Application Open:
Full-Time
Job Purpose:
The Employee Benefits Specialist is responsible for the end-to-end administration and management of MBZUAI’s employee benefits programs, ensuring accurate delivery, compliance, vendor coordination, renewals, and employee support. The role plays a key part in enhancing employee experience by ensuring benefits are well-managed, communicated clearly, and delivered efficiently. In addition, the Specialist provides secondary support to employee relations activities, including coordination, documentation, and case support where required, while ensuring alignment with MBZUAI HR policies and UAE regulatory requirements.
Key Responsibilities:
Benefits Management & Administration (Primary Responsibility)
- Manage and coordinate end-to-end employee benefits administration in accordance with MBZUAI policies and procedures.
- Oversee benefits programs including health insurance, life insurance, retirement and pension plans (including UAE Nationals), leave administration, and other employee benefits and allowances as applicable.
- Coordinate benefits enrollment, deactivation, and eligibility management for employees and dependents.
- Support annual health insurance renewals, including census preparation, documentation, employee data validation, and coordination with insurers/brokers.
- Liaise with external vendors, brokers, and service providers to ensure timely resolution of benefits issues and high service quality.
- Maintain accurate benefits records and transactions, ensuring data integrity in HR systems (Oracle and related platforms).
- Prepare benefits-related reports, analysis, and dashboards, supporting decision-making and service improvements.
- Ensure compliance with UAE legal requirements and relevant benefits regulations.
Benefits Communication, Engagement & Employee Experience
- Support employee awareness and engagement initiatives related to benefits, well-being, and employee support programs.
- Coordinate benefits communication campaigns such as enrollment announcements, renewal communications, benefits updates, and awareness materials.
- Prepare employee-facing communication content including FAQs, guidance documents, and benefits summaries in collaboration with HR and Marketing/Communications as needed.
- Support employee well-being initiatives and benefit-related engagement activities, ensuring clear communication and effective rollout.
- Provide guidance and support to employees regarding benefit entitlements, coverage, and required documentation, ensuring a positive employee experience.
- Collect employee feedback and recurring concerns related to benefits and recommend improvements to enhance service delivery and satisfaction.
Employee Relations Support (Secondary Responsibility)
- Support employee relations activities through coordination and documentation, including memos, incident documentation, and supporting case records.
- Assist in tracking employee relations cases and follow-up actions, ensuring documentation is organized and audit ready.
- Support coordination of employee meetings and HR case discussions wherever required.
- Collaborate with the Employee Relations & Benefits Specialist and HR leadership in cases where benefits intersect with employee relations matters (e.g., medical leave, insurance disputes, eligibility cases).
Other Duties
Perform all other duties as reasonably directed by the line manager that are commensurate with these functional objectives.
Academic Qualification:
- Bachelor’s degree in human resources, Business Administration, Finance, or a related field (master’s degree is an advantage).
Professional Experience:
Essential
- Minimum 5–7 years of relevant HR experience, with strong specialization in employee benefits administration.
- Proven experience managing benefits programs including health insurance plans, life insurance, pensions/retirement programs, leave administration, and related employee benefit services.
- Strong experience coordinating with insurance providers, brokers, and external vendors.
- Strong working knowledge of UAE benefits practices and regulatory requirements, including pension contributions for UAE Nationals.
Preferred
- Experience in higher education, multinational organizations, or regulated environments is preferred.
- Proficiency in HR systems (Oracle / HRIS experience preferred) and MS Office applications.
