Benefits Associate

We are seeking a detail-oriented and proactive Benefits Associate to support the administration and continuous improvement of our global benefits programs. This role will serve as a key point of contact for employees, vendors, and internal stakeholders, ensuring a seamless benefits experience across the U.S. and international populations.

The ideal candidate will have strong benefits administration experience, exceptional analytical skills, a service-oriented mindset, and a passion for leveraging technology and AI-driven solutions to improve processes and employee experience.

• Administer and support employee benefits programs across the U.S., including California-specific requirements, and international benefit offerings.
• Serve as a primary contact for employee benefits inquiries and resolve issues in a timely and professional manner.
• Partner with benefits vendors, brokers, and internal stakeholders to ensure accurate enrollment, eligibility, billing, and ongoing administration.
• Coordinate new hire enrollments, life event changes, annual open enrollment activities, and benefits terminations.
• Monitor compliance with applicable federal, state, and local benefits regulations.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with third-party benefits providers and insurance carriers.
• Manage escalations and work with vendors to resolve participant and operational issues.
• Ensure vendors meet service-level agreements and support organizational objectives.

• Generate and analyze benefits-related reports to identify trends, opportunities, and potential issues.
• Leverage advanced Excel skills, including Pivot Tables, IF statements, VLOOKUP/XLOOKUPs, and data validation techniques.
• Support audits, reporting requests, benefits reconciliations, and data integrity initiatives.

• Utilize AI tools and emerging technologies to drive automation, improve workflows, and enhance operational efficiency.
• Identify opportunities to streamline benefits processes and improve the employee experience.
• Document procedures and implement best practices for scalable benefits administration.

• Support and lead benefits-related projects, including system implementations, vendor transitions, process enhancements, and annual enrollment initiatives.
• Manage project timelines, stakeholder communications, and deliverables to ensure successful execution.
• Collaborate cross-functionally with HR, Payroll, Finance, and external partners.

• Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or a related field, or equivalent experience.
• 4+ years of benefits administration experience.
• Experience supporting U.S. benefits programs, including California employees, and international benefits administration.
• Proven experience working directly with benefits vendors and managing employee benefits inquiries.
• Strong analytical and reporting skills with advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel (Pivot Tables, IF formulas, lookups, reporting, and data analysis).
• Demonstrated project management and organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities.
• Strong communication and customer service skills.
• Experience using AI tools or automation technologies to improve processes and operational efficiency.

• Experience working with self-funded medical plans.
• Experience with HRIS and benefits administration platforms.
• Knowledge of benefits compliance and reporting requirements.
• Professional certifications such as CEBS, SHRM, or related designations are a plus.