H - B Sr Consultant - A - E

The Health & Benefits (H&B) Senior Advisory Consultant will manage and advise client accounts for employers with 500-5,000 employees with their medical, dental, life and disability benefit plans and programs as well as to drive strategic Mercer and MMC initiatives. Level of support depends on size of client as well as complexity and revenue of the account - at this level the senior consultant is considered the client owner for larger and complex clients.  To fulfill this role, the senior consultant will:

• Prepare agendas and lead client/team meetings and projects utilizing project management tools. Ensure compliance with professional standards including use of templates, client calendar, peer review, and transparency. Ensure WebCAS forms are completed.


• Manage the development of the employee communications strategy. Oversee other team members in the execution of this strategy including management of open enrollment process.


• Be responsible for engagement letter process including the confirmation of our specific scope of services, compensation type and level, project timeframe and required data.


• Be accountable for revenue/profitability for client accounts.


• Establish necessary carrier/vendor relationships with appropriate contacts to serve clients in handling all administration (eligibility, claims, billing, plan implementation, contracts, plan changes and necessary amendments).


• Solve client issues by contacting carriers and vendors on behalf of the client to resolve these issues.


• Generate new sales through existing clients and client referrals in accordance with the sales plan using Helping Clients Succeed and Miller Heiman client management and sales training skills. Introduce other Mercer H&B and MMC products and services to clients. Provide H&B Sales Leader with new and expanded business opportunities in M-Drive. Maintain marketplace visibility through public speaking engagements and participation in social business functions.


• Assist with the formulation, alignment and execution of national H&B strategy. Contribute to the development of Mercers H&B intellectual capital and presence in the market by writing articles, case studies and developing general marketing material in addition to public speaking at industry events.


• Review the summary plan description, plan documents and 5500 filings for compliance and compares to the benefits that were sold to the client. Ensure all benefits are accurately reflected, following a checklist to ensure that all necessary information is included where appropriate. Follow up with the carriers to make sure necessary changes are reflected.


• Manage the request for proposal (RFP) process with the health insurance carriers and internal analyst. To complete the RFP process, the consultant reviews the analysts compilation of the health benefits information from a variety of sources, responses from the carriers and the data in a spreadsheet template, reviews the transparency documents; ensures maintenance of all appropriate documents in proper files. When the process is completed by the analyst, the consultant peer reviews the information, analyzes and interprets the results, edits and finalizes the executive summary report to be sent to the client.


• Lead review of claim and utilization data from insurance carriers on a monthly/quarterly basis that has been input into a standardized report template by the analyst; analyze and interpret data for trends; peer review customized, client ready reports, submit report to client and replies to any questions the client may have.


• Manage the gathering of health and welfare benefits data from a national survey administered and published by Mercer, ensure it is input into a template to compare a clients plan information against other companies by industry or geography. Interpret results and present the information to the client.

• BA/BS degree; CEBS designation is preferred


• Ten or more years experience in identifying, designing, recommending and implementing efficient, innovative business solutions to clients complex health care benefits challenges


• Strong, innovative sales and marketing skills plus the ability to market organizational strengths successfully


• Superior analytical, strategic planning, communication, and listening skills


• Excellent organizational and project management skills


• Proven management skills in leading large, complex projects


• Ability to manage, motivate, and mentor more junior level staff.