Manager, Benefits

This job plays a pivotal role in ensuring that our benefits programs are not just effective, but also a testament to our dedication to our employees' well-being and professional growth. The Benefits Manager will spearhead the development and administration of benefits programs that are not only highly valued and utilized but also cost-effective. These programs are designed to attract, engage, and retain a diverse and exceptional workforce. In this role, you will oversee the entire lifecycle of our benefits programs, from the initial research and proposal stages to implementation, administration, legal compliance, and evaluation of employee utilization and value. Responsibilities: Leads a team of benefits professionals, supports their development, and partners with People Organization team stakeholders to implement and support employee benefit programs. Provides strategic expertise regarding benefit strategy, market trends, legislation, and benefit policy/plan design. Designs, evaluates, and recommends new or enhanced benefit programs aligned with changing employee needs and business landscape, using data driven insights, market benchmarking, cost analysis, and employee impact. Leads vendor selection activities (including RFPs), contract negotiations and reviews, and completion of required agreements and security reviews. Oversees health and welfare, well-being, and related benefit programs to ensure alignment with employee needs and business priorities. Monitors vendor performance to confirm service commitments are met. Directs the implementation and ongoing administration of benefit programs, including employee communications and education. Ensures programs meet legal and regulatory requirements, including required filings, plan documents, and employee notices, and that these are completed accurately and on time. Partners with Total Rewards leadership to set priorities and align time and resources to business needs. Identifies and escalates issues that may affect the company, legal compliance, vendor contracts or service changes, the budget, or employees. Consults with the Benefits Consultant, internal Legal, ERISA counsel, and other subject matter experts as needed to support informed decision-making. Oversees benefits systems and data integrations, including open enrollment to ensure accurate data, strong security controls, and efficient operations. Develops and manages the annual benefits budget. Partners with Finance to forecast costs, analyze variances, and recommend corrective actions as needed. Qualifications: Minimum Qualifications 8+ years w/Bachelor's degree; 1+ years supervisory/management Additional experience may be accepted in lieu of education or degree Additional Experience Minimum 6 years experience in health and welfare benefits management. Experience overseeing benefit enrollment/administration software systems to support employee self-service in online enrollment, education, and plan selection decision making. Experience working for a benefits broker in addition to managing corporate benefits a plus. Experience managing service levels vs. Service Level Agreements of benefits broker and vendor/carriers a plus. Knowledge, Skills, Abilities Ability to manage and mentor/develop a diverse team of benefits professionals of varying experience levels. Includes organizational skills to assign work that successfully engages, develops and cross-trains direct reports. Also includes ability to successfully manage remote, and in-office staff. In-depth knowledge of current health & welfare, well-being, and retirement medical programs required to compete for high caliber talent Strong understanding of legal/regulatory and compliance challenges related to benefits programs. Includes ERISA and IRS regulations, government filings such as 5500's, ACA reporting, non-discrimination testing, summary annual reports, summary plan descriptions, etc. Solid understanding of leave administration, workers' compensation and associated l