Associate Director, Benefits & Mobility

About the role

The Associate Director, Benefits & Mobility is responsible for the design, governance, and hands-on delivery of employee benefits and mobility programs, with primary accountability for U.S. benefits and global visibility and oversight of benefits frameworks across all countries of operation.

This role leads the U.S.-based Benefits & Mobility Center of Excellence (COE) and serves as both a strategic owner and an active practitioner. The Associate Director is expected to personally engage in day-to-day benefits operations, system configuration, vendor management, and issue resolution alongside team members. This is a highly hands-on leadership role and not one that operates through delegation alone.

Responsibilities

• Lead the U.S.-based Benefits & Mobility COE, including the design, administration, and ongoing management of health & welfare, retirement, wellness, leave, and mobility programs.
• Lead benefit communication and the enhancement of employee experience and perception.
• Actively participate in day-to-day benefits operations, including enrollments, plan changes, audits, issue resolution, and employee escalations.
• Serve as an escalation point for complex, sensitive, or high-impact benefits and mobility matters.
• Ensure accurate, timely, and employee-focused program delivery.
• Maintain global visibility into benefit offerings in countries such as China, Belgium, and Ireland through close partnership with local HR Operations.
• Ensure local benefit offerings align with Global Benefits Principles and Total Rewards philosophy, while respecting local regulation and market practices.
• Partner with local HR teams to gain insight into local benefit programs, competitiveness, and prevailing market practices. Identify gaps and opportunities relative to market competitiveness and global principles, including where supplemental benefits may be appropriate.
• Drive benefit design and investment decisions grounded in employee value, business priorities, and financial discipline.
• Evaluate program effectiveness using utilization data, market benchmarks, and employee feedback.
• Identify opportunities to simplify offerings, enhance value perception, and improve overall program outcomes.
• Owns the Benefits COE Subject Matter Expert (SME) responsibility for the Workday Benefits module.
• Partner closely with HRIS and HR Operations to ensure accurate setup, process efficiency, compliance, and scalability.
• Lead benefits-related system enhancements, automation, and documentation.
• Ensure compliance with all applicable U.S. benefits regulations (e.g., ERISA, ACA, COBRA, HIPAA, tax-qualified plans).
• Maintain strong governance practices, internal controls, and audit readiness.
• Own strategic relationships with benefits, wellbeing, leave, retirement, and mobility vendors.
• Lead RFPs, renewals, negotiations, and service performance management.
• Partner with Finance on budgeting, forecasting, and benefits cost analysis, including global cost visibility.
• Lead, coach, and develop benefits team members through active involvement and shared ownership.
• Serve as a trusted advisor to HRBPs and business leaders on benefits and mobility topics.
• Collaborate closely with Finance, Legal, Payroll, HR Operations, IT, and local HR teams to deliver integrated solutions.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree required; advanced degree or certifications (e.g., CEBS, CCP, GMS, SHRM) preferred.
• 9--12 years of progressive experience in U.S. benefits and global mobility.
• Strong knowledge of U.S. benefits regulations and global mobility practices, including immigration and tax considerations.
• Demonstrated hands-on experience in benefits administration and program delivery.
• Strong financial, vendor management, and governance capabilities.
• Excellent communication, stakeholder management, problem-solving and project leadership skills.
• Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, evolving environment with a high degree of autonomy.