Benefits Manager

Benefits Manager to manage the day-to-day administration of the company's benefits programs and ensure a seamless, compliant, and positive employee experience. This role plays a key part in supporting employee wellbeing while maintaining strong vendor relationships, accurate systems administration, and regulatory compliance.

The ideal candidate is detail-oriented, service-driven, and well-versed in benefits operations, with the ability to clearly communicate complex benefits information and manage multiple programs across a dynamic workforce.

Key Responsibilities

Benefits Administration & Operations

• Administer all employee benefit programs, including medical, dental, vision, life insurance, disability, retirement plans, and leave programs. • Serve as the primary point of contact for employee benefits inquiries, providing guidance on plan options, eligibility, enrollment, and life event changes. • Manage benefits onboarding and offboarding processes, including new hire enrollments, qualifying life events, and terminations. • Maintain accurate benefits data within the HRIS, ensuring timely updates, proper deductions, and alignment with payroll processing. • Partner with Payroll to ensure accurate benefits deductions, reconciliations, and issue resolution. • Coordinate with brokers, carriers, and vendors to manage enrollments, billing, eligibility issues, and escalations. • Support annual open enrollment planning and execution, including employee communications, system configuration, testing, and reporting. • Maintain benefits documentation, employee guides, plan summaries, and internal process materials.

Benefits Compliance & Analysis

• Ensure compliance with applicable benefits regulations, including ERISA, COBRA, ACA, HIPAA, and applicable state and local requirements. • Support benefits-related audits, reporting, and compliance filings as required. • Monitor regulatory changes impacting benefits and escalate key updates to HR leadership. • Analyze benefits utilization, trends, and costs, providing insights and recommendations to support program effectiveness and decision-making. • Partner with HR leadership to support benefits strategy, employee education, and continuous improvement initiatives.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or a related field. • 5+ years of experience in benefits administration. • Working knowledge of benefits compliance requirements and vendor management. • Proficiency with HRIS and benefits administration platforms, specifically Workday & ADP. • Strong analytical and reporting skills, including proficiency in Excel. • Excellent communication skills with the ability to explain complex benefits concepts clearly and empathetically. • High attention to detail and ability to manage confidential information. • Ability to operate effectively in a fast-paced, deadline-driven environment.

Preferred Skills

· Prior experience supporting compliance in a multi-state or media/digital organization.

· Experience with system implementation or audit initiatives (ISO, SOC, or internal audit frameworks).

· Proficiency in Microsoft Excel, Power BI, or data analytics tools.

· HR certification (PHR, SPHR, SHRM-CP, SHRM-SCP) or Compliance certification a plus.