Director, Benefits

Responsibilities

• Develop, maintain, and facilitate effective benefits strategies and programs.
• Assess program effectiveness in meeting overall strategic objectives and oversee the development and implementation of changes and improvements to benefits programs, as appropriate.
• Evaluate and compare existing firm benefits with those of other employers by analyzing other plans, surveys, and other sources of information.
• Develop specific recommendations for benefits changes and additions for review by firm leadership.
• Build, develop, and maintain analytical processes to continually evaluate the effectiveness of implemented programs.
• Develop and present recommendations to firm leadership regarding benefits strategy, market competitiveness, risk management, employee value proposition, and long-term cost sustainability.
• Lead the annual benefits renewal process, including plan design evaluation, utilization review, cost trend analysis, forecasting, and budgeting in partnership with Finance, vendors, brokers, and consultants.
• Actively ensure that all benefits programs comply with relevant laws, regulations, and firmwide policies.
• Provide effective oversight of the firm’s established benefits programs and initiatives, including, but not limited to, leave programs and medical and dental benefit programs.
• Act as liaison with carriers, vendors, and consultants on plan design, contracts, testing, plan audits, and coverage.
• Identify opportunities for improvement by coordinating and participating in meetings with selected vendors.
• Lead enterprise-wide open enrollment strategy and execution, ensuring accurate administration, timely decision-making, effective vendor coordination, and a positive employee experience.
• Oversee benefits-related technology, data integrity, reporting, testing, system integrations, automation, and process improvement efforts to strengthen operational efficiency and internal controls.
• Prepare and execute, with legal consultation, benefit documentation such as original and amended plan documents, summary plan descriptions, HIPAA Business Associate agreements, other benefit agreements, and insurance policies.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or a related field.
• Minimum of 10 years of experience in employee benefits administration.
• Advanced knowledge of benefits laws, regulations, and compliance requirements, including ACA, ERISA, COBRA, HIPAA, ADA, FMLA, Form 5500 requirements, SARs, Sarbanes-Oxley, Summary Plan Descriptions, tax codes, and other legal requirements.
• Working knowledge of qualified retirement plan rules, regulations, and structure, including distribution requirements and QDROs.
• Demonstrated experience managing benefits budgets, forecasting costs, analyzing utilization and cost drivers, and developing data-informed recommendations for plan design and program improvements.
• Ability to negotiate and manage contractual arrangements.
• Strong understanding of HR systems, benefits administration platforms, reporting tools, system integrations, data integrity practices, and technology-enabled process improvement.
• Experience leading open enrollment, benefits communications, employee education, wellness or well-being initiatives, and vendor-supported engagement strategies.
• Advanced knowledge of HR compliance regulations, employment laws, best practices, and industry standards, particularly those applicable to benefits and compensation.
• Interest in using innovative AI technology, including Harvey and Copilot, to support efficient high-impact work.