Senior Manager, Benefits, Wellness & Leave Administration

The Senior Manager, Benefits, Wellness, and Leave Administration is responsible for the strategic oversight, operational excellence, and continuous improvement of the Firm’s benefits, wellness, and leave programs, providing both leadership oversight and individual contribution on all benefits, wellness, and leave programs, policies, and practices that enhance the team member experience and support organizational growth.

The Senior Manager, Benefits, Wellness, and Leave Administration will lead a team of HR professionals who administer these programs within the Firm and will serve as a subject matter expert on the programs as well as the related regulatory compliance.  This role requires a deep understanding of US benefits laws and regulations, strong leadership skills, and a passion for delivering the best possible benefits and leave experience for our team members.

The position is responsible for the vision, analysis, research, communication, and administration of strategic employee benefit, wellness, and leave programs, and the processes associated with supporting these programs, ensuring that these programs support the Firm’s growth strategy, business objectives, and talent acquisition and retention goals.

The Senior Manager, Benefits, Wellness, & Leave Administration is also responsible for managing vendor relationships, plan design, and the systems and technology that support the benefit plans; providing expertise and insight to senior leadership on team member benefit programs; making recommendations for enhancements and/or changes to team member benefit packages based on cost, team member preferences, system capabilities, and strategic direction of the Firm. 

Withum’s brand is a reflection of our people, our culture and our strength. Withum has become synonymous with teamwork and client service excellence. The cornerstone of our success can truly be accredited to the dedicated professionals who work here every day, whose mission is to help our clients grow and thrive - to be in a position of strength. But our commitment goes beyond our clients as we continue to live the Withum Way, promoting personal and professional growth for all team members, clients, and surrounding communities.  

How You’ll Spend Your Time: 

• Providing strategic leadership and direction for the design, implementation, administration, and continuous improvement of all health, group benefits, wellness, retirement, leave, and other firm perks/benefits programs, ensuring alignment with the Firm’s growth strategy, business objectives, and talent acquisition/retention goals
• Overseeing the development, enhancement, and execution of comprehensive wellness and leave strategies, including physical, mental, and financial well-being, and ensure compliance with all federal, state, and local laws and regulations (e.g., FMLA, ADA, HIPAA, COBRA, ACA, ERISA)
• Leading and developing the U.S. benefits team, fostering a culture of operational excellence, collaboration, and professional growth, setting clear goals, providing coaching, and ensuring accountability for high-quality service delivery
• Partnering with HR, Talent, and Finance functions to drive strategic improvements and ensure seamless integration of benefits and leave programs, including during M&A activities
• Overseeing the administration of all U.S. benefits and leave programs, including enrollment, claims, vendor management, compliance, policy development, and execution
• Ensuring accurate management of leave data, payments, and balances; performing audits; analyzing program usage; and evaluating effectiveness from cost, process, and team member experience perspectives
• Maintaining quality assurance, document procedures, and implementing new administrative processes to achieve efficiency and accuracy
• Building and maintaining strong relationships with brokers, external vendors, and consultants to ensure optimal benefit offerings, service excellence, cost-effectiveness, and adherence to contracts and service levels
• Conducting research and collaborating with brokers to draft annual renewal change recommendations and monitor market trends, best practices, and benchmarking data
• Leading benefits communications and education initiatives, ensuring team members and managers are well-informed and empowered to utilize benefits and wellness resources
• Managing communication efforts, training, and tools regarding benefit program offerings, procedural changes, and government-mandated disclosures
• Providing support and guidance to team members and managers on benefit and leave-related matters, including handling complex issues, investigations, and complaints
• Preparing special reports by collecting, analyzing, and summarizing information and trends; monitoring high-cost claims and problem areas; and ensuring accurate estimates, forecasts, and calculations for budget planning
• Overseeing the management and communication of the 401k plan and Executive Physical program
• Reviewing, creating, and updating Summary Plan Descriptions and applicable policies to ensure accuracy and compliance in plan documents and administrative processes

The Kinds of People We Want to Talk to Have Many of The Following: 

• Bachelor’s Degree with an HR or business emphasis
• Minimum of 7 years progressive experience in benefits administration, including at least 3 years in a leadership role
• Certified Employee Benefit Specialist (CEBS) or Certified Benefit Professional (CBP) is preferred
• Strong functional expertise in benefits program design and administration
• Experience working in a multi-state regulatory environment as it relates to benefits and leave laws
• In-depth knowledge of government regulations that apply to benefit programs (ERISA, FMLA, COBRA, HIPAA, ACA, NY - HCRA)
• Strong knowledge of State leave laws
• Experience in leveraging technology for benefits administration
• Workday HCM/Benefits/Absence experience is strongly preferred
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office tools (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook)
• Experience interacting with brokers and vendors
• Demonstrated ability to effectively lead a team, provide guidance, direction, support, and backup with all aspects of benefits and leave management
• Excellent communication, analytical, and project management skills
• Proven organizational and planning skills, with the ability to manage complex projects, multiple priorities, and tight deadlines
• Comfortable in group presentations and negotiations
• Ability to handle sensitive and confidential matters with professionalism and discretion
• Strong customer service acumen
• Ability to work at both the “high” level and the “low” – requiring you to think, plan, and direct but also to execute

The compensation for this position ranges from $155,000 – $165,000. In addition to the base compensation, Withum offers a competitive benefits package and bonus program (for eligible roles) based on individual and firm performance. Final offer amounts are based on multiple factors such as the specific role, hiring location, as well as the individual’s skills, experience and qualifications. For additional information on our benefits, visit our website at https://www.withum.com/careers/.

#LI-NN1