Director, Benefits – Americas Region (U.S., Canada, Costa Rica)

Director, Benefits – Americas Region (U.S., Canada, Costa Rica)

Location:

Santa Clara, CA or Austin, TX (onsite, 5 days per week)

Reports To:

Managing Director, Global Benefits (Santa Clara, CA)

Role Overview

The Director, Benefits – Americas Region owns the consistent, compliant administration of U.S. health & welfare, retirement, time-off, leave of absence, and wellness programs, including oversight of onsite health and fitness centers. This role also leads benefits program design for Canada and Costa Rica, where day-to-day administration is managed locally.

As a key member of the Global Total Rewards team, the Director partners with cross-functional stakeholders and external vendors to deliver a modern, competitive employee experience aligned with business objectives.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership

• Partner with the Managing Director, Global Benefits, to develop and execute a comprehensive Americas benefits strategy aligned with the global Total Rewards philosophy and local market practice.
• Influence senior leadership on benefits initiatives that support talent attraction, retention, and engagement.

Program & Process Management

• Oversee administration of health (medical, dental, vision), retirement (401(k), deferred compensation), tax-advantaged accounts (HSA, FSA), risk (life, AD&D, disability), paid time off, wellness, and leave of absence programs.
• Manage annual enrollment processes, ensuring accurate and timely execution across all benefits operations.
• Lead benefits due diligence and integration for M&A and divestiture activity.

Compliance & Governance

• Ensure compliance with federal, state, and local regulations, including ERISA and ACA.
• Manage required filings (e.g., Form 5500), plan documents, Summary Plan Descriptions (SPDs), and non-discrimination testing.

Vendor & Budget Management

• Negotiate and manage vendor relationships to optimize cost, quality, and service delivery.
• Monitor benefits trends and market data to inform pricing, cost forecasting, and plan design decisions.

Employee Experience & Communication

• Develop clear, engaging communications and support strategies that build employee understanding of benefits programs.
• Champion wellness initiatives, including onsite health and fitness centers, mental health resources, and financial well-being programs.

Team Leadership

• Lead and develop a U.S.
  
  -based team of benefits professionals, fostering collaboration and continuous improvement.

Qualifications

Education

• Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Business, or a related field required;
  Master's degree preferred.
• CEBS designation a plus, not required.

Experience

• 10+ years in HR, including 5+ years in benefits leadership and 3+ years managing teams.
• Deep expertise in U.S. benefits and retirement plans (401(k) and deferred compensation); experience with Canadian and/or Costa Rican benefits preferred.
• Strong track record in the design, administration, and compliance of health & welfare, retirement, and leave of absence programs.

Skills & Competencies

• Strategic thinker able to influence at all levels of the organization.
• Proven ability to lead teams and manage external vendor partnerships.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, and project management skills.
• Excellent communication and presentation skills.
• Demonstrated vendor management and budget oversight experience.
• Comfortable operating in a global, matrixed environment and navigating ambiguity.

Preferred Experience

• High-tech industry background.
• Exposure to multi-national benefits management.

Additional Information

Time Type:
Full time

Employee Type:
Assignee / Regular

Travel:
Yes, 10% of the Time

Relocation Eligible:
No

The salary offered to a selected candidate will be based on multiple factors including location, hire grade, job-related knowledge, skills, experience, and with consideration of internal equity of our current team members. In addition to a comprehensive benefits package, candidates may be eligible for other forms of compensation such as participation in a bonus and a stock award program, as applicable.

For all sales roles, the posted salary range is the Target Total Cash (TTC) range for the role, which is the sum of base salary and target bonus amount at 100% goal achievement.

Applied Materials is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, national origin, citizenship, ancestry, religion, creed, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, disability, veteran or military status, or any other basis prohibited by law.

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