LTD Benefit Specialist Trainee - Portland

Location: Portland, Maine, USA

Job Posting End Date: December 31

When you join the team at Unum, you become part of an organization committed to helping you thrive.

Here, we work to provide the employee benefits and service solutions that enable employees at our client companies to thrive throughout life’s moments. And this starts with ensuring that every one of our team members enjoys opportunities to succeed both professionally and personally. To enable this, we provide:

Award-winning culture

Inclusion and diversity as a priority

Performance Based Incentive Plans

Competitive benefits package that includes: Health, Vision, Dental, Short & Long-Term Disability

Generous PTO (including paid time to volunteer!)

Up to 9.5% 401(k) employer contribution

Mental health support

Career advancement opportunities

Student loan repayment options

Tuition reimbursement

Flexible work environments

• All the benefits listed above are subject to the terms of their individual Plans.

And that’s just the beginning…

With 10,000 employees helping more than 39 million people worldwide, every role at Unum is meaningful and impacts the lives of our customers. Whether you’re directly supporting a growing family, or developing online tools to help navigate a difficult loss, customers are counting on the combined talents of our entire team. Help us help others, and join Team Unum today!

General Summary:Minimum starting hourly rate is $25.97

This is an entry level position within the Benefits Organization. Incumbents in this role are considered trainees and are assigned a formal mentor for 6-12 months until they are assessed as capable of independent work. Specialists are primarily responsible for learning and developing knowledge and behaviors necessary to successfully adjudicate assigned claims, using critical thinking and independent judgment in accordance with our claims philosophy and policies and procedures.

Specialists must demonstrate the ability to effectively manage an assigned caseload, have knowledge of and utilize reporting tools and metrics, the ability to exercise discretion, critical thinking and independent judgment to synthesize various sources of information (interactions with claimants, employers, financial, medical, vocational, contractual and legal) to provide timely claim decision recommendations to QCC/Director with minimal support from Mentor/Director, and demonstrate strong customer service prior to movement to exempt level benefits specialist role.

Principal Duties and Responsibilities

Develop skills to manage a caseload of complex claims; ensuring appropriate sign offs are obtained.  Caseload size may vary by product(s).

Develop an understanding and working knowledge of Unum products, policies/procedures and contracts.

Develop an understanding of the applicable contract/policy definitions and relevant provisions, clauses, exclusions, riders and waivers as well as regulatory and statutory requirements for claim products administered.

Apply contract/policy knowledge and analyze technical and complex contractual knowledge (policies and provisions) to ensure appropriate eligibility requirements, liability decisions and appropriate payee.

Develop problem solving skills by demonstrating analytical/ logical thinking.

Take accountability of the service you provide to internal and external customers with a commitment to creating exceptional customer experiences.

Recognizing multiple service connections through team-based approach and resource partnerships, optimizing results by choosing the best strategies resulting in fair and objective claim decisions.

Verify on-going liability and develop strategies for return-to-work opportunities as appropriate. Develop and strengthen claim validation and return to work techniques, where applicable.

Produce objective, clear documentation and technical rationale for all claim determinations and demonstrate the ability to effectively verbally communicate determinations and recommendations.

Develop knowledge and effectively utilize a broad spectrum of supported resources (to include financial, medical, vocational and BRI support), materials and tools regarding contractual, disability and RTW strategies, as required.

Develop an operating knowledge of the applicable claims system(s).

Coordinate and share information with other products as appropriate.

Provide timely and excellent customer service by paying appropriate claims promptly and quickly responding to all inquiries.

Maintain expected service and quality standards on all assigned claims.

Protects the Company against extra-contractual liabilities by following established guidelines and regulations.

Understanding and demonstration of Our Values and Leadership expectations.

Take ownership and accountability for career and skill development by demonstrating commitment to personal growth and professional development.

Assist in creating an environment that is nimble, creative, and decisive through a culture of curiosity.

Be open to and accepting of change and identify continuous improvement efforts.

Take accountability to be an effective and positive change management champion.

May perform other duties as assigned.

Job Specifications

College Degree preferred or equivalent work experience

Customer service / decision making experience and/or College experience.

Able to utilize claim investigative techniques to identify and evaluate claim information in a fair and objective manner.  Including appropriate identification of resources needed to assist with decision making process for file direction.

Detail oriented; able to analyze and research a variety of complex contractual information.

Able to maintain a high level of confidence to make fair and appropriate decisions even in the face of disagreement, while also being open and flexible to changing opinion based on new information.

Demonstrated ability to operate with a sense of urgency and make balanced claim decisions an