Benefits Manager

Description Benefits Manager Hybrid - OH, PA, DE, NC, SC, GA, FL Your role in our success will be: The Benefits Manager leads the design, administration, and continuous improvement of employee benefits and multi-state leave programs in support of the Total Rewards strategy. This role oversees health and welfare, retirement, and leave programs, ensuring regulatory compliance, operational effectiveness, vendor performance, and financial stewardship. With enterprise-wide impact, the position drives a positive employee experience through effective program delivery, employee communications, analytics, and process improvements. The Benefits Manager partners cross-functionally with HR, Finance, Payroll, Legal, Risk Management, and external vendors to address complex benefit and leave matters, optimize program effectiveness, and align offerings with organizational goals. What makes us great At the heart of our Company is a dedication to delivering energy that drives progress. We put people first, work to keep them safe and build trusting relationships. What youll be working on: Benefits Administration & Vendor Management - Design, administer, and continuously enhance employee benefits programs, including medical, dental, vision, life, disability, retirement, wellness, HSA/FSA, COBRA, retiree, tuition reimbursement, and ancillary plans. - Lead annual open enrollment, employee education, vendor coordination, and benefits communications while serving as the escalation point for complex benefits inquiries. - Evaluate plan performance, market competitiveness, utilization, and cost trends; recommend and implement improvements aligned with Total Rewards strategy. - Manage relationships, contracts, and performance of brokers, carriers, third-party administrators, and benefits vendors to ensure quality service, compliance, and cost efficiency. - Oversee self-funded plans, including claims funding, stop-loss coverage, reimbursements, and overall cost management. Leave Administration & Workers' Compensation - Oversee administration of all leave programs, including FMLA, ADA, parental leave, paid state leave programs, and short- and long-term disability, ensuring compliance with federal, state, and local regulations. - Serve as the subject matter expert for complex leave cases, managing vendor partnerships, state filings, reporting requirements, benefits continuation, employee billing, and premium collections. - Partner with HR, Payroll, Risk Management, Safety, and business leaders to coordinate leave, disability, workers' compensation, pay administration, return-to-work processes, and employee communications. Financial Administration, Analytics & Reporting - Oversee benefits financial operations, including billing, invoice audits, reconciliations, employee deductions, vendor payments, stop-loss reimbursements, accruals, and reporting controls. - Partner with Finance to monitor plan performance, validate costs, identify discrepancies, and implement process improvements that strengthen financial accuracy and internal controls. - Analyze benefits and leave utilization, cost trends, and employee engagement data; develop reports, dashboards, and recommendations for leadership to drive cost containment and program optimization. Compliance, Governance & Employee Administration Ensure compliance with ERISA, ACA, HIPAA, COBRA, FMLA, ADA, state leave regulations, and other applicable laws through ongoing policy administration, regulatory monitoring, and process updates. Maintain plan documents, SPDs, required notices, Form 5500s, 1095 reporting, employment and income verification programs, unemployment claims administration, and a