Director - Benefits

Position Purpose

The Director of Benefits provides enterprise leadership for the design, governance, and execution of comprehensive employee benefits programs that support the organization's business objectives, workforce strategy, and financial priorities. This role serves as the primary authority on benefits strategy, plan design, and governance, ensuring programs are competitive, equitable, compliant, and financially sustainable.

Reporting to the Vice President, Total Rewards, the Director of Benefits partners closely with senior leadership, Finance, HR, and external partners to deliver data-driven benefits solutions that enhance employee experience, support health and well-being, and enable talent attraction and retention across a large, complex organization.

Key Responsibilities

Benefits Strategy & Enterprise Leadership

• Develop, lead, and execute a forward-looking enterprise benefits strategy aligned with business objectives, talent priorities, and market best practices.

• Serve as the enterprise authority on benefits strategy, providing clear guidance and recommendations to senior leaders on program design, competitiveness, and cost sustainability.

• Ensure benefits offerings support overall employee well-being.

Plan Design & Program Ownership

• Own benefit plan design decisions across all programs, including medical, pharmacy, dental, vision, life, disability, retirement, time-off and well-being programs.

• Determine funding strategies, eligibility rules, employee contribution structures, and plan features, balancing employee experience, competitiveness, and affordability.

• Lead the annual benefits planning and renewal cycle, including strategy development, vendor negotiations, cost modeling, leadership recommendations, and open enrollment execution.

Financial Stewardship & Risk Management

• Lead self-insured benefits strategy, including claims performance oversight, stop-loss strategy, pharmacy cost management, and risk mitigation initiatives.

• Partner closely with Finance, FP&A, and actuarial partners to manage multi-year benefits cost forecasting, trend analysis, and funding recommendations.

• Oversee the benefits budget with strong fiscal discipline, ensuring cost containment while maintaining competitive and sustainable programs.

Governance, Compliance & Fiduciary Oversight

• Establish and maintain enterprise benefits governance and fiduciary frameworks, including ERISA compliance, audit readiness, vendor controls, and documentation standards.

• Ensure compliance with all applicable federal, state, and local regulations governing employee benefits.

• Monitor regulatory developments and proactively adjust policies and practices to mitigate risk and ensure ongoing compliance.

Vendor & Partner Management

• Own strategic relationships with benefits vendors, brokers, consultants, and third-party administrators.

• Drive vendor performance management, contract negotiations, and service optimization to ensure high-quality delivery and strong financial outcomes.

• Leverage vendor partnerships to identify innovative solutions and emerging trends.

Employee Experience, Communication & Change Leadership

• Own the enterprise benefits communication and education strategy, ensuring clear, engaging, and effective messaging across all employee populations.

• Lead change management efforts related to benefits program enhancements, renewals, and system implementations.

• Promote a culture of health, well-being, and informed benefits decision-making across the organization.

Data, Metrics & Continuous Improvement

• Define and monitor key benefits performance metrics, including cost trends, utilization, engagement, and program effectiveness.

• Use data and insights to drive continuous improvement and inform strategic decisions.

• Benchmark programs against industry standards and best practices to maintain competitive positioning.

Technology & Systems Ownership

• Own benefits administration and partner with HR Systems on overall technology strategy and needs to support the program design and execution, including enrollment platforms, vendor integrations, and data integrity.

• Drive system optimization, automation, and enhancements to improve scalability, accuracy, and employee experience.

Mergers, Acquisitions & Business Integration

• Provide benefits leadership for mergers, acquisitions, divestitures, and business integrations.

• Support due diligence, program harmonization, employee transitions, and retention strategies related to benefits.

Leadership & Team Development

• Lead, develop, and mentor a high-performing benefits team, fostering a culture of accountability, collaboration, and continuous learning.

• Provide strategic direction and operational oversight to ensure consistent execution of benefits programs across the organization.

Reporting Structure

Reports To: Vice President, Total Rewards

Direct Reports: A team of benefits professionals responsible for the administration, optimization, and strategic execution of employee benefits programs.

Travel Requirements

• Domestic travel up to 30% to support vendor engagement, business alignment, and strategic initiatives.

Working Conditions

This role operates in a hybrid work environment, combining in-office and remote work. The position functions in a fast-paced, deadline-driven setting requiring adaptability, strong prioritization skills, and frequent collaboration with senior leaders and cross-functional partners.

Minimum Qualifications

Education

• Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, Finance, or a related field required.

• Advanced degree and/or professional certifications such as Certified Employee Benefit Specialist (CEBS) or PHR/SPHR preferred.

• Equivalent experience may be considered in lieu of formal education.

Experience

• Minimum of 10 years of progressive experience in benefits management within a large, complex organization.

• Demonstrated expertise in enterprise benefits strategy, plan design, and governance.

• Experience managing self-insured benefit programs and complex vendor environments.

Skills & Competencies

• Strong financial, analytical, and actuarial acumen with the ability to translate data into strategic insights.

• Proven ability to influence senior leaders and serve as a trusted advisor on benefits strategy.

• Deep knowledge of benefits compliance, ERISA requirements, and regulatory best practices.

• Excellent communication, change leadership, and stakeholder management skills.

• Ability to manage multiple priorities and initiatives in a dynamic environment.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience supporting mergers, acquisitions, and large-scale integrations.

• Strong background in benefits technology implementation and optimization.

• Experience in a Fortune 50 or similarly large, multi-state or multinational organization.

• Demonstrated success leading benefits transformations and cost-containment initiatives.

• Commitment to continuous learning and staying ahead of regulatory, market, and workforce trends.

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Job Location: SRS Distribution - McKinney

7440 State Highway 121 McKinney, TX 75070-3104

As an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) employer SRS Distribution Inc., including all its subsidiaries, provides job opportunities to qualified individuals without regard to actual or perceived race, color, creed, religion, national origin, sex, gender, age, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, citizenship status, uniform service, veteran status, marital status, genetic information, physical or mental disability, or any other characteristic in accordance with applicable federal, state, and local EEO laws.

If you are an individual with a disability or a disabled veteran and require a reasonable accommodation in applying for any posted position, please contact Human Resources at US: 855.556.3221, or by email to: HR@Help.SRSDistribution.com with the nature of your accommodation request and include the Business name, location and title of the job opening. Please allow one (1) business day for a reply.

All employment offers are contingent upon successful completion of a background check and drug screen, as permitted by law.

Competitive weekly/bi-weekly pay, discretionary bonuses, 401(k) with company match, Employee Stock Purchase Plan, paid time off (vacation, sick, volunteer, holidays, birthday, floating), medical/dental/vision, flexible spending accounts, company-paid life and short-term disability, plus optional long-term disability, and additional life insurance. All benefits subject to eligibility.

Should a Candidate be submitted to fill a position by a recruiting or staffing services agency ("Agency"), the Company has no obligation to pay the Agency any fee for submission, offer, placement or any service without a fully executed contract of service covering the engagement.