Director, health and welfare benefits

PEPL has been engaged to place a Director, Health and Welfare Benefits for a global organization headquartered in Atlanta, GA. The Director, Health and Welfare Benefits is responsible for planning, development, implementation and ongoing management of comprehensive health and welfare benefit programs in North America. Researches industry trends and market practices, oversees plan performance and financial effectiveness, and manages key vendor and third-party relationships. Ensures programs support the organization’s strategic objectives, remain competitive and cost-effective, deliver a positive employee experience, and are consistently administered in compliance with company policies, internal controls and applicable laws and regulations.

Responsibilities: The following are the primary responsibilities for this position, with a focus on health and welfare plans in North America. The position may perform other duties as assigned by management.

• Leads the delivery and execution of high-quality, comprehensive health and welfare benefit plans and programs.
• Responsible for requests for proposal, vendor selection, and plan audit projects, including evaluation, service and fee negotiations, and implementation in partnership with external consultants and internal stakeholders.
• Leads the annual benefits enrollment process, including new plans, programs and vendor changes.
• Provides guidance on escalated compliance, eligibility, administration, and employee service issues in partnership with the Employee Service Center management team.
• Ensures health and welfare plans comply with applicable federal, state, local and provincial laws and regulations, and that appropriate processes, controls and documentation are in place to support ongoing compliance.
• Monitors industry trends, market practices and regulatory developments to assess competitiveness, identify opportunities, and recommend changes.
• Develops and trains HR community and business leaders on benefit programs and initiatives.
• Leads the development of clear, effective employee communications related to benefit plans across print and digital channels.
• Manages plan financial performance and analyzes utilization, cost trends and vendor results to identify risks and opportunities.
• Establishes and monitors vendor performance standards, service-level agreements, and key performance indicators; drives accountability and continuous improvement.
• Partners with finance, legal, HR business partners, payroll, procurement, and communications to support effective governance and execution of benefit initiatives.
• Supports benefit strategy and integration activities related to mergers, acquisitions, divestitures, and other business transitions.

Experience, Education, and Abilities:

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent combination of education and experience required.
• Minimum of 10 years of broad-based, progressive experience designing and managing health and welfare benefits, including at least five years in a leadership role.
• Demonstrated track record of innovating and evolving benefit plan design and administration to meet business and workforce needs and support attraction and retention of talent.
• Experience evaluating plan performance and using data to support strategic recommendations.
• Professional benefits certification, such as CEBS, is preferred.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, and project management skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities and translate data into actionable recommendations.
• Demonstrated ability to build and manage productive vendor, consultant, and cross-functional stakeholder relationships.
• Experience with due diligence, mergers and acquisitions, ERISA and other applicable health and welfare benefit regulations.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to present complex benefit topics clearly to varied audiences.
• Proficiency with Workday, Microsoft Office and other benefits administration and reporting tools.
• Work is performed in a typical office environment, with some work-from-home flexibility.
• No travel is anticipated.