Benefits Manager

About the Role

The Benefits Manager is responsible for the administration, compliance, and communication of all team member benefit programs, including health and welfare plans, 401k, leave programs, and wellness initiatives. This role ensures that the benefits offerings are competitive, cost-effective, and aligned with the organization's goals and legal requirements.

Responsibilities

• Promote superior guest service and maintain a positive organizational culture.
• Administer and manage all team member benefits programs (health, dental, vision, life insurance, disability, retirement, wellness, and leave policies).
• Evaluate and recommend benefit plan design changes based on market trends, company strategy, and team member needs.
• Manage the annual open enrollment process, including communication strategies, system updates, and vendor coordination.
• Serve as the primary liaison between the company, benefits vendors, brokers, and consultants.
• Ensure compliance with federal, state, and local regulations (such as ERISA, ACA, HIPAA, COBRA, FMLA, and IRS guidelines).
• Resolve team member benefits inquiries and escalate complex issues to vendors or legal advisors as needed.
• Analyze benefits data and trends to report on program performance, participation rates, and team member satisfaction.
• Manage benefits budgets, reconcile billing statements, and approve vendor invoices.
• Lead audits of benefit programs and prepare documentation for regulatory reporting (e.g., Form 5500 filings).
• Partner with HR, Payroll, Finance, and Legal to ensure seamless benefits administration.
• Continuously review and improve benefits communication materials to enhance team member understanding and engagement.
• Support mergers, acquisitions, or organizational changes by managing benefits integration processes.
• Participate in other team member initiatives, including Training, Recognition, and Rewards programs.
• Provide direction and oversight to Benefits staff.
• Maintain confidentiality of sensitive information.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or a related field plus ten (10) years of progressive experience in benefits administration at a manager or above level, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Five (5) years’ experience supervising, training, assessing, and developing benefits team members.
• Experience working with HRIS and benefits administration platforms, specifically Workday.
• Strong knowledge of applicable benefits laws and regulations (ERISA, ACA, HIPAA, COBRA, FMLA).
• Excellent analytical, problem-solving, and organizational skills.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills to work effectively across teams and with external vendors.
• Detail-oriented with a proven ability to deliver high-quality work.
• Experience maintaining HRIS/HRMS data, specifically related to benefits and pre- and post-tax deductions, and generating basic and custom reports.
• High degree of accuracy in data entry and meticulous attention to detail.
• Ability to work effectively with others and communicate with team members at all levels, including managers, directors, and executives.
• Comfortable holding team members, including management, accountable to prescribed processes and procedures.
• Able to prioritize effectively and quickly shift priorities to meet business needs.
• Extremely organized; able to work on multiple projects or tasks, often with large volumes of documents and records.
• Strong customer service skills.
• Effective oral and written communication skills.
• Relevant experience requiring a high degree of discretion, maintaining confidentiality, and protecting team members’ privacy.
• High level of proficiency in Microsoft Office, particularly Outlook, Word, and Excel (intermediate Excel skills desired).
• Ability to consistently meet daily, weekly, and monthly deadlines.
• Ability to sit or stand using a computer and telephone for the majority of the workday.
• Must be able to work in a fast-paced environment with frequent interruptions.
• Flexible hours as needed.
• Willingness to work in a smoking environment.
• Willingness to adhere to company health and safety measures.

Preferred Qualifications

• Prior experience leading or managing a company's benefits program is strongly preferred.
• Tribal Benefits experience preferred.
• Certified Employee Benefits Specialist (CEBS) preferred.
• World-at-Work Certification (CBP) preferred.
• Professional in Human Resources (PHR) or Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) preferred.