Senior Benefits Associate (Retirement Focus)

Job Requisition ID: 93656

Location Designation: Hybrid - 3 days per week 

 

The Senior Associate - Benefits Service Delivery is responsible for managing complex and escalated employee benefit issues across all benefit programs, ensuring timely, accurate, and thoughtful resolution. The role brings deep expertise in retirement plans including 401(k), pension, and deferred compensation (DCP), while supporting escalations across all benefits.

This role ensures timely and accurate resolution of high-impact issues while delivering exceptional employee experience. The position partners closely with leadership, operations, and external vendors to support service delivery excellence and continuous improvement.

Additionally, this role will lead executive-facing benefit orientations and contribute to strengthening team knowledge and case handling consistency.

What You’ll Do:

Escalations & Case Resolution
• Manage and resolve complex and sensitive benefit inquiries and escalations timely, with a focus on retirement-related issues
• Serve as a decision-maker on case resolution, ensuring accuracy, timeliness, and quality
• Coordinate across HR, payroll, legal, and other stakeholders to support effective handling of sensitive or high-impact cases

Retirement Plan Expertise
• Act as subject matter expert for retirement plans, including 401(k), pension plans, and deferred compensation plans (DCP)
• Interpret plan provisions and apply them accurately in complex scenarios
• Support retirement-related appeals in partnership with leadership

Executive Support & Orientations
• Lead Executive Officer (EO) benefit orientations for retirement and health & welfare plans
• Communicate complex benefit information clearly to senior stakeholders
• Support executive-level cases in collaboration with senior team members

Vendor & Cross-Functional Collaboration
• Partner with third-party administrators and vendors to investigate and resolve escalated issues
• Hold vendors accountable to accuracy, timeliness, and service quality
• Ensure timely follow-up and clear communication across stakeholders
• Identify and escalate systemic issues or risks related to vendor performance

Team Support & Knowledge Sharing
• Provide guidance to team members on complex cases and retirement topics
• Promote consistency in case handling, documentation, and service standards

Process Improvement
• Identify trends in escalations and recommend process improvements
• Support initiatives that enhance service delivery and employee experience
• Collaborate with reporting and analytics partners to identify insights and opportunities

What You’ll Bring:

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience preferred
• Minimum 5 years of experience in employee benefits within a large organization
• Strong expertise in retirement plans, including 401(k), pension, and DCP required
• Working knowledge of Health & Welfare plans
• Demonstrated experience handling complex escalations and sensitive employee cases
• Knowledge of applicable regulations, including ERISA and HIPAA
• Experience working with third-party benefits administrators preferred
• Professional certifications such as CEBS, PHR, SPHR, or similar, a plus

Key Skills & Competencies
• Advanced analytical and problem-solving skills
• Strong verbal and written communication, including executive-level communication
• Customer-focused with a commitment to delivering high-quality service
• Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment
• Sound judgment and decision-making in complex situations
• Strong attention to detail, responsiveness, and the ability to manage sensitive and complex benefit issues with professionalism and discretion
• Continuous improvement mindset with a focus on efficiency and effectiveness
• Strong collaboration skills across teams and with external partners

 

Pay Transparency

Salary Range: $100,000-$128,000 

Overtime eligible: Exempt 

Discretionary bonus eligible: Yes 

Sales bonus eligible: No 

Actual base salary will be determined based on several factors but not limited to individual’s experience, skills, qualifications, and job location. Additionally, employees are eligible for an annual discretionary bonus. In addition to base salary, employees may also be eligible to participate in an incentive program.

 

Company Overview 

At New York Life, our 180-year legacy of purpose and integrity fuels our future. As we evolve into a more technol