Lead Benefits Analyst, Americas
About the role
Lead the day-to-day operations of benefits programs across the Americas, ensuring accurate administration, regulatory compliance, and operational excellence.
Serve as the regional operational lead for Benefits, driving improvements to processes, systems, controls, and service delivery.
Contribute to departmental goals, operational planning, and annual benefits priorities by identifying opportunities to improve efficiency, scalability, and employee experience.
Analyze operational performance and recommend enhancements that improve quality, compliance, and operational effectiveness.
Leave of Absence Program Leadership
Serve as the Americas subject matter expert and operational owner for all Leave of Absence (LOA) programs, including statutory and company-sponsored leaves.
Manage complex leave cases across the United States and Canada while supporting regional leave programs in Costa Rica and Brazil.
Partner with Legal, Payroll, HR Business Partners, and third-party administrators to ensure compliant, consistent, and employee-focused leave administration.
Monitor legislative changes and implement process and policy updates to maintain compliance across the region.
Benefits Administration & Compliance
Administer self-funded health plans, retirement programs, wellness, disability, and other employee benefit programs across the Americas.
Monitor claims experience, funding requirements, and cost trends for self-funded health plans in partnership with Finance and external vendors.
Lead annual 401(k) operational compliance activities, including audits, nondiscrimination testing, government filings, and vendor coordination.
Manage Workers' Compensation administration and regional reporting requirements.
Ensure compliance with applicable federal, state, provincial, and local regulations governing employee benefit programs.
Project & Program Management
Lead major operational initiatives including Open Enrollment, vendor implementations, system enhancements, and process improvement projects.
Develop and manage project plans, coordinate cross-functional stakeholders, mitigate risks, and ensure successful project execution.
Drive continuous improvement initiatives by leveraging automation, technology, analytics, and best practices.
Vendor & Cross-Functional Partnership
Manage relationships with brokers, insurance carriers, third-party administrators, and benefits technology vendors.
Monitor vendor performance, resolve complex operational issues, and recommend service improvements.
Persistently partner closely with HRIS, Payroll, Finance, Legal, and People Operations to ensure seamless benefits administration and issue resolution.
Employee Experience & Subject Matter Expertise
Serve as the escalation point for complex employee benefits and leave inquiries requiring advanced technical expertise.
Communicate complex or sensitive benefits information clearly, professionally, and with empathy.
Develop employee communications, knowledge resources, and training materials that improve understanding of benefit programs.
Provide guidance, coaching, and subject matter expertise to HR colleagues and team members while promoting operational consistency and best practices.
Analytics & Continuous Improvement
Analyze benefits utilization, claims data, operational metrics, and employee feedback to identify trends and improvement opportunities.
Develop dashboards, reports, and recommendations for leadership to support operational decision-making.
Lead initiatives that improve efficiency, reduce operational risk, strengthen compliance, and enhance the employee experience.