The Benefits & Compensation Manager leads the design, administration, compliance, and continuous improvement of the organization's benefits, compensation, and leave programs. This role oversees health and welfare plans, retirement plans, leave of absence programs, wellness initiatives, and compensation programs to ensure offerings remain competitive, compliant, cost-effective, and aligned with organizational goals while delivering exceptional employee experience.
Reporting to the Director of Human Resources, this position develops strategic recommendations, program enhancements, operational improvements, and governance practices for management review and approval. The role combines strategic leadership with hands-on operational responsibility and actively participates in day-to-day administration, employee support, compliance activities, and program execution.
Essential Duties and ResponsibilitiesBenefits, Compensation, and Total Rewards Strategy- Oversee and administer employee benefits programs, including medical, dental, vision, life, disability, retirement, wellness, employee assistance, leave of absence, and voluntary benefits.
- Support compensation programs through market pricing, salary benchmarking, job evaluations, pay structure administration, and compensation analysis.
- Develop and recommend benefit, compensation, and Total Rewards strategies that support organizational objectives, workforce needs, recruitment, retention, and employee engagement.
- Analyze utilization, claims, cost, compensation, demographic, employee feedback, and market data to support program design, budgeting, forecasting, and strategic decision-making.
- Lead annual Open Enrollment activities and support annual compensation review processes.
Leave of Absence and Accommodation Management- Oversee and administer employee leave programs, including federal, state, local, and company-sponsored leaves of absence.
- Manage compliance with FMLA, ADA, state leave laws, workers' compensation coordination, military leave, parental leave, and other applicable leave and accommodation requirements.
- Coordinate and support ADA accommodations, the interactive process, return-to-work programs, and related employee and manager guidance.
- Partner with managers, employees, legal counsel, and third-party administrators to ensure compliant and effective leave and accommodation administration.
- Serve as the escalation point for complex leave, accommodation, and return-to-work matters.
Compliance, Governance, and Audits- Ensure compliance with all applicable federal, state, and local laws governing employee benefits, retirement plans, health and welfare plans, and leave programs, including ERISA, ACA, COBRA, HIPAA, FMLA, ADA, and applicable state regulations.
- Monitor regulatory developments, compliance requirements, emerging trends, and market changes that may require program modifications or present opportunities for improvement.
- Maintain plan documentation, filings, compliance records, reporting requirements, and governance processes.
- Lead internal and external benefits-related audits, including compliance, eligibility, payroll, retirement, carrier, and dependent verification audits, ensuring accurate documentation, timely responses, and corrective action as needed.
Administration, Vendor Management, and Systems- Oversee and actively participate in day-to-day benefits, leave, and compensation administration, including enrollments, life events, terminations, claims support, employee inquiries, and compensation transactions.
- Review and approve transactions processed by the Benefits Administrator and serve as an escalation point for complex employee and vendor issues.
- Manage relationships with carriers, brokers, third-party administrators, retirement providers, consultants, and other benefit partners.
- Lead vendor implementations, system integrations, and process improvement initiatives to enhance efficiency, data integrity, reporting, and employee experience.
- Serve as the functional subject matter expert for benefits-related HRIS, payroll, and vendor systems.
- Develop and utilize reporting, dashboards, analytics, and metrics to support leadership decision-making and program effectiveness.
Collaboration and Leadership- Partner with HR leadership to align benefits programs with compensation, Total Rewards, recruitment, retention, and employee experience strategies.
- Provide direction, coaching, and support to the Benefits Administrator.
- Lead, educate, and support HR team members on benefits programs, policies, systems, and tools to enable effective employee service and issue resolution.
- Collaborate cross-functionally with Finance, Payroll, Legal, ERISA counsel, Information Technology, Risk Management, brokers, vendors, and other stakeholders to achieve organizational objectives, ensure compliance, support plan governance, and successfully implement benefits initiatives.
- Build and maintain strong partnerships with internal stakeholders and external advisors to balance employee needs, organizational objectives, compliance requirements, operational effectiveness, and financial stewardship.
- Serve as the organization's subject matter expert and trusted advisor on all benefits-related matters.
Qualifications- Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, Finance, or a related field, or equivalent combination of education and experience.
- Five or more years of progressive experience in benefits administration, compensation, leave management, and compliance.
- Strong knowledge of employee benefits, compensation practices, leave administration, and applicable regulations.
- Experience with HRIS, benefits administration systems, compensation analysis, reporting, analytics, and process improvement.
- Experience managing vendors, brokers, carriers, consultants, and third-party administrators.
- Strong analytical, organizational, communication, project management, and problem-solving skills.
- Ability to balance strategic planning with hands-on operational execution.
- Experience supporting self-funded health plans preferred.
- CEBS, CCP, SHRM-CP/SCP, PHR, or related certification preferred.
