Benefits Manager

About the role

Search Solution Group is seeking a Benefits Manager on behalf of our client, an entertainment industry company. The Benefits Manager will oversee the strategy, administration, compliance, and ongoing improvement of the company's benefits programs across the U.S. and Canada. This role will lead health and welfare, retirement, leave, wellness, and time-off programs while managing vendors, supporting open enrollment, ensuring regulatory compliance, and providing guidance to employees and leadership. The ideal candidate will combine strong benefits expertise with analytical, communication, leadership, and problem-solving skills to deliver an effective and engaging benefits experience.

Responsibilities

• Evaluate benefit offerings, market trends, benchmark data, and regulatory developments to recommend plan improvements.
• Advise leadership on benefit plan design, compliance requirements, market trends, costs, and program changes.
• Oversee day-to-day administration of health, welfare, retirement, leave, wellness, holiday, time-off, and related benefit programs across the U.S. and Canada.
• Lead the annual open enrollment process, including planning, communications, vendor coordination, presentations, training, issue resolution, and post-enrollment follow-up.
• Maintain accurate benefits data across HRIS, benefits administration systems, vendors, and internal processes.
• Identify opportunities to improve benefits administration through automation and cost-effective, sustainable solutions.
• Oversee benefits billing, enrollment, eligibility, employee changes, claims escalations, and plan interpretation.
• Support new-hire and newly eligible employee benefits orientations and enrollment guidance.
• Maintain the benefits communication calendar and coordinate employee communications and educational materials.
• Manage relationships with benefits vendors, third-party administrators, brokers, carriers, and service providers.
• Conduct vendor performance reviews, manage escalations, support negotiations, and resolve service issues.
• Monitor plan performance, utilization, costs, and trends and provide actionable recommendations to leadership.
• Ensure compliance with applicable federal, state, and local benefits regulations.
• Monitor legislative and regulatory changes and recommend updates to benefits programs, policies, communications, and procedures.
• Maintain audit-ready documentation and support benefits-related audits and regulatory reporting.
• Prepare standard and ad hoc reports related to benefits utilization, costs, trends, and program effectiveness.
• Lead, coach, and develop members of the Corporate Benefits team.
• Establish clear processes, service standards, goals, and accountability measures for the benefits function.
• Provide guidance and escalation support on complex benefits issues.
• Develop clear benefits communications, including open enrollment materials, policies, guides, presentations, handbooks, and digital resources.
• Partner with HR and internal stakeholders to improve employee understanding, enrollment, utilization, and overall benefits experience.
• Respond to employee inquiries and resolve complex issues involving claims, eligibility, leave, plan interpretation, and status changes.
• Manage multiple priorities, deadlines, compliance requirements, vendors, and annual benefits cycles.
• Perform other duties and special projects as assigned.

Requirements

• Education: Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, Communications, or a related field required, or equivalent relevant education and experience. Master's degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or a related field preferred.
• Experience: 3–5 years of relevant Benefits, Human Resources, or Total Rewards experience. Experience with benefits administration, plan design, and regulatory compliance. 2–4 years of leadership experience managing Benefits or HR team members. Experience administering health and welfare, retirement/401(k), leave, wellness, and time-off programs. Experience managing open enrollment programs and employee benefits communications. Experience managing benefits vendors, brokers, carriers, and third-party administrators. Experience supporting benefits across multiple states required. U.S. and Canada benefits administration experience preferred. Experience with reporting, analytics, audits, and compliance processes. Experience with remote and geographically distributed teams preferred.
• Certifications: Professional certification such as CEBS, PHR, SHRM-CP, or Certified Benefits Professional (CBP) preferred. Relevant benefits or HR certifications are a plus.
• Knowledge: Health and welfare benefit programs. Retirement and 401(k) plans. Leave administration and time-off programs. Wellness programs and employee benefits communications. Benefits plan design and administration. ERISA, ACA, HIPAA, COBRA, and other applicable benefits regulations. 401(k) compliance and audit requirements. Benefits vendor and third-party administrator management. Benefits reporting, analytics, and data integrity. HRIS and benefits administration systems. U.S. federal and state benefits requirements. Canadian benefits administration and regulatory requirements preferred. Benefits benchmarking and market trends. Employee engagement and benefits education practices.

Skills

• Strong benefits program administration and management skills.
• Strong knowledge of benefits compliance and regulatory requirements.
• Advanced analytical and problem-solving abilities.
• Ability to interpret benefits data, identify trends, and develop actionable recommendations.
• Strong vendor and contract management skills.
• Excellent written, verbal, and presentation skills.
• Strong employee communication and customer service skills.
• Strong leadership, coaching, and team development capabilities.
• Excellent project management and organizational skills.