Benefits Consultant

Our client Scottish Power are looking for a Benefits Consultant to join their team in Glasgow (hybrid 1 day a week at the office). This role can be 100% remote if preferred.

It is an inside IR35 contract role approved for 12 months paying competitive rates.

Responsible for the administration and maintenance of benefits programs, policies and procedures and supporting the implementation of the monthly and annual benefits cycle.

Lead for project to undertake a review of existing benefit policy rules and process with view to streamline, simplify policy rules and identify and implement opportunities for increased automation in benefit administration.

• Administer day to day operation of ScottishPower’s benefits schemes including overseeing enrolment, changes and terminations liaising with payroll and P&G team as appropriate.

• Reconcile monthly benefit reports, coordinating with payroll to ensure correct deductions and contributions.

• Maintain day to day relationships with benefits providers (e.g. EV scheme operators, healthcare insurers, etc.) to ensure smooth delivery of benefit administration and services.

• Lead point of contact to manage escalated queries from employees and benefit providers liaising with Payroll, People Systems, and other P&O stakeholders as required to resolve.

• Support the delivery of the annual benefits cycle including the delivery of the annual benefits window and implementation of ‘anytime’ benefits throughout the year working closely with colleagues from People Systems and People Services.

• Supports the delivery of the annual benefits communications plan including roll out of ad-hoc employee communications needed to reflect out of plan changes or updates to benefit procedures and processes.

• Proactive engagement with stakeholders (Internally: People Services & Payroll teams, externally: benefit platform provider helpdesk team) to upskill their “knowledge base” for handling common benefit related queries.

• Analyses benefit uptake data and evaluates engagement with existing benefits programmes against peer benchmark organisations to determine competitiveness, trends and identify areas for development.

• Lead for project to undertake a full review of existing benefit policy rules and process with view to simplify policy rules and identify and implement opportunities for best practise & improvement. Special focus on review Share Plan process (SIP and Sharesave) and Electric Vehicle Schemes process (EV Grant, EV Loan, EV Sal Sac).

• Lead on projects focused on the continuous improvement in the administration of current benefits processes with a particular focus on maximising use of available systems for process automation. Develop solutions, implement changes and ensure communication to all stakeholders.

• Co-ordinate external and internal reporting requirements and ensure good governance of benefits processes, e.g. annual P11D reporting processes, internal control mechanisms, etc.

• Co-ordinate the administration and tracking of benefit spend on a monthly and quarterly basis liaising with P&G and Control teams as appropriate.

• Administration of the ScottishPower employee benefits programmes, including contribution management for the Stakeholder Pension Plan) but excluding legacy final salary pension plans,
• Benefit Range and Contribution Value:
o 22 Employee Benefit Options (across 4 x Benefits Categories: Lifestyle, Health, Travel, Personal Finance)
o Management of monthly contributions with value £1.66M (stakeholder Pension) and £1.95M (non-pension benefits) per month
o Annual Value / Management of Benefits Contributions with value £43.32M
• Works closely with colleagues across P&O and Control to coordinate delivery of benefit cycle (Monthly & Annual) processes.

• Experience of administering monthly benefits management processes.

• Experience of supporting the delivery of the annual benefits cycle
• Demonstrates the ability to build strong and effective working relationships with internal stakeholders and with external suppliers in the administration of benefits.
• Some exposure to benefit sourcing, contract negotiation and supplier management would be preferable.
• Experience of supporting the coordination of monthly benefit budget management processes

• Working autonomously to meet the agreed monthly benefit administration objectives and project deliverables.
• Liaises with and coordinates with other teams (e.g. Payroll and People Systems, P&G) and Benefit providers to administer the monthly benefit processes or to resolve escalated issues or queries.
• Able to identify and propose and implement for process improvement initiatives.

The job holders internal relationships will include liaising with colleagues in the following areas:

• Benefit providers and suppliers – to manage the day to day administration of benefits.
• P&O colleagues– Coordinates with Pensions, Payroll, People Systems, People Services and (P&G) Performance & Governance teams on the monthly management and administration of benefits.
• Managers and Employees – providing advice on escalated benefit queries.

• Proven experience of administering monthly benefits management processes.
• Experience of supporting the delivery of the annual benefits cycle
• Demonstrates the ability to build strong and effective working relationships with internal stakeholders and with external suppliers in the administration of benefits.

• Proven ability of the design, development and management of benefits programmes across a range of businesses.
• Ability to build strong and effective working relationships at all levels with internal stakeholders and with external suppliers.
• Experience of benefit supplier sourcing and supplier management.
• Experience of analysing benefits data for cost and impact assessment of benefit proposals.