Manager, North America & Leave Administration - Global Industrial

Position: Manager, North America Benefits & Leave Administration - Global Industrial
Job Summary The Manager, North America Benefits & Leave Administration is responsible for overseeing the delivery, governance, and performance of outsourced benefits and leave administration services across the United States and Canada. This role serves as the primary internal owner of the employee experience related to Health & Welfare, Retirement, and Leave programs, ensuring vendor partners deliver high-quality, compliant, and employee-focused services.

The position provides leadership for benefits and leave escalations, vendor performance management, operational compliance, service delivery oversight, and continuous improvement activities. The Manager partners closely with Total Rewards, Payroll, HR Operations, People Systems, business leaders, and third-party vendors to ensure employees receive timely and effective support while maintaining compliance with applicable regulatory requirements.

Responsibilities Benefits & Leave Service Delivery Management
· Oversee the employee experience associated with outsourced Health & Welfare, Retirement, Disability, and Leave Administration programs.
· Serve as the internal owner of benefits, retirement, and leave administration service delivery for employees across the United States and Canada.
· Monitor service delivery performance, employee feedback, case trends, and operational metrics to ensure a high-quality employee experience.
· Identify and address service gaps, operational risks, and improvement opportunities related to benefits, retirement, and leave administration.

Employee Escalation Management
· Act as the primary point of escalation for complex, sensitive, or high-impact issues related to Health & Welfare benefits, retirement plans, leave administration, disability programs, and vendor-supported services.
· Partner with vendors, Payroll, HR Operations, People Systems, and HR leadership to resolve employee concerns requiring elevated support.
· Advocate for employees and ensure timely resolution of escalated issues.
· Monitor escalation trends and implement corrective actions where needed.

Vendor Management & Accountability
· Manage operational relationships with benefits administration, leave administration, disability, and related service providers.
· Establish and monitor service delivery expectations, performance metrics, service-level agreements, and operational commitments.
· Conduct regular reviews of vendor performance, operational trends, and employee experience outcomes.
· Hold vendors accountable for contractual obligations, service quality, compliance requirements, and performance commitments.
· Partner with benefits administration, retirement administration, leave administration, disability, and related service providers to address operational issues, improve service delivery, and enhance employee experience.

Compliance & Governance
· Provide compliance oversight activities associated with Health & Welfare, Retirement, and Leave Administration programs, including applicable regulatory, reporting, and fiduciary support requirements.
· Partner with Total Rewards, Legal, Payroll, and HR leadership to ensure vendor-supported programs align with applicable regulatory requirements.
· Support audits, compliance reviews, regulatory reporting, and governance activities.
· Monitor changes in legislation and program requirements that may impact service delivery or operational processes.
· Maintain operational controls and documentation supporting compliance and risk mitigation efforts.

Qualifications
· Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or related field.
· 7+ years of progressive experience in benefits administration, leave administration, HR operations, or shared services.
· 5+ years of people leadership experience.
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