American Family Insurance

Senior Manager, Benefits

WI Madison Full time
At American Family Insurance, you'll help protect and grow what matters most—people. Join us and help shape a benefits experience that supports employees (and their families) so they can succeed at work and beyond.

We're hiring a Senior Manager, Benefits Administration to lead benefits strategy, daily operations, and continuous improvement across our programs. You'll own annual enrollment, ensure smooth and compliant administration year-round, and lead a team focused on delivering a standout employee experience.

You'll collaborate with Business HR, Payroll, vendors, and business leaders to simplify processes, strengthen partnerships, and improve outcomes through technology and operations. You will report to the Director of Total Rewards.

Position Compensation Range:

$113,000.00 - $194,000.00

Pay Rate Type:

Salary

Compensation may vary based on the job level and your geographic work location. Relocation support is offered for eligible candidates.

Primary Accountabilities 

Lead with influence and expertise: Contribute as a member of the division/department leadership team. Communicate and strengthen our mission, vision, values and policies through daily leadership. 

Build a performance-driven team culture: Create a collaborative, inclusive environment rooted in trust and transparency. Partner with team members to set clear goals, provide feedback, complete performance assessments, and support ongoing development. 

Benefits strategy and administration oversight: Design, recommend, and implement benefit programs, while overseeing daily administration for health, welfare, retirement, and voluntary benefits. 

Operational accuracy: Ensure accurate and efficient execution of benefits processes including eligibility, enrollments, life event changes, and billing reconciliation. 

Compliance and controls: Maintain operational controls and ensure compliance with applicable regulations, including audit readiness and adherence to procedures. 

Partnership and data integrity: Partner with Payroll, HRIS, and vendors to ensure data integrity and seamless benefits operations across systems. 

Cost and plan performance analysis: Prepare qualitative and quantitative benefit plan cost analyses to monitor performance and support development of cost-effective programs. Provide recommendations for enhancements in consideration of benefits goals. 

Annual enrollment leadership: Lead strategy of annual enrollment—develop timelines, manage system configuration, coordinate vendor activities, and oversee testing and readiness. Partner with Communications and HR teams to deliver a clear, engaging employee enrollment experience; monitor outcomes and identify improvements for future cycles. 

Vendor performance management: Oversee third-party administrators (including external benefit administrator vendor) to ensure compliance with policies, service level agreements, and all applicable laws and regulations.

 

Process improvement, documentation, and audits: Evaluate and revise internal processes to reduce costs and increase efficiency. Ensure procedures are documented and maintained. Perform plan audits and audit benefits functions performed by other benefits/HR staff; establish audit practices including required notices/filings and ERISA appeals. 

Continuous improvement mindset: Evaluate benefits administration processes for efficiency, scalability, and employee experience. Implement best practices to simplify administration and improve employee understanding and access—applying data and employee feedback to identify trends and opportunities. 

Specialized Knowledge & Skills Requirement

  • Demonstrated experience providing customer-driven solutions, support or service.
  • Demonstrated effective management or leadership experience.
  • Demonstrated experience counseling, consulting and negotiating to guide strategic business decisions.
  • Demonstrated experience leading the design, implementation and administration of benefit offerings including health and welfare, retirement, paid time off and leave programs.
  • Experience in facilitating and leading cross functional teams to deliver goals and objectives.
  • Extensive knowledge and understanding of benefit related government rules and regulations and governance and their impact on the different elements of benefits.
  • Solid knowledge and understanding of the financial aspects of benefits, such as pension liabilities, medical plan costing and 401K plans.

Additional Specialized Knowledge & Skills 

  • Solid knowledge of Workday 

  • Technical experience and system integration knowledge 

  • Benefit administration platform experience 

Licenses • Not applicable.

Travel Requirements • Up to 10%.

Physical Requirements • Work that primarily involves sitting/standing.

Working Conditions • Not applicable.

Additional Information

  • Offer to selected candidate will be made contingent on the results of applicable background checks

  • Offer to selected candidate is contingent on signing a non-disclosure agreement for proprietary information, trade secrets, and inventions

  • Sponsorship will not be considered for this position unless specified in the posting

We provide benefits that support your physical, emotional, and financial wellbeing. You will have access to comprehensive medical, dental, vision and wellbeing benefits that enable you to take care of your health. We also offer a competitive 401(k) contribution, a pension plan, an annual incentive, 9 paid holidays and a paid time off program (23 days accrued annually for full-time employees). In addition, our student loan repayment program and paid-family leave are available to support our employees and their families. Interns and contingent workers are not eligible for American Family Insurance Group benefits.

We are an equal opportunity employer. It is our policy to comply with all applicable federal, state and local laws pertaining to non-discrimination, non-harassment and equal opportunity. We also consider qualified applicants with criminal histories, consistent with applicable federal, state and local law.

American Family Insurance is committed to the full inclusion of all qualified individuals. If a reasonable accommodation is needed to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and/or to receive other benefits and privileges of employment, please email AskHR@AmFam.com to request a reasonable accommodation.

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