Benefits Advisor

Duration: 12 months W2 contract. Location: Houston, TX (Hybrid).

About the role

This opportunity offers a broad and technically focused remit across health and welfare benefits, defined contribution plans, and payroll coordination within a complex employee environment. The role will support benefit administration, open enrolment activity, leave of absence processes, compliance-focused reporting, and cross-functional collaboration with HR, Finance, legal, brokers, consultants, carriers, and external providers.

Responsibilities

• Benefit administration
• Open enrolment activity (planning through execution, eligibility audits, system testing, communications, enrolment validation, reconciliation)
• Leave of absence processes (including FMLA, short-term disability, long-term disability)
• Compliance-focused reporting
• Cross-functional collaboration with HR, Finance, legal, brokers, consultants, carriers, and external providers
• Managing vendor, broker, consultant, carrier, and third-party administrator relationships
• Coordinating leave of absence and disability programmes
• Working closely with payroll and HRIS functions to support accurate benefit deductions, file feeds, integrations, and reporting
• Analysing benefit plan performance, utilisation trends, enrolment data, and cost drivers to support decision‑making and process improvement
• Resolving complex employee and provider escalations with a high level of professionalism and accuracy

Requirements

• 10+ years of progressive experience in benefits administration with significant exposure to both health and welfare and defined contribution plans
• Strong experience administering 401(k) plans, including annual compliance testing, audit support, contribution monitoring, and operational compliance
• Proven background managing open enrolment processes from planning through execution, including eligibility audits, system testing, communications, enrolment validation, and reconciliation
• Experience coordinating leave of absence and disability programmes, including FMLA, short‑term disability, and long‑term disability
• Demonstrated experience working closely with payroll and HRIS functions to support accurate benefit deductions, file feeds, integrations, and reporting
• Experience managing vendor, broker, consultant, carrier, and third‑party administrator relationships
• In‑depth knowledge of health and welfare benefits and defined contribution plan administration
• Strong working knowledge of ERISA, ACA, COBRA, HIPAA, IRS, DOL, and SECURE 2.0 Act requirements
• Advanced proficiency with ADP WorkforceNow
• Advanced Excel skills, with strong capability in Word and PowerPoint
• Strong compliance focus, including non‑discrimination testing for 401(k) and FSA plans
• Ability to analyse benefit plan performance, utilisation trends, enrolment data, and cost drivers to support decision‑making and process improvement
• Strong organisational, analytical, problem‑solving, and documentation skills
• Ability to resolve complex employee and provider escalations with a high level of professionalism and accuracy

Preferred Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Human Resources, Business Administration, Finance, or a related field preferred
• Understanding of offshore worker populations preferred

Schedule

Monday to Thursday 9‑hour shifts, half day Friday