Benefits Manager; W

ARKA Group L.P. (“ARKA”) is an advanced technologies company serving the U.S. military, intelligence community, and commercial space industry delivering next-generation solutions to support the national security space enterprise. Built on more than six decades of excellence, ARKA brings modern approaches and a culture of innovation to the challenges of today.

Position Overview
The Benefits Manager is responsible for overseeing the design, administration, and communication of all employee benefits programs covering the physical, emotional, and financial well‑being of our employees. This includes but is not limited to health & welfare, wellness, leave/disability, life, and COBRA for >1,000 employees working in 30+ states and the United Kingdom. The role also co‑manages the company’s 401k plan.

This role will work closely with external partners and internal stakeholders to optimize and continuously improve the benefits offerings, ensuring compliance with regulatory requirements and industry best practices. The position is fully on site in Danbury, CT and reports to the Director of Human Resources for ARKA Group and manages a department of two.

Responsibilities

• Benefits Program Management – Manage the design, implementation, and administration of health, welfare, retirement, and wellness programs for the entire company.
• Regulatory Compliance – Ensure benefit programs are compliant with all regulatory requirements. Partners with internal and external legal partners and outside consultants to stay current with changing regulations. Implements all required regulatory and updates plans and policies consistent with changing requirements.
• Program Evaluation – Evaluate existing benefit programs to ensure competitiveness and alignment with the company’s benefits philosophy and goals.
• Open Enrollment – Manage the annual open enrollment process including the evaluation and selection of benefit vendors and system configuration.
• HRIS Collaboration – Manage all benefits‑related HRIS interfaces and actions, partnering with the HRIS manager.
• Employee Support – Be an escalation point for employee benefits questions and issues. Provide oversight of all company, state and federal leave programs, including worker’s compensation leave.
• Leadership & Team Management – Lead a small team of benefit professionals. Set team goals, monitor performance, and foster professional growth. Ensure smooth daily operations of the benefits team and manage workload distribution.
• Vendor Management – Manage relationships with external vendors, brokers, and consultants. Monitor vendor performance to ensure high‑quality service delivery and cost efficiency. Work with benefits broker to ensure an effective renewal process with a focus on quality of services, cost, and implementation. Manage new and existing vendor contracts working closely with our broker and internal partners.
• Compliance & Reporting – Ensure compliance with all federal, state, and local laws, including but not limited to HIPAA, CAA, ERISA, COBRA, Health & Welfare 5500 filings, ACA, annual legal notices and non‑discrimination testing. Oversee audits and reporting requirements for all benefit programs, including the 401k. Maintain accurate documentation and records for regulatory purposes and stay current with new regulations to ensure company compliance in all benefit offerings.
• Strategic Planning & Analysis – Partner with senior leadership to ensure alignment of benefit programs to organizational objectives.
• Employee Communication & Education – Develop and implement communication strategies to ensure employees understand and utilize benefit programs effectively.
• Budget and Financial Management – Manage the budget for all benefits programs. Ensure accurate and timely payment of invoices.

Required Qualifications

• 10+ years of experience in overall benefits management.
• HRIS experience as it relates to benefits management.
• People management experience.
• Experience with leave administration across a multi‑state environment, including experience with workers’ compensation leave management.
• Strong working knowledge of current benefit practices and trends.
• Excellent Microsoft Office skills,…