOM and AFRICOM locations, working with the designated medical vendor to verify employment eligibility while following military rules, GDPR, and HIPAA requirements.
• Administer and explain required and optional benefit offerings, including health coverage, retirement plans, supplemental retirement accounts such as 403(b) and 457(b), term life, long-term disability, Bridge, and COBRA for current, former, and new employees.
• Run the annual open enrollment process for overseas staff, including preparing and sharing communications such as announcements, instructions, FAQs, reminders, webinars, and meetings.
• Perform audits and reconcile invoices in the appropriate systems to confirm payroll deductions are correct and resolve discrepancies with Finance, Payroll, and outside vendors.
• Review global HR policy content and provide feedback so overseas requirements are accurately represented.
• Assist with leave and absence administration under global policy, coordinating with employees, managers, and vendors to ensure events are processed on time.
• Carry out system test scenarios, support troubleshooting, identify workflow gaps, introduce improvements, and keep SOPs and job aids current.
• Create and update benefits content on approved HR platforms, deliver employee benefits briefings and education sessions, and manage shared email inboxes with prompt responses.

Competencies

• Strong attention to detail
• Ability to handle sensitive information confidentially
• Clear communication skills
• Effective problem-solving approach
• Good organization and prioritization

Required Education and Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, Healthcare Administration, or a related discipline from a U.S. regionally accredited institution, or an equivalent foreign degree.
• 3 to 5 years of experience in benefits administration, HR operations, or similar work.
• Background supporting open enrollment and employee lifecycle administration.
• Working understanding of applicable laws and regulations such as FMLA, ERISA, COBRA, HIPAA, ACA, ADA, and GDPR.
• Ability to learn and use software, understand basic computer and network hardware functionality, and communicate about technical activities with technical staff.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills for collaboration with UMGC staff and outside vendors.
• Capacity to manage multiple tasks with limited supervision.
• Highly organized, detail-focused, able to meet deadlines, and comfortable working under pressure.
• Flexibility to work varied hours.

Preferred Qualifications

• Professional HR certification such as SHRM-CP/SCP, PHR/SPHR, CEBS, GBA, or CBP.
• Experience using Workday HCM benefits and absence modules.
• Experience supporting overseas or widely distributed employee groups.
• Experience with medical document tracking or compliance-oriented administrative work.
• State of Maryland Retirement Coordinator Certification, Agency Benefits Coordinator Certification, and HIPAA Certification are preferred, with willingness and ability to pursue certification if operational needs require it.

Who May Apply

Local candidates with ILS status are preferred. To qualify as ILS under USAREUR Regulation 600-700, Section III, 7-13, applicants must serve the US Forces exclusively, must not be stateless, must be nationals of a NATO country other than the host nation, and must not ordinarily reside in the host nation.

Application Requirements

Applicants must submit both a cover letter and a resume.

Equal Opportunity and Accommodations

UMGC is an equal opportunity employer and follows all applicable federal and state nondiscrimination laws. Employment, programs, activities, and admissions are open without discrimination based on race, color, national origin, age, marital status, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, disability, religion, ancestry, political affiliation, or veteran status.

UMGC is committed to an inclusive workplace for people of all abilities. Qualified individuals with disabilities will not be excluded from participation in or denied the benefits of university services, programs, or activities due to disability. Requests for reasonable workplace accommodations may be sent to employee-accommodations@umgc.edu.

Benefits Summary

• Paid time off includes 15 to 22 vacation days depending on service length and position, plus 15 sick days, 3 personal days, and 11 paid federal holidays. For part-time staff, leave accrual is prorated based on hours worked.
• Health coverage includes medical with vision, dental, and prescription plans for individuals and families, effective from the first day of the month after hire.
• Insurance options include term life, accidental death and dismemberment, and long-term disability coverage.
• Flexible spending accounts are available for medical and dependent care costs.
• Retirement options include the Optional Retirement Program or the Maryland State Retirement and Pension System.
• Supplemental retirement choices include 403(b), 457(b), and Roth options; the university does not match contributions.
• Tuition remission is available immediately for Regular Exempt Staff. Spouses and dependent children may receive undergraduate tuition remission after two years of service. For part-time employees at 50% time or more, tuition remission is prorated.
• Moving support may be offered depending on the terms, conditions, and agreements tied to the role.

Compensation

The hiring range for this position is $48,800 to $52,300 per year. Employees also receive an applicable currency adjustment (CAX) based on the monthly DoD COLA Index for the work location, and that amount may change as market conditions fluctuate.

Additional Information

For more details, refer to the UMGC Benefits Overview for Overseas Regular Employees.