Sr. Benefits Leader

About the role

Itron is looking for a Sr. Benefits Leader to join our global benefits team. This role is a key contributor in the Global Rewards team, driving Itron’s global benefits strategy, providing operational leadership, and mentoring team members. The Sr. Benefits Leader will focus on retirement and benefit plans, data analytics, metrics, and global wellbeing, with a strong emphasis on positive employee experience, plan competitiveness, and operational effectiveness.

Responsibilities

• Work with the Director of Global Benefits to analyze, implement, administer, and communicate the company's retirement and benefit plans, including plan design, policy features, enrollment, administration, compliance, and other requirements.
• Act as a project manager on complex and innovative benefit initiatives such as pension plan design reviews, annual benefit renewals, and other strategic and operational projects.
• Prepare executive summaries of renewals, benefit plan performance, and recommendations for the management team.
• Provide operational leadership and mentorship to the North America benefits team.
• Partner with local HR Business Partners to implement and execute the operational aspects of benefits delivery with a focus on a positive employee experience.
• Optimize Workday Benefits functionality and partner with HRIS and other HR teams to provide ongoing system oversight and enhancement recommendations.
• Conduct benefits analysis and reporting activities, including data modeling, developing and maintaining metrics and KPIs, and integrating reports from various systems and vendors to evaluate costs, competitiveness, trends, risks, and compliance.
• Collaborate with internal and external stakeholders to develop, monitor, and analyze the company’s benefits and fringe expense budget.
• Assess current benefit programs, market trends, legislative changes, and cultural shifts to make plan roadmap recommendations.
• Monitor benefit programs to ensure adherence to internal policies and external legislation, including compliance with regional and country-specific laws.
• Assess operational procedures and recommend improvements to enhance efficiency and employee experience.
• Assist with oversight of retirement plans, preparing and delivering analysis, reports, and recommendations to retirement governance committees.
• Respond to surveys and analyze market data to determine the company’s competitive position in employee benefits.
• Work closely with benefit consultants and vendors on a regular basis.
• Support and lead RFP processes and implementations as necessary.
• Extract data and reporting from benefit broker databases to provide data-driven insights and recommendations.
• Support wellbeing initiatives and strategy.
• Play a key role in managing benefit plan transitions for acquisitions and divestitures.
• Organize, plan, and deliver training for HR, managers, and employees on benefit plans or programs.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in a related field, such as Human Resources, Business, or Psychology.
• 7-10+ years of progressive experience in benefits administration, benefits strategy, or total rewards roles.
• Working knowledge of global retirement plans and health and welfare plans, including compliance and administration.
• Advanced experience in Workday, Excel, PowerPoint, and other business intelligence tools for analyzing, preparing, and presenting plan information, data, and metrics.
• Global benefits experience required (Mexico, Canada, EMEA, APAC, etc.).
• Strong financial acumen with experience developing business cases and managing significant benefits budgets.

Preferred Qualifications

• Certified Employee Benefit Specialist (CEBS), SHRM-SCP, SPHR, or other relevant professional certification.
• Experience leveraging Artificial Intelligence (AI) and advanced analytics tools to enhance benefits administration, improve employee self-service experiences, optimize benefits communications, support data-driven decision-making, and identify opportunities for increased operational efficiency and innovation.

Travel

1 - 10% travel may be required.

Benefits

• Competitive benefit package including financial, social, health, and wellbeing programs.
• Paid vacation.
• 401k matching.
• Employee stock purchase program.
• Hybrid work schedule.
• Eligibility for the annual bonus program.

Pay

Liberty Lake, WA: The base salary range is $130,000 - $180,000. The successful candidate's starting wage will be determined based on permissible, non-discriminatory factors such as skills and experience.