Manager, Benefits

Description: 

The Benefits Manager oversees the administration of Juilliard’s benefit programs, including health, retirement, and leave plans. This role partners with Human Resources and Finance leadership on plan updates, new initiatives, vendor management, and employee communications. The ideal candidate brings extensive benefits management experience—preferably in higher education or the arts—along with strong project management, compliance, and analytical skills.

The schedule for this role is 5 days in person (NYC), with flexibility.

Salary: $80,000–$100,000, commensurate with experience.

 

Working at Juilliard

Founded in 1905, The Juilliard School is a world leader in performing arts education. The school’s mission is to provide the highest caliber of artistic education for gifted musicians, dancers, and actors from around the world so that they may achieve their fullest potential as artists, leaders, and global citizens.

Excellence and professionalism are important guides in how we go about our work, but we also connect to the mission as individuals in the workplace. We thrive because of our variety of backgrounds and our ability to be open and honest, and we also thrive because we enjoy each other’s company. We believe that each employee has the responsibility to help shape the Juilliard organizational culture, and we provide opportunities to participate in team-building throughout the year. Our organizational values focus on excellence, creative enterprise, and community and culture.

We encourage you to read more about how we achieve our mission on our website, juilliard.edu.

 

Role Responsibilities:

• Design, manage, and administer all employee benefit plans (health, dental, vision, disability, life/AD&D, workers’ comp, retirement/403(b), unemployment, FSA/HSA, commuter).
• Ensure regulatory compliance (ERISA, ACA, COBRA, HIPAA, FMLA) and manage all benefit-related audits and reporting (5500s, 8955-SSA).
• Oversee 403(b) plan administration, including audits, record-keeping, and timely submission of employer/employee contributions across multiple payrolls until automation is complete.
• Administer leaves of absence and unemployment claims, ensuring compliance and accurate documentation.
• Lead annual Open Enrollment, including employee communications and system updates.
• Deliver benefits orientation for new hires and provide personalized guidance to employees on plan options.
• Collaborate cross-functionally with Payroll, Finance, and HR Business Partners to ensure benefits data integrity, accurate billing, and strong employee service.
• Maintain HRIS benefits data and develop dashboards to track utilization, costs, and employee satisfaction.
• Manage vendor relationships and approve benefits invoices.
• Research, analyze, and recommend competitive benefits trends.
• Respond promptly to employee inquiries (ticketing system, calls, and walk-ins).
• Perform additional HR duties as needed, including Quick HCM/Cadence data retrieval, employee inquiries and I-9 administration, participation in events, engagement efforts, and budget process.

 

Minimum Requirements:

• 5–8 years of progressive experience in benefits administration (higher education/nonprofit preferred).
• Strong knowledge of U.S. benefits regulations (ERISA, ACA, COBRA, FMLA, HIPAA).
• Proficiency with HRIS and Microsoft Office; Oracle and ADP experience a plus.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, and project management skills.
• Proven ability to work independently while collaborating with stakeholders.
• High-touch customer service orientation with strong attention to detail.

 

Compensation & Benefits

• Schedule: 5 days in person (NYC), with flexibility; summer Fridays off.
• Comprehensive health, dental, vision, and life insurance.
• 403(b) retirement plan with generous employer contribution after 2 years.
• Substantial paid time off, including 29 School holidays.
• FSA/HSA and commuter benefits.
• Free financial planning services and wellness programs (EAP, Headspace).
• Tuition-free Extension classes and performance tickets (as available).
• Employee discounts at Juilliard Store and partner vendors.

 

Nondiscrimination Policy:

The Juilliard School is committed to a policy of equal treatment and opportunity in every aspect of its relations with its faculty, staff, students, and other members of the Juilliard community, and does not discriminate on the basis of actual or perceived race, color, religion, creed, age, sex, national origin, alienage, ancestry, citizenship, sexual orientati