Sr. Benefits Specialist

Senior Benefits Analyst

Airbus Commercial is looking for an Senior Benefits Analyst to join our Human Resources team.

This position is open to the following business locations:
Herndon, VA, Mobile, AL or Wichita, Kansas.

Are you a benefits professional who thrives on balancing precise plan compliance with an exceptional employee experience? Unical Aviation, Inc., in partnership with the broader Airbus network in the United States, is seeking an analytical and collaborative Senior Benefits Analyst.

In this role, you will serve as the internal subject matter expert for our US employee retirement, health, and welfare benefit plans. Partnering closely with your Total Rewards colleagues, you will directly influence plan design, streamline system implementation, and ensure top-tier service delivery. If you enjoy solving complex plan challenges, managing key vendor partnerships, and driving regulatory excellence, this role offers an incredible platform to make a meaningful impact.

Meet the Team:

Working in our Human Resources department, it's our mission to help support Airbus' greatest assets: our team members. Our team works cross-departmentally as well as with our global counterparts to ensure we are making a positive impact on all aspects of our employee experience.

Your Working Environment:

The Washington, D.C. metro area is home to multiple Airbus offices:
In our nation's capital you will find the Airbus Experience Center, a collection of interactive, multimedia exhibitions highlighting the extensive role the company plays in the aviation, aerospace and defense industries in the U.S. and around the world. The D.C. area is also home to our regional corporate headquarters – located adjacent to Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD) - it makes flying in a breeze!

How We Care for You:

• Financial Rewards:
  Competitive base salary, incentive compensation which may include profit sharing schemes, retirement savings plan and the ability to participate in an Employee Stock Ownership Plan ("ESOP")
• Work/Life Balance:
  Paid time off including personal time, holidays and a generous paid parental leave program.
• Health & Welfare:
  Comprehensive insurance coverage including medical (traditional and high-deductible health plans), prescription, dental, vision, life, disability, Employee Assistance Plan ("EAP") and other supplemental benefit coverages.
• Individual Development:
  Upskilling and development opportunities through our global Leadership University, including unlimited access to 10,000+ e-learning courses focusing on ways to develop your employability, certifications, career path as well as the opportunity to participate in accelerated development programmes and both national and international mobility.

Your Challenges:

Plan Administration, Operations & Communication: 50%

• Subject Matter Expertise:
  Serve as the internal expert on plan operations, facilitating accurate benefit delivery in strict accordance with plan contracts and provisions.
• Leave of Absence Management:
  Supervise the Leave of Absence process; act as the central liaison between third-party providers, internal HR Business Partners/Specialists, and employees regarding FMLA, STD, and LTD requests.
• Advanced Problem Solving:
  Research complex plan issues, diagnose root causes, and develop fully documented, actionable alternative solutions.
• Open Enrollment Leadership:
  Support annual Open Enrollment by reviewing/editing communications, coordinating timelines, validating system architectures within the benefit portals, and assisting with employee elections.
• Data & System Integrity:
  Maintain employee benefits portals, audit HRIS data to ensure precise benefit contributions and payroll deductions, and monitor new hire processing.
• Strategic Communications:
  Review and distribute critical employee benefit communications and required plan documents in adherence to the controlled group's terms.

Compliance & Regulatory Oversight: 35%

• Audit & Testing Management:
  Facilitate annual audits and non-discrimination testing for retirement plans, health and welfare plans, and annual Affordable Care Act (ACA) filings.
• Regulatory Reporting:
  Serve as the primary point of contact for external plan auditors, preparing all necessary data for Form 5500 filings, control group testing, and annual wrap document updates.
• Process Optimization:
  Identify and document structural improvements to compliance workflows to seamlessly track legislative mandates, new regulations, or organizational restructurings.
• Corrective Action Leadership:
  Act as the project leader for plan compliance correction processes and coordinate direct responses to external government and accounting audits.
• Vendor Alignment:
  Ensure vendor, carrier, record-keeper, and advisor service delivery strictly aligns with compliance standards and contractual plan terms.
• Internal
  
  Education:
  
  Inform and educate internal HR colleagues regarding upcoming regulatory updates and required compliance actions.

Financials, Benchmarking & Special Projects: 10%

• Financial…