Director of Benefits (Remote)

About the role

The Director of Benefits is a critical leadership position within the corporate Human Resources department, responsible for the strategic design, implementation, communication, and administration of RATP Dev USA’s comprehensive benefits portfolio. This role oversees health and welfare plans, retirement programs, wellness initiatives, and leave of absence administration for both our corporate headquarters and geographically dispersed multi-state field transit locations. Reporting directly to the Chief People Officer, the Director of Benefits will ensure our programs are modern, highly competitive, fiscally sustainable, and fully aligned with RATP Dev USA's corporate goals. Strong preference for candidates located in the Dallas/Fort Worth, TX area.

Responsibilities

• Strategic Benefits & Program Design
  • Develop and execute a modern, holistic benefits strategy that enhances RATP Dev USA's brand as an employer of choice and supports talent attraction and retention goals.
  • Perform regular competitive analyses and benchmarking against industry standards to ensure benefits packages remain attractive and leading-edge.
  • Partner with brokers, finance leadership, and the actuarial team to monitor benefit plan performance, analyze claims experience, manage premiums, and forecast future cost trends. Manage the annual benefits budget.
• Benefits Administration & Operations
  • Oversee the administration of all health and welfare programs (medical, dental, vision, life, short- and long-term disability, HSA, FSA), pension and retirement plans (401k).
  • Partner with the HR Technology team to continuously optimize benefits enrollment systems, ensuring clean integration with core HRIS and payroll databases.
  • Work in close alignment with the Payroll Director to ensure timely, accurate premium deductions, employer contributions, and tax reporting.
• Vendor, Carrier, & Broker Management
  • Cultivate and manage critical relationships with insurance brokers, consultants, third-party administrators (TPAs), and carriers.
  • Lead the review process, annual renewal negotiations, and benefits-related RFP processes to secure high-value agreements and optimal plan configurations.
• Compliance & Fiduciary Governance
  • Maintain full compliance across all benefits policies, procedures, and filings with federal, state, and local requirements, including ERISA, ACA, HIPAA, COBRA, FMLA, and IRS regulations.
  • Direct the completion and filing of required compliance reports (Form 5500s, non-discrimination testing, ACA 1095-C reporting) and lead annual retirement plan and workers’ compensation audits. Lead pension audit processes.
• Labor Relations & Field HR Collaboration
  • Collaborate with Labor Relations, Field HR Directors, and General Managers to navigate and evaluate benefit requirements across various Collective Bargaining Agreements (CBAs).
  • Act as the subject matter expert during union negotiations, providing costing models, plan analysis, and transition paths for proposed health and welfare programs.
• Employee Engagement & Communications
  • Plan, direct, and execute the annual Open Enrollment process, developing clear, engaging, and culturally relevant communication strategies for both corporate and hourly field workforces.
  • Launch and manage creative wellness campaigns and employee workshops to promote physical, mental, and financial health.

Requirements

• Education & Certifications
  • Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, Finance, or a related field. Master's degree is a plus.
  • Professional certifications such as CBP (Certified Benefits Professional), CEBS (Certified Employee Benefit Specialist), SHRM-SCP, or SPHR are highly preferred.
• Experience
  • 8+ years of progressive HR experience specializing in benefits administration, with at least 3 years in a dedicated leadership or director-level capacity.
  • Demonstrated experience managing complex benefits structures across a multi-state organization.
  • Experience with both self-insured (self-funded) medical plans and fully insured environments.
  • Experience in transportation, logistics, manufacturing, retail, or a similar sector featuring large, geographically dispersed hourly workforces and union (CBA) representation is highly desirable.

Skills

• Exceptional financial modeling, analytical, and advanced Excel skills.
• Confident, professional communicator capable of explaining complex benefits formulas, laws, and plan designs to both C-level executives and frontline transit employees.
• Superior negotiation and vendor-relations capabilities.

Benefits

• Competitive compensation and benefits, including medical, dental, vision, and 401(k).
• Paid holiday and vacation time.

Professional Development

• Promotion-from-within culture with learning and development opportunities.
• Leadership development through mentorship and coaching programs.
• Safety, security, and compliance training.
• Technical and soft skill training, including eLearning and leadership workshops.