Job Posting Location: Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, United States

Functional Area: Human Resources

Working Model: Hybrid

Days of Work: Friday, Thursday, Wednesday, Tuesday, Monday

Shift: 5X8

Relocation Available: No

Requisition ID: 12388

Position Summary:

The Benefits Manager is responsible for the strategic administration and day-to-day management of the organization's comprehensive benefits and leave programs, including health, welfare, retirement, and wellness offerings. This role ensures accurate and compliant delivery of benefits through oversight of enrollments, eligibility, payroll deductions, and vendor partnerships, while serving as the primary escalation point for complex employee benefit and leave issues.

The position leads key initiatives such as annual open enrollment, employee education, and process improvements to enhance the overall employee experience. Additionally, the Benefits Manager ensures full compliance with federal and state regulations (including ERISA, ACA, HIPAA, COBRA, FMLA, and ADA), supports audits, and coordinates with internal stakeholders and external vendors to maintain operational excellence.

This role requires strong analytical judgment, attention to detail, and the ability to manage multiple programs, systems, and relationships while continuously identifying opportunities for efficiency, compliance, and program enhancement.

Responsibilities: Essential Duties

- Administer and oversee medical, dental, vision, life insurance, disability, wellness, and voluntary benefits programs.
- Manage complex employee benefits issues, escalations, and vendor coordination.
- Ensure accurate enrollments, life event changes, eligibility processing, and payroll deductions within HRIS and benefits platforms.
- Conduct regular audits, reconciliations, and data validation to ensure billing and enrollment accuracy.
- Partner with brokers, carriers, payroll, finance, and HR leadership on plan administration and enhancements.
- Lead the end-to-end annual open enrollment process, including project planning, timelines, testing, employee communications, system configuration, vendor coordination, and post-enrollment audits.
- Develop and execute employee education strategies and materials to improve benefits awareness and participation.
- Identify opportunities to streamline enrollment processes and improve employee experience through automation and process improvements.
- Support administration of leave programs including FMLA, ADA, state leave programs, parental leave, disability, military leave, and workers' compensation coordination.
- Serve as an escalation point for complex leave cases and accommodations.
- Coordinate with third-party administrators and payroll teams to ensure accurate leave tracking and pay administration.
- Administer 401(k) and retirement plans including eligibility, enrollments, contribution changes, loans, hardship withdrawals, and distributions.
- Coordinate retirement plan compliance activities, annual audits, nondiscrimination testing, and Form 5500 preparation.

- Ensure compliance with ERISA, COBRA, ACA, HIPAA, FMLA, ADA, and other applicable federal and state regulations.
- Support internal and external audits and maintain documentation for compliance purposes.

The job function listed is not exhaustive and shall also include any responsibilities as assigned by the Supervisor from time to time.
General: It shall be the duty of every employee while at work to take reasonable care for safety and health of himself/herself and other persons.

Expertise: Knowledge & Skills

• Requires full working knowledge of relevant business practices and procedures in professional field. Uses standard theories, principles and concepts and integrates them to propose course of action.
• Works under general supervision. Relies on experience and judgement to plan and accomplish assigned goals. May periodically assist in orienting, training, and/or reviewing the work of other peers.
• Judgement is required in resolving all day-to-day problems.
• Contacts are primarily with department supervisors, leads, subordinates, and peers. Frequent contact with external contractors/vendors.

Hybrid schedule working Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday in office

Salary Range: $120,000 - $145,000