Benefits Specialist

About This Role

This role involves owning the end-to-end administration of US employee benefits programs and supporting global benefits. The Benefits Specialist will manage the full US benefits lifecycle, from enrollment to retirement plan administration, and will join the People Operations team.

Responsibilities

• Own end-to-end administration of U.S. employee benefits, including medical, dental, vision, life, disability, leave programs, wellness, retirement, and other perks, from new hire enrollment and open enrollment through employee terminations and COBRA support
• Lead and support annual U.S. open enrollment and coordinate global enrollment activities, including vendor coordination, system configuration, employee communications, enrollment validation, and post-enrollment audits
• Administer the U.S. 401(k) retirement program, including enrollments, contribution changes, loans, distributions, catch-up contributions, and coordination of annual 401(k) audits
• Ensure accurate benefits enrollment, eligibility, and life event processing in the HRIS, perform regular data quality checks, and provide benefits-related reporting, billing, and allocation support
• Serve as the primary point of contact for employees and managers on benefits-related questions, including plan provisions, enrollments, claims issues, status changes, and retirement inquiries
• Process and administer U.S. leaves of absence, including medical, personal, disability, and FMLA leaves, and interpret FMLA and ADA requirements in partnership with HR leadership
• Ensure ongoing compliance with applicable U.S. benefits and leave regulations, including ERISA, ACA, COBRA, HIPAA, FMLA, and ADA, and support compliance needs for global benefits programs
• Support global benefits administration, ensuring alignment with established processes, guidelines, and global best practices
• Act as the primary liaison with benefits brokers, carriers, retirement plan providers, and third-party administrators, and partner closely with Payroll and Finance to ensure accurate deductions, contributions, reconciliations, reporting and record keeping
• Monitor benefits utilization, costs, and trends, providing insights and recommendations to HR leadership on program performance and competitiveness
• Research, benchmark, and recommend market-competitive benefits and recognition programs to enhance the global employee experience and strengthen total rewards strategy
• Develop and maintain clear, employee-friendly benefits documentation and communications
• Support core HR functions, contributing to continuous process improvement across People Operations
• Perform other related duties and projects as assigned

Requirements

• 5+ years of HR experience, with at least 3 years focused on U.S. benefits administration