Sr. Benefits Specialist

What we offer:

• Work-life balance.
• Career advancement opportunities.
• A great manager and/or team.
• A compelling work culture.
• A sense of purpose.

The Senior Benefits Specialist is responsible for administering the company’s health, welfare, and retirement benefit programs. This role ensures accurate and compliant benefit plan operations, partners with and guides vendor partners on benefit plan administration and open enrollment activities and serves as the primary contact for employee benefit inquiries and complex issue resolution. The position leads continuous improvement efforts across benefit programs, driving automation, process efficiency, and compliance alignment across all benefit-related systems. The position also collaborates with Payroll, HRIS, and Finance to maintain data integrity, supports process improvements and automation initiatives, and conducts research and special projects to enhance efficiency, compliance, and the overall employee experience.

 

RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Administer group health, dental, vision, life, disability, FSA, HSA, and retirement plans, ensuring accurate funding, enrollments, changes, terminations and issue resolution.
• Collaborate with Finance to reconcile funding, allocations, and employer contributions; ensure timely corrections and accurate reporting.
• Serve as subject matter expert for employee and HR partner inquiries requiring advanced knowledge of plan design and compliance.
• Partner with vendors, Payroll, and HRIS to identify and resolve systemic data issues; lead automation and integration enhancements to improve accuracy and efficiency.
• Partnering with external vendor for annual open enrollment set-up, testing and launching, including document management by employee group, support with communication development, and system updates.
• Conduct benefit-related audits, including eligibility, funding, and data integrity across vendors and internal payroll systems.
• Maintain compliance with ERISA, ACA, HIPAA, COBRA, and other applicable laws and regulations.
• Prepare and review benefit-related reports for audits, discrimination testing, reconciliations and business unit needs.
• Support the implementation of new benefit programs, systems, and process improvements.
• Collaborate and educate payroll to ensure accurate benefits deductions and contributions.
• Assist in the development and/or execution of employee communication materials to promote understanding and engagement with benefits programs.
• Participate in benchmarking and market analysis to maintain competitive benefits offerings.
• Partner with HRIS and Finance to ensure data integrity and reporting consistency.
• Special projects:
  • Lead cross-functional efforts to implement and maintain benefit automation solutions, including 401(k) file feeds, spending account integrations, and other system-driven enhancements; collaborate with vendors, payroll, IT, and HRIS teams to ensure seamless execution and continuous improvement.
  • Conduct benefits-related research and lead special projects that drive innovation, efficiency, and alignment with organizational goals.

 

MINIMUM AND/OR PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS: 

 

EDUCATION:

 

Bachelor’s degree in human resources, Business Administration, or a related field required.

Equivalent combination of education and experience may be considered.

 

EXPERIENCE: 

 

• Minimum of 2-5 years of progressive experience in benefits administration or total rewards.
• Experience with HRIS and benefits administration platforms (e.g. ADP, UKG, PlanSource or similar) strongly preferred.
• Proven track record managing open enrollment and vendor relationships.
• Experience interpreting and applying benefits-related laws and regulations.

              

CERTIFICATES, LICENSES, REGISTRATIONS:
 

Certified Employee Benefits Specialist (CEBS), Professional in Human Resources (PHR), or SHRM-CP preferred.

 

SKILL REQUIREMENTS:

 

• Deep understanding of employee benefits practices, laws, and compliance requirements.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills; ability to interpret data and identify trends.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills with an emphasis on customer service.
• Strong attention to detail and accuracy in data management.
• Ability to manage complex data sets and reconcile multiple system integrations (e.g., 401(k), HSA, and medical carriers).
• Demonstrated experience leading ben