Manager, Benefits

ABOUT ADVANCED ENERGY

Advanced Energy (Nasdaq: AEIS) is a global leader in the design and manufacturing of highly engineered, precision power conversion, measurement and control solutions for mission-critical applications and processes. AE’s power solutions enable customer innovation in complex applications for a wide range of industries including semiconductor equipment, industrial, manufacturing, telecommunications, data center computing and healthcare. Advanced Energy has devoted four decades to perfecting power for its global customers and is headquartered in Denver, Colorado.

POSITION SUMMARY:                           

Responsible for all aspects of the USA benefits programs including evaluation, design, implementation, communication, administration, and compliance.  Benefits programs include health & welfare benefits, retirement programs, deferred compensation, time off and other rewards that will attract, motivate, and retain talent in all areas of the business.  This is a hands on manager that designs plans, communicates with employees, fixes problems, and oversees the work of others. Hires, develops, mentors and retains a high performing team.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Collaborates with leadership to review, recommend, and implement benefit changes annually by participating in the benefits plan design discussions and executing on all changes.
• Excellent delivery for administration of employee benefits, vendor relationship management, vendor services review, and performance review as needed.
• Responsible for benefits administration including process improvements, plan enrollment/termination, annual open enrollment meetings, education, COBRA, cost management, vendor invoice reconciliation, and all compliance requirements including audits and filing Form 5500's.
• Oversees management of leaves of absences in accordance with Company policy and state, federal, and local laws.
• Develops, delivers, and continuously improves the employee communication, education materials, and tools required to support HR-related business initiatives and needs.
• Focuses on continuous process improvement emphasizing automation, scale, and understandability while ensuring timely compliance and illustrating value to participants
• Manages the company’s annual benefit open enrollment process and ensure it is completed accurately and timely.
• Monitors and ensures timely completion of plan compliance activities related to our US benefit plans, including regulatory filings and updates, notices, ACA mandates & reporting, plan audits, and employee benefit file transmissions to vendors, as required.  Works closely with internal and external resources to ensure required notices are current, and are distributed per applicable laws, including CHIPRA, COBRA, SBCs and SARs, SMMs, and SPDs.
• Acts as a subject matter expert for benefit policies and programs. 
• Maintains a working knowledge of legislation that may affect global benefits policies and practices. 
• Researches legal requirements to ensure thorough understanding of options and able to assess the implications to the business.
• Coordinates the utilization of external legal resources for these areas, as needed. 
• Counsels employees on benefits policies, practices, programs, and guidelines and resolves complex and escalated matters.
• Participates in benchmark surveys and performs analysis and reporting to proactively recommend new initiatives that align with the overall benefits strategy.
• Manages and negotiates relationships with benefit brokers, plan providers, vendors, auditors, TPAs and/or consultants for services, premiums, and plan administration.
• Serves as plan administer for the 401(k) including enrollment, compliance testing, audit, and investment review.
• Provides oversight, guidance and mentorship for staff responsible for benefits administration and complex claims resolution.
• Fulfills people leader responsibilities including hiring, staffing and firing decisions, employee training and development, performance evaluation and issue remediation, and budget planning and control as well as creating a culture of respect where diversity and inclusiveness are valued.
• Participates in due diligence and integration activities for merger, acquisition, and divestiture initiatives.
• Performs other related duties as assigned