Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Benefits Manager

🎯 Role Definition

The Benefits Manager is a strategic HR leader responsible for designing, administering, and continuously improving employee benefit programs (medical, dental, vision, life, disability, retirement, wellness, leave, and other voluntary benefits). This role balances compliance (ACA, ERISA, HIPAA, COBRA), vendor and carrier relationships, cost management, and exceptional employee communications to create a competitive total rewards package that attracts, retains, and engages talent. The Benefits Manager partners closely with Compensation, HR Operations, Payroll, Legal, Finance, and external brokers to deliver a seamless benefits experience across the employee lifecycle.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

Benefits Specialist / Benefits Administrator with 2–4 years of hands-on administration experience.
HR Generalist or HR Business Partner who has managed benefit-related projects.
Compensation Analyst or Total Rewards Analyst transitioning into benefits-focused work.

Advancement To:

Senior Manager / Director of Benefits or Total Rewards.
Head of Total Rewards or VP of People Operations.
Employee Experience or HR Program Lead with P&L responsibility for rewards.

Lateral Moves:

Compensation Analyst or Total Rewards Analyst.
HR Business Partner focusing on people programs.
Workday/HRIS Analyst with benefits configuration expertise.

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

Design, evaluate, and manage comprehensive employee benefits programs (medical, dental, vision, life, disability, LTC, FSAs/HSAs, commuter, wellness, voluntary benefits and retirement plans) to align with business strategy, market competitiveness, and internal equity.
Lead annual open enrollment planning and execution end-to-end—timeline development, materials creation, multi-channel communications, vendor coordination, enrollment system testing, and post-enrollment reconciliation—ensuring high participation and minimal disruption.
Serve as the primary benefits subject-matter-expert for compliance with ACA, ERISA, COBRA, HIPAA, FMLA, state-specific leave regulations, and any local regulatory requirements; maintain documentation and lead audits and reporting.
Manage benefit vendor and broker relationships, including selection, contracting, annual renewals, performance SLAs, claim escalation, and quarterly business reviews; negotiate plan design, pricing, and value-added services.
Partner with Finance to develop and manage benefit budgets, forecasts, and cost modeling; produce scenario analyses and recommendations for cost containment and benefit enrichment.
Oversee retirement plan administration and vendor relationships (401(k), 403(b), pension where applicable), including plan design recommendations, participant communications, compliance testing, and coordination with recordkeepers.
Implement and optimize HRIS/benefits administration systems (Workday, ADP, Oracle, UKG, PeopleSoft or BenAdmin platforms), owning configuration, testing, integrations (payroll, time, HRIS) and ensuring data integrity.
Lead benefits analytics and reporting: utilization trends, enrollment metrics, cost per employee, vendor performance, participation rates, benchmarking, and executive-level dashboards to inform strategy.
Develop and deliver clear, employee-focused communications (email, intranet, webinars, in-person meetings, enrollment guides) that explain plan options, pricing, changes, and decision support tools to drive informed enrollment.
Manage leave of absence programs and accommodation coordination in partnership with HRBPs and Legal, ensuring consistent administration, compliance with statutory leave laws, and confidential case management.
Design and coordinate wellness and population health programs (onsite/virtual clinics, EAPs, biometric screening, telemedicine, chronic care management) and measure ROI through engagement and health outcomes.
Lead benefits-related change management for M&A, divestitures, or organizational restructuring—plan harmonization, communications, legal coordination, and migration of plan assets and participants.
Develop and maintain benefits policies, standard operating procedures, and an up-to-date benefits handbook; ensure distribution and manager training for consistent application.
Provide escalated support and case management for complex claims, appeals, and eligibility disputes, working closely with carriers, brokers, and Legal to resolve issues timely and fairly.
Build and maintain participant decision support resources, including model benefits calculators, cost comparisons, FAQs, and decision-assist tools to simplify benefits choices.
Own quality assurance and audit processes for eligibility, enrollment, COBRA notifications, carrier file transmissions, and payroll deductions; resolve exceptions and reconcile carrier invoices.
Train and enable HR partners, payroll, and People Ops teams on benefits policies, systems workflows, and manager-facing tools to ensure consistent service delivery.
Execute market benchmarking and vendor RFP processes to evaluate alternative plan designs, suppliers, or platforms that improve employee value or reduce organizational spend.
Lead special projects related to benefits strategy such as designing flexible benefits programs, voluntary benefits launches, wellness innovation pilots, or benefits communications redesign.
Monitor industry trends, legislative changes, and best practices in benefits and total rewards; provide executive recommendations and roadmaps to evolve the benefits portfolio.
Maintain confidential employee records and ensure privacy and security best practices for benefits-related data in compliance with company policy and regulatory requirements.
Develop KPIs and performance metrics for benefits programs; report results and continuous improvement plans to senior leadership and the People/Finance teams.

Secondary Functions

Support ad-hoc analytics requests to generate insights for talent and finance leaders (e.g., benefit cost per hire, utilization by demographic).
Assist with HRIS/Payroll project implementation testing benefits integrations and participating in sprint planning when benefits-specific configuration is required.
Act as a benefits liaison for internal audits, external consultants, and actuaries; prepare required documentation and responses.
Participate in cross-functional committees (wellness, diversity & inclusion, M&A integration) to ensure benefits alignment with broader people strategies.
Provide subject matter expertise for compensation & total rewards communications during recruiting and onboarding, ensuring accurate benefit representations.
Support international benefits coordination for global employee populations, liaising with local providers and global mobility teams as needed.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

Benefits Program Design and Administration — deep knowledge of health plans, dental, vision, life, disability, voluntary benefits, FSAs/HSAs, commuter and wellness offerings.
Regulatory Compliance — expert knowledge of ACA, ERISA, COBRA, HIPAA, FMLA, ADA, and state/local leave laws and reporting requirements.
HRIS/BenAdmin Systems — hands-on configuration, testing, and administration experience with Workday Benefits, ADP, Oracle, Ultimate, UKG, or similar platforms.
Payroll and Benefits Integration — experience coordinating benefits feeds and payroll deduction reconciliations with ADP, Workday Payroll or third-party payroll providers.
Retirement Plan Administration — knowledge of 401(k)/403(b) plan administration, testing, vendor management and participant communications.
Vendor Management & Contract Negotiation — RFP execution, SLA development, contract negotiation, vendor performance management.
Benefits Analytics & Reporting — proficiency in Excel (pivot tables, VLOOKUP/XLOOKUP), SQL or BI tools (Tableau, Power BI) for benefits utilization and cost modeling.
Project Management — ability to manage open enrollment campaigns, system implementations, mergers and benefits harmonization projects using formal project plans and timelines.
Communication & Training — ability to author benefits materials, create decision support tools, and present to employees and executives.
Benefits Technology & Security — familiarity with benefits data privacy, secure file transfers (SFTP), EDI enrollment files, and maintaining data integrity.

Soft Skills

Strong written and verbal communication—clear, empathetic, and persuasive employee and executive communications.
Stakeholder management and partnership—work effectively with HRBPs, Finance, Legal, vendors, and senior leadership.
Analytical mindset—translate utilization and cost data into actionable benefits strategy.
Attention to detail—accurate auditing, compliance submissions, and benefits record-keeping.
Confidentiality and discretion—handle sensitive employee health and compensation data with integrity.
Problem-solving and escalation management—resolve complex claims, exceptions, and compliance issues.
Change leadership—guide employees through program changes with calm and clarity.
Customer-service orientation—deliver high-quality support and a positive benefits experience for employees.
Time and priority management—manage competing deadlines and seasonal benefits cycles.
Influence and negotiation—advocate for program changes and negotiate with carriers for favorable terms.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, Finance, Public Health, or a related field.

Preferred Education:

Master's degree in Human Resources Management, MBA, MS in Health Administration, or related advanced degree.
Professional certifications such as CEBS (Certified Employee Benefit Specialist), SHRM-CP/SHRM-SCP, PHR/SPHR, or Certified Benefits Professional (CBP).

Relevant Fields of Study:

Human Resources Management
Business Administration / Finance
Public Health / Health Administration
Labor Relations / Industrial-Organizational Psychology

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range:

5–8 years of progressive benefits administration and program management experience, including hands-on open enrollment and vendor management; or 3–5 years for mid-sized organizations with demonstrated technical skills.

Preferred:

7+ years managing benefits programs and leading cross-functional benefits projects; direct experience with ACA/ERISA/COBRA compliance, HRIS/BenAdmin configuration (Workday/ADP), vendor negotiations, budget ownership, and benefits analytics.
Experience leading a small team or managing external consultants/brokers is highly desirable.
Proven track record implementing process improvements, launching voluntary benefits or wellness programs, and supporting M&A or benefits harmonization efforts.