National Benefits Manager

It s more than a job

This Kuehne+Nagel Human Resources role covers recruiting, compensation, talent management and… toys. Yes, toys. Because your efforts create a functional and positive workplace that allows teams to stay focused on helping toy manufacturers, for example, get their products to stores and children around the world. Working in HR at Kuehne+Nagel brings more joy than we imagine.

The National Benefits Manager is responsible for leading the strategic design, and development of the organization’s national benefits programs in the United States. This role steers the evolution of benefit offerings by evaluating current policies, identifying opportunities for improvement, and ensuring alignment with organizational goals and workforce needs. Working closely with Total Rewards/HR leadership, senior leadership, and external partners, this position drives initiatives that enhance the employee experience, strengthen workplace culture, and support talent attraction and retention.

Through effective communication, data-driven insights, and continuous program optimization, the National Benefits Manager ensures that benefits strategies promote employee well‑being, reduce absenteeism, increase engagement, and contribute to a positive, productive work environment. This role is a strategic individual contributor and subject matter expert reporting into the Global Total Rewards Partner within the Total Rewards Center of Excellence.

• Lead the design, and continuous improvement of national benefits programs—including health plans, retirement savings (401k), mobility and car programs, vacation policies, fitness and well‑being initiatives, and mental health offerings.
• Ensure programs are competitive, cost‑effective, and aligned with organizational strategy.

• Partner with the HR Service Delivery team to develop clear, user‑friendly communication materials and training resources to support new or updated benefits programs.
• Deliver presentations, informational sessions, and toolkits that promote understanding, utilization, and employee engagement.

• Ensure national benefits initiatives adhere to global Total Rewards standards while reflecting local needs and market practices.
• Conduct ongoing analysis of market data, benchmarking studies, and regulatory changes to inform program adjustments and maintain competitive positioning.

• Guide HR teams (including national benefits administration team) and local HR stakeholders (HR managers, HRBPs) through benefits‑related changes by providing training, documentation, and compliance support.
• Gather ongoing feedback from internal partners and translate insights into recommendations for the Global Total Rewards Partner to support continuous improvement.

• Minimum of 7 years of progressive experience in employee benefits management including plan design taking a hands‑on approach.
• Bachelor s degree in Human Resources, Business, Finance or a related field.
• Proficiency in Excel and Microsoft Suite.
• Analytical skills to problem‑solve, interpret, and simplify data.
• Strong knowledge of benefits laws and regulations, ERISA benefits certification highly preferred.
• Exceptional leadership, communication, interpersonal, and problem‑solving skills.
• Self‑starter who is attention to detail-oriented and possess a continious improvement mindset.
• Proficiency in HRIS systems and benefits‑related software.
• 4 days onsite, 1 day remote.
• Headquartered in downtown Jersey City.

At Kuehne+Nagel we strive daily to inspire, empower, and deliver not only to our customers, but also to our colleagues. We offer a dynamic global work environment with opportunities for excellent training programs and career mobility. The target base salary range for this position is between $110,000 and $140,000. Base salary is part of a competitive total rewards package that includes health and welfare benefits, a 401k retirement savings plan, tuition reimbursement, and incentive compensation for eligible roles.

Individual…