Senior Manager

The Senior Manager, Benefits owns benefits strategy, vendor relationships, and compliance direction for the organization, and provides management oversight of the team members who handle day-to-day benefits administration. The ideal candidate sets strategy and represents Benefits with leadership, while managing and coaching the benefits administrator and a part-time benefits coordinator to keep execution accurate and on track. This is not a hands-on processing role: it's a strategic and managerial one, for someone who can delegate well, build repeatable process, and step in personally only on the complex, escalated, or high-stakes issues.

• Develop and evolve benefits strategy that supports talent attraction, retention, and the organization's total rewards philosophy.
• Conduct benchmarking and market analysis to inform plan design, funding, and policy decisions.
• Partner with broker and internal Communications team on benefits branding, ensuring employee and candidate facing materials clearly and compellingly showcase the organization's benefits offerings.

• Build and manage strategic relationships with benefits vendors and internal stakeholders, holding partners accountable to long-term value and service levels.
• Monitor vendor performance and compliance with service level agreements.
• Lead vendor RFPs, selection, and contract negotiation to ensure partners align with organizational goals and budget.
• Coordinate governance activities for the organization's retirement plan oversight body, including scheduling meetings, preparing agendas and materials, and overseeing maintenance of official records and minutes.
• Monitor the regulatory landscape and advise leadership on compliance risk, plan design implications, and mitigation strategies.
• Translate benefits data and process performance into insights and recommendations for senior leadership.
• Manage and coach the benefits administrator and part-time benefits coordinator, setting priorities and reviewing their work for accuracy and compliance.
• Serve as the escalation point for complex eligibility, claims, or vendor issues the admin team can't resolve on their own.
• Build and maintain documentation and process guides so administration doesn't depend on any one person, and onboard the coordinator role smoothly.
• Support automation initiatives using HRIS and benefits platforms to reduce manual work and errors.
• Evaluate and recommend automation tools, workflows, and system enhancements.

• Direct the project management and communication for Open Enrollment, flu shot clinics, regulatory updates, etc., delegating execution to the admin team.
• Recommend and plan targeted Wellness events (flu shot clinics, financial seminars, etc.).
• Ensure the team's support is responsive, accessible, knowledgeable, and empathetic.

• 8+ years of experience in benefits management, spanning both benefits strategy/plan design and hands on program administration

Previous experience working in benefits or a related field at a mid to large size employer

• Proven ability to develop benefits strategy, including market benchmarking and plan design, to support talent attraction and retention
• Working knowledge of benefits compliance and regulatory requirements, with the ability to advise leadership on risk and mitigation strategies
• Strong understanding of benefits administration systems, file feeds, and integration technologies
• Excellent analytical, problem solving, and project management skills
• Strong communication and stakeholder management skills
• CEBS, CBP, and any SHRM designations are a plus

Prior experience in benefits brokerage is a plus

Exempt

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