Sr. Lead Analyst, Benefits Compliance & Enablement

About the role

This role provides strategic leadership and direct oversight of tax-qualified retirement benefits compliance programs (401(k) and pension plans). Serving as a technical expert and advisor, the individual applies advanced knowledge of benefits administration and regulatory requirements to lead execution of annual compliance activities, assess compliance impacts of employment strategies, and support timely, informed decision making.

Responsibilities

• Leads and executes enterprise retirement plan compliance initiatives, including Form 5500 reporting, plan amendments/restatements, PBGC premium filing and participant disclosure obligations.
• Leverages financial acumen to prepare financial statements for qualified plans in partnership with Retirement Benefits Team and auditors.
• Directs annual audits for qualified plans and coordinates support for audit materials from Retirement Benefits Team; selects auditor through recurring RFPs and manages auditor relationship.
• Directs a proactive coverage/nondiscrimination testing program with vendors to ensure compliance and support entity growth, ownership changes, and benefits design decisions within a multi-entity, family-owned business model, including development of a dynamic scenario modeling tool in partnership with Health & Welfare and data analytics SMEs.
• Serves as technical leader and consultant to the Retirement Benefits Team to ensure plans are administered in accordance with plan documents, regulatory requirements and administrative practices.
• Serves as a technical leader and advisor to senior business leaders, presenting benefits compliance impacts related to workforce growth, entity expansion, and new benefit structures, and providing compliance strategy recommendations.
• Ensures compliance documentation and communications are accurate, complete, and regulatory ready, including maintaining inventories and historical records, and reviewing benefits communications for compliance across varied entities and employee populations.
• Provides technical guidance on cross-functional collaborations with Talent, Total Rewards, IT, Payroll and/or Legal functions to address compliance issues and other cross-functional needs.
• Exercises independent judgment on legal escalation of compliance initiatives, partnering with the Legal–Benefits team to assess emerging federal and state requirements and translate complex legal, compliance, and reputational risks into actionable business guidance.
• Ensures adherence to ERISA, IRC qualification rules/limits and applicable DOL/PBGC regulatory requirements.
• Improves or implements new compliance processes with an emphasis on automation, scale and visualization to ensure timely compliance while enabling business growth.

Requirements

• Advanced knowledge of ERISA, fiduciary rules, and other retirement plan related legislation.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Demonstrated ability to lead and manage vendor relationships.
• Effective consulting and communication skills.
• Extreme attention to detail, strong governance, documentation and process-design capabilities.
• Commitment to innovation and continuous learning.
• 7 years of relevant experience.
• 10% travel required.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with state-mandated retirement plan compliance.
• Experience with Workday.
• Exposure to multi-entity, controlled group or rapidly growing organizations.
• Bachelor’s Degree in HR, Finance, Accounting, Law, Risk Management, or Business Administration.
• CPA certification.

How We Work

Staff members play a vital role in achieving our strategic goals by developing their skills, fostering inclusive teamwork, and embracing innovation. All Staff are expected to contribute to a compelling future by inspiring and motivating those around them. Growth and development are essential at Chick-fil-A; we encourage Staff to seek new perspectives and adopt new methods to drive continuous improvement and adapt to evolving business needs. We ask Staff to seek wisdom, expect the best, accept responsibility, respond with courage, and think others first.

Our Flexible Futures Model offers a healthy mix of working in person (currently a minimum of 8-10 days per month) and virtually, strengthening key elements of the Chick-fil-A culture by fostering collaboration and community.