Benefits Specialist

James Hardie is the industry leader in exterior home and outdoor living solutions, with a portfolio that includes fiber cement, fiber gypsum, composite and PVC decking and railing products. Our family of trusted brands includes Hardie®, Timber Tech®, AZEK® Exteriors, Versatex®, fermacell®, and Stru Xure®.

With over 8,000 employees and our U.S. operating entities headquartered in Chicago, we boast 31 operating sites, 6 recycling facilities, and 6 research and development centers globally. Powered by a dynamic workforce, we’re united by our purpose of Building a Better Future for All™ through sustainable innovation, a Zero Harm culture, and a commitment to empowering our people and communities.

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The Benefits Specialist is responsible for the day-to-day administration and support of James Hardie employee benefit programs, with a primary focus on health and welfare benefits and retirement plan administration. This role serves as a key resource for employees, managers, HR Business Partners, Payroll, and external vendors by providing exceptional customer service, ensuring accurate processing of benefit transactions, supporting compliance activities, and assisting with continuous improvement initiatives.

This role reports to the Benefits Director and is based at the Chicago corporate office.

• Administer employee benefit programs including medical, dental, vision, life insurance, disability, health savings accounts (HSA), flexible spending accounts (FSA), voluntary benefits, employee assistance programs (EAP), COBRA, and retirement plans.
• Partner with third-party administrators, insurance carriers, and internal teams to resolve escalated employee benefit issues and enrollment discrepancies.
• Monitor eligibility file feeds and benefit administration system transactions to ensure data accuracy and compliance.
• Conduct routine audits of employee benefit data and identify opportunities for process improvements and enhanced controls.
• Maintain benefit plan documentation, administrative procedures, and employee-facing materials.

• Support day-to-day administration of the Company's 401(k) and retirement programs, working closely with recordkeepers, trustees, payroll, and external vendors.
• Assist with retirement plan funding processes, contribution file validation, and reconciliation activities.
• Research and resolve participant inquiries related to eligibility, enrollments, distributions, loans, beneficiary updates, and contribution elections.
• Support annual compliance testing, audit requests, and data collection efforts related to retirement plans.
• Assist with retirement plan communications, employee education initiatives, and promotional activities to increase employee awareness and engagement.
• Coordinate with vendors to ensure accurate plan administration and timely resolution of participant issues.

• Develop and maintain productive relationships with benefit vendors, carriers, brokers, and third-party administrators.
• Investigate and resolve service issues, eligibility concerns, claim escalations, and administrative discrepancies in partnership with vendors.
• Participate in vendor performance reviews and support implementation of service improvements.
• Assist with testing, implementation, and enhancement activities related to benefits and HR systems.

• Support compliance with ERISA, HIPAA, COBRA, ACA, and other applicable federal, state, and local regulations governing employee benefits programs.
• Assist with regulatory reporting, compliance audits, and documentation requirements, including support for Form 5500 and ACA reporting processes.
• Monitor administrative processes to…