Rewards Benefits Manager - North America

At Suntory Global Spirits, we craft spirits of the highest quality and deliver brilliant experiences to people around the world. Suntory Global Spirits has evolved into the world’s third largest leading premium spirits company where each employee is treated like family and trusted with legacy.

At Suntory Global Spirits ("SGS"), we craft spirits of the highest quality and deliver brilliant experiences to people around the world. As the world’s third‑largest premium spirits company, we are driven by our purpose, our legacy, and our people. We are a company where every individual is trusted to make an impact, challenge the status quo, and unleash their spirit every day.

Role Mission

This role will be responsible for the day‑to‑day management of Americas (Canada, US, US VI, and Mexico) employee benefit plans to ensure all plans meet strategic objectives. This role will maintain strong relationships with our HR People Solutions team and multiple third‑party administrative vendors and consultants. They will stay well-informed on legislative and regulatory developments and ensure full compliance. The role is also responsible for developing recommendations that are aligned with company strategy and goals.

The successful candidate will enable our Total Rewards philosophy to be an employer of choice, building business cases and analysis, utilizing industry trends, market benchmarking and internal metrics, to support successful outcomes that enhance our employee experience and positive results. The individual will work closely with People, Culture and Communications teams and other cross‑functional teams to implement benefit programs and policies that provide positive impacts and inspire our employees to “unleash their spirit”.

Outcomes/Success Criteria

(Insert 3-5 specific and measurable indicators of success for this role. How will the candidate know they are successful? Ensure the outcomes are candidate‑centric.)

• Successfully deliver and proactively manage market‑leading Americas Benefit programs, policies and processes. Quickly adapting to the SGS ways of working, learning our programs, policies and processes to provide subject matter expertise to colleagues and employees.
• Assist with development of employee benefits strategy to ensure programs are market competitive, cost competitive and aligned with company strategy, and oversee the implementation of approved plan design changes.
• Monitor internal metrics, industry and workforce trends, as well as regulatory and legislative changes, working with Total Rewards leadership to develop the benefits strategy and implement changes. Ensuring all plan related documents are accurate and up to date (SPD, plan documents, information on intranet, etc.)
• Develop and execute communication strategies to ensure all parties are fully informed of benefit plan changes and improve employee understanding, promoting our strategic agenda and fostering an appreciation of the value of all Americas benefit programs and services to employees through the employment life cycle, including new hires, open enrollment, retirement and respond to escalated issues from the HR People Solutions team.

Manage multiple third‑party vendor relationships to ensure efficient and effective administration of all Americas benefit plans. Continually evaluate internal and external administrative processes. Select and regularly evaluate all third‑party vendors and service providers to ensure programs are managed by high quality, technically savvy, and financially sound organizations.

• Thorough knowledge of the full spectrum of employee benefit plans including 401(k), health and welfare plans (medical, wellness, dental, vision, life insurance, disability, workers’ compensation).
• Proven skill set to include analytical, critical thinking, statistical and problem‑solving abilities to ensure compliance, consistent interpretation and application of plans, thorough knowledge of other related benefit plan design and administration.
• Demonstrated success in building and maintaining relationships with multiple third‑party vendors, HR partners and…