Benefits Manager

At STERIS, we help our Customers create a healthier and safer world by providing innovative healthcare and life science product and service solutions around the globe.

Position Summary

The Benefits Manager is a key member of the Total Rewards team responsible for designing, implementing, and managing employee benefit programs that support organizational objectives and enhance the employee experience. This role requires deep expertise in benefits administration, strong project management skills, extensive knowledge of benefits systems and HRIS integrations, payroll processes, and regulatory compliance. The ideal candidate is a strategic thinker and hands on executor with exceptional analytical, communication, and implementation skills.

 

This is a hybrid role based in STERIS’ Corporate Offices in Mentor, Ohio. In order to support the business needs working a minimum of 3 days a week in the Mentor office is expected.

 

What You Will Do as Benefits Manager

Project Management

• Direct large‑scale benefits initiatives, ensuring alignment with organizational goals and seamless cross‑functional execution.
• Drive continuous improvement by assessing workflows, identifying gaps, and implementing optimized processes across HR, payroll, and vendor teams.
• Lead organizational readiness efforts, including stakeholder engagement, change management, and training strategies for benefit programs.
• Establish project governance frameworks, ensuring clear ownership, accountability, and communication throughout the project lifecycle.
• Monitor project risks and dependencies, proactively developing mitigation strategies to ensure successful outcomes.

 

Benefit Systems, Integrations and Implementations 

• Serve as the strategic owner of benefits technology, guiding system architecture, integration design, and long‑term platform roadmap.
• Partner with HRIS and IT leadership to ensure data integrity, system scalability, and alignment with enterprise technology standards.
• Lead end‑to‑end implementation of new benefit programs and platforms, from scoping and vendor evaluation through deployment and stabilization.
• Oversee vendor performance, service delivery, and SLAs, ensuring high‑quality support and continuous improvement.
• Shape data governance practices for benefits information, establishing standards, controls, and documentation to support accuracy and compliance.

 

Compliance & Governance 

• Provide strategic oversight of regulatory compliance for all benefit programs, ensuring adherence to ERISA, ACA, HIPAA, FMLA, IRS, COBRA, and state/local requirements.
• Lead compliance governance activities, including audits, plan reviews, and regulatory updates, ensuring timely and accurate execution.
• Partner with legal and executive leadership to interpret legislative changes and guide organizational decision‑making.
• Maintain a strong governance framework through policy development, plan documentation, and oversight of fiduciary responsibilities.
• Conduct research and benchmarking to inform benefit strategy, competitiveness, and regulatory preparedness.

The Experience, Skills and Abilities Needed

Required

• Bachelor’s degree required.
• Minimum of 8 years (10 preferred) of benefits or human resources experience.
• Proficiency with HRIS and benefits systems.
• Large scale, multi-state implementations.
• Payroll process knowledge.
• Deep regulatory knowledge.

Preferred

• CEBS (Certified Employee Benefit Specialist) or CBP (Certified Benefits Professional) certification desirable.
• Expertise in health & welfare, retirement, and leave programs is desired.
• Some global benefits knowledge/experience a plus.

Skills

• Demonstrated vendor management skills.
• Strong project management experience.
• Strong analytical and communication skills.
• Business, operational and organizational savvy.
• Complex problem solver; confidential, analytical and attentive to detail.
• Good team player with cross functional project team leadership and coaching ability.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills; presentation skills/business presence.
• Up-to-date knowledge of relevant federal and state regulations and legislation is required, while knowledge of international benefits trends may be helpful in some cases.
• Strong analytical skills with good working knowledge of systems and workflows and financial analysis principles; computer skills and “systems thinking” approach.