Associate Director of Benefits & Payroll

Husch Blackwell LLP is a full-service litigation and business law firm with multiple locations across the United States, serving clients with domestic and international operations.

At Husch Blackwell we believe that diverse, equitable and inclusive teams lead to better outcomes. Husch Blackwell is committed to retaining, recruiting, developing, and promoting talented lawyers and business professionals with diverse backgrounds and experiences. We foster an engaged, diverse, and inclusive team culture of accountability and purpose that makes our Firm and our communities better.

Our firm is committed to attracting and retaining professionals who value each other and the service we provide by embracing Teamwork, Collaboration, Client Service, and Innovation. If you are a motivated professional looking for a long-term fit where you can grow in a role, and will be valued and empowered, then we invite you to apply to our Associate Director of Benefits & Payroll position.

This position may be filled remotely, or in any of our locations.

The Associate Director of Benefits & Payroll serves as a senior subject matter expert for employee benefits, payroll, retirement and well-being programs. Reporting to the Senior Director of HR Operations & Total Rewards, this role provides operational leadership, technical expertise and strategic consultation to support the firm’s Total Rewards objectives.

The Associate Director is responsible for the effective administration, governance and continuous improvement of assigned programs while ensuring an exceptional employee experience, operational excellence and regulatory compliance. Working closely with leaders across People & Culture, Finance and external partners, this position recommends solutions, leads key initiatives and helps translate organizational priorities into effective programs and services. Essential functions include:

• Lead the design, implementation, and ongoing management of all health, welfare, and ancillary benefit programs.
• Serve as a standing member of the firm’s Healthcare Committee, contributing to plan oversight, fiduciary governance, and decision-making.
• Partner closely with the firm’s brokers, consultants, and vendor partners across all benefit domains, including health and welfare, retirement, and well being.
• Oversee compliance with ERISA, IRS, DOL, HIPAA, ACA, and COBRA requirements, ensuring all plans meet regulatory obligations.
• Manage annual plan renewals, vendor evaluations, and request-for-proposal (RFP) processes, ensuring program competitiveness and fiscal stewardship.
• Direct and participate in annual audits and compliance reviews for health and retirement plans, including collaboration with external auditors and internal accounting.
• Monitor and analyze benefits trends and benchmark data to inform recommendations for plan design and cost optimization.
• Develop and maintain employee communications and educational resources related to benefit programs.
• Monitor benefit program performance and recommend opportunities to improve the employee experience, operational efficiency and program effectiveness.

• Oversee the day-to-day management and governance of the firm’s employee retirement programs, ensuring efficient administration, operational excellence and regulatory compliance
• Coordinate with recordkeepers, consultants, legal counsel and internal stakeholders to support effective plan administration and governance.
• Manage relationships with external retirement service providers, including establishing service expectations, monitoring performance and identifying opportunities to improve participant service and administrative efficiency.
• Partner with Finance regarding the administration and governance of partner retirement programs, ensuring clear coordination of responsibilities between People & Culture and Partner Accounting.
• Support Retirement Committee activities by coordinating meeting materials, reporting, vendor reviews and governance documentation.
• Oversee employee retirement communications and education initiatives to promote understanding and engagement.
• Monitor regulatory and legislative developments affecting…