Benefits Coordinator

About Kirkland & Ellis

At Kirkland & Ellis, we are united in our ambition and drive to move forward. We share core values that help us achieve excellence: collaboration, talent empowerment, service, inclusion, respect and gratitude. Our people are our greatest asset, and we invest in the brightest talent and encourage a diversity of perspectives and strengths to create dynamic teams that operate at the pinnacle of their field. Our talented professionals show up every day knowing they will engage in meaningful work, continuous learning and professional development.
 
As one of the world’s leading law firms, we serve a broad range of clients with market-leading practices in private equity, M&A and other complex corporate transactions; investment fund formation and management; restructurings; high-stakes litigation and trials; and government, regulatory and internal investigations. We handle the most complicated and sophisticated legal matters because we don’t just meet industry standards, we create them. We bring innovation and entrepreneurialism to every engagement and, as a result, have long-standing client relationships with leading global corporations and financial sponsors. With 6,500 employees (including 3,500+ lawyers) operating from 19 offices across the United States, Europe and Asia, we are one of the largest law firms in the world and a top financial performer.

Essential Job Functions

The Benefits Department is seeking a Benefits Coordinator who will primarily support the efficient administration of the Firm’s leave of absence plans and policies, as well as our health benefits and wellbeing program. The Benefits Coordinator will also be expected to develop working knowledge of the Firm’s retirement plans in order to ensure seamless service to Firm participants. Additional responsibilities will include support of various department projects and initiatives. The Benefits Coordinator role requires both independent work and collaboration with others, high personal performance standards, and occasional overtime.

Essential Functions:

• Perform activities related to leave of absence administration including, but not limited to, completing data entry, coordinating with third party administrator, understanding and interpreting leave of absence policies, collaborating with managers, and communicating effectively with attorneys and staff regarding the Firm’s leave of absence leave benefits.
• Create, draft, and edit presentations, summaries, and communications to internal and external participants.
• Demonstrate knowledge of the Firm’s health, retirement, and wellbeing plans and programs in order to ensure seamless service to Firm participants.
• Clearly and accurately articulate benefit related information both verbally and in written form. 
• Reconcile and process vendor invoices.
• Review benefit enrollments for partners and employees and work with carriers to resolve participant and data issues.
• Collaborate and develop strong interpersonal relationships both within and outside of the department. Provide exceptional, prompt service to attorneys and staff on all benefits related issues.
• Effectively track and report on the status of workload and produce high quality, accurate work in a timely manner.
• Confidently embrace new challenges and take initiative in identifying and implementing process improvements. Provide accurate information and propose and execute effective solutions to problems.
• Support department initiatives in collaboration with internal and external resources.
• Engage in creative problem solving, and know when to escalate issues. 
• Maintain strict confidentiality of sensitive and confidential data.

Other Functions: (This list is not exhaustive and may be supplemented and changed as necessary.)

• Assist with any other functions/duties/special projects as assigned by management.

Qualifications & Requirements

Education, Work Experience, Skills:

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience
• Required
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills
• Analytical ability
• Presentation skills
• Organizational skills
• Acute attention to detail
• Keen judgment and problem-solving skills 
• Responsiveness and dependability
• Familiarity with FMLA, Short-Term Disability, Long-Term Disability, ADA, and other benefits and leave-related laws and regulations 
• Preferred
• 3+ years of health & welfare benefits or general human resources experience

Technologies/Software

• Required
• Proficiency in Outlook, Excel, Word, and PowerPoint
• Preferred
• Experience with PeopleSoft (strongly preferred) or other HRMS

WORK ENVIRONMENT

• This job operates in a professional office environment. This role routinely uses standard office equipment such as computers, phones, photocopiers, and filing cabinets.  The ability to work successfully in an active environment with the presence of distractions is imperative.

How to Apply

Thank you for your interest in Kirkland & Ellis LLP.  To complete an application and submit your resume, please click "Apply Now."

Equal Employment Opportunity

All employment decisions, including the recruiting, hiring, placement, training availability, promotion, compensation, evaluation, disciplinary actions, and termination of employment (if necessary) are made without regard to the employee’s race, color, creed, religion, sex, pregnancy or childbirth, personal appearance, family responsibilities, sexual orientation or preference, gender identity, political affiliation, source of income, place of residence, national or ethnic origin, ancestry, age, marital status, military veteran status, unfavorable discharge from military service, physical or mental disability, or on any other basis prohibited by applicable law.

Closing Statement

The www.kirkland.com job postings and recruiting mailbox are for candidates only. If you are a recruiter, search firm or employment agency, and do not have a signed contract with Kirkland & Ellis LLP ("K&E") and have not been asked specifically to submit candidates, you will not be compensated in any way for your referral of a candidate even if K&E hires the candidate. Direct contact with K&E employees in an attempt to present candidates is inappropriate and will be a factor in determining any future professional relationship with the Firm. #LI-Hybrid #LI-NK1