Director, Benefits & Total Rewards

Director, Benefits & Total Rewards

Seattle, Washington, United States

Umoja Biopharma is an industry-leading biotech with locations in Seattle, WA and Louisville, CO, focused on transforming the treatment of cancer with a novel integrated immunotherapy platform. Our vision is to develop off-the-shelf therapies capable of treating any tumor, any time. We are a diverse and growing team working in brand-new facilities in downtown Seattle, Washington and Louisville, Colorado, and we are looking for innovative thinkers who are excited by groundbreaking science and technology, and passionate about squaring up to the challenges inherent to cutting-edge drug development.

We are committed to our core values and principles that support our overall mission and strongly invite applications from enthusiastic individuals who share our commitment and help position Umoja to deliver on our goals. We at Umoja believe in the importance of stories; we are looking for great people to join our team to help us create more stories for ourselves, for you, and most importantly for patients and their families.

Umoja Biopharma – Your Body. Your Hope. Your Cure.

POSITION SUMMARY

The Director, Benefits & Total Rewards is responsible for the design, strategy, administration, and continuous improvement of the company's total rewards programs, with a primary emphasis on benefits strategy, vendor management, plan administration, compliance, and employee experience. This role leads the development and execution of competitive, scalable, and compliant health and welfare, retirement, leave, wellbeing, and recognition programs that support the organization's talent strategy and business objectives.

Reporting to the VP of Human Resources, the Director, Benefits & Total Rewards will serve as the company's subject matter expert on benefits and broader rewards philosophy, ensuring programs are market-competitive, cost-effective, operationally sound, and aligned with the company's culture and growth stage. This position will collaborate closely with Finance, Legal, Payroll, HR Operations, and external brokers and vendors to deliver a seamless and employee-centered rewards experience.

Potential Applicants, please note this position's primary focus is Benefits and not Compensation.

CORE ACCOUNTABILITIES

Benefits Strategy & Program Leadership

• Lead the strategy, design, implementation, and ongoing administration of the company's health and welfare programs, including medical, dental, vision, life and disability insurance, retirement plans, leave programs, wellness initiatives, and other employee benefits.
• Develop and evolve a forward-looking benefits strategy that supports talent attraction, retention, employee wellbeing, and organizational scalability.
• Assess current programs and recommend enhancements based on business needs, employee feedback, utilization trends, benchmarking, and cost considerations.
• Partner with leadership to define a long-term benefits philosophy that aligns with the company's values, growth plans, and total rewards strategy.
• Evaluate the competitiveness and effectiveness of benefit offerings relative to market practice, with an eye toward balancing employee experience with fiscal responsibility.

Benefits Administration & Operations

• Oversee all aspects of day-to-day benefits administration, including enrollments, life event changes, eligibility, plan changes, claims escalations, and employee communications.
• Ensure accurate and timely coordination of benefits processes with Payroll, HRIS, HR Operations, and external administrators.
• Lead annual open enrollment strategy and execution, including plan design recommendations, employee communications, education sessions, systems testing, and issue resolution.
• Manage and optimize benefits administration processes, systems, workflows, and controls to improve efficiency, compliance, and service delivery.
• Monitor benefit plan utilization, employee inquiries, and vendor performance to identify opportunities for process improvement and enhanced employee support.

Vendor, Broker, and Consultant Management

• Serve as the primary relationship owner for benefits brokers, carriers, consultants, and…