We are seeking a Senior Benefits Specialist to own the day-to-day design, administration, and execution of our benefits programs - health insurance, retirement plans, and wellness initiatives. This is an individual-contributor role for a deep subject-matter expert who delivers results through hands-on expertise and cross-functional execution, resolving complex plan administration issues and managing vendor and broker relationships.
ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES or KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES- Administer benefits plans end to end - health insurance, retirement programs, and wellness initiatives - including enrollment, eligibility, plan changes, and day-to-day troubleshooting, resolving complex or escalated issues that require in-depth evaluation of competing factors (cost, compliance, employee impact).
- Execute benefits initiatives in partnership with HR, Finance, and Legal, ensuring programs run compliantly (ERISA, ACA, HIPAA, COBRA) and cost-effectively day to day.
- Write and maintain the policies and procedures that govern benefits administration; determine the right course of action for new or ambiguous cases where existing procedure doesnt fully cover the situation.
- Produce and manage employee-facing benefits communications (open enrollment materials, plan change notices, FAQs) so employees have clear, accurate, timely information.
- Manage vendor and broker relationships on an ongoing basis, coordinating RFPs, negotiating contract terms, and tracking service-level performance to keep delivery on track.
- Track program performance against operational metrics (cost, utilization, service levels, employee satisfaction) and run improvement initiatives to fix identified gaps.
- Build and maintain reporting/measurement tools that track benefits program impact and employee satisfaction over time.
- Serve as a go-to resource for other benefits and HR staff on complex administration questions, sharing practical know-how and troubleshooting approaches.
- Coordinate with contacts outside the immediate function (legal, finance, external brokers and consultants) as needed to resolve complex administration issues.
SKILLS AND REQUIREMENTS- Bachelors degree plus approximately 8+ years of relevant benefits/total rewards experience, or a
- Deep, advanced knowledge of benefits plan design, administration, and compliance (health & welfare, retirement, wellness).
- Demonstrated experience managing vendor/broker relationships and negotiating service contracts.
- Strong analytical skills, with experience building frameworks to measure program impact and satisfaction.
- Excellent communication and influencing skills; proven ability to adapt style and advise senior stakeholders and partners outside ones immediate area of expertise on complex matters.
- Working knowledge of relevant employment and benefits law (ERISA, ACA, HIPAA, COBRA, etc.); experience partnering with Legal and Finance on compliance matters.
PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS- Prolonged periods of sitting at a desk and working on a computer
- Vision to read printed materials and a computer screen
- Hearing and speech to communicate clearly with employees, vendors, and internal teams
*This is a direct hire. Please, no outside Agency solicitations.
