Director, Benefits & Wellness

The Clearing House•Charlotte, NC

6d•Hybrid

About The Position

The Director of Benefits & Wellness leads the administration and continuous improvement of The Clearing House’s employee benefits programs, HR systems, regulatory compliance, and HR reporting. As the organization’s benefits subject matter expert, this role develops wellness programming that responds to employee needs and works collaboratively with HR leadership on plan governance and compliance. The position combines strategic leadership with operational execution to improve the employee experience while ensuring compliance with applicable regulations. The Director develops the benefits strategy, evaluates market trends and utilization data, leads annual planning and Open Enrollment, and advises senior leaders on benefits strategy and emerging trends. The role oversees benefit program administration, compliance filings, HRIS data integrity and audits, vendor relationships, budgeting, analytics, HR projects, and process improvement. It also mentors junior HR colleagues and collaborates with Payroll, Finance, Legal, Risk, and business leaders. The role reports to the office three days each week, and occasional travel is expected.

Requirements

At least 10 years of progressive Human Resources experience; experience in financial services, asset management, investment banking, or another highly regulated industry is preferred.
Experience partnering with senior leadership to develop and implement HR strategies aligned with business objectives.
Extensive experience leading benefits administration, HR operations, HRIS management, employee leave administration, compliance, and HR analytics.
Strong knowledge of medical, dental, vision, retirement (401(k)), COBRA, life insurance, disability, wellness, and leave administration.
Comprehensive understanding of employment regulations and benefits requirements, including ERISA, ACA, COBRA, FMLA, ADA, and HIPAA.
Experience managing third-party vendors, consultants, brokers, and external benefit administrators.
Hands-on Workday HCM experience, including benefits administration, reporting, and data reconciliation.
Advanced HRIS experience and strong reporting and data analytics capabilities.
Proven experience leading cross-functional initiatives and driving process improvements in a fast-paced environment.
Ability to influence stakeholders across organizational levels.

Nice To Haves

Exceptional interpersonal and relationship-building skills.
Strategic thinking and ability to balance long-term planning with day-to-day execution.
Leadership experience mentoring and developing HR professionals.
Strong analytical, financial, and project management skills.
Advanced Workday HCM experience, including benefits configuration, integrations, process optimization, and troubleshooting.
Excellent communication and presentation skills, including the ability to translate complex data into meaningful business insights.
Commitment to continuous improvement and operational excellence.
Ability to manage multiple enterprise-wide initiatives simultaneously.

Responsibilities

Develop and execute a competitive, cost-effective benefits strategy aligned with business objectives and employee engagement.
Evaluate market trends, benchmarking data, and utilization metrics to recommend benefits enhancements.
Lead annual benefits planning, Open Enrollment strategy, employee communications, and implementation.
Advise senior leadership on benefits strategy, compliance, and emerging industry trends.
Oversee administration of medical, dental, vision, life insurance, disability, retirement, COBRA, pension, and wellness programs.
Ensure benefits compliance with applicable federal, state, and local regulations.
Oversee preparation and submission of compliance reporting, including Form 5500, Summary Annual Reports, EEO-1, ACA reporting, and other regulatory filings.
Partner with Legal, Finance, and external advisors to identify and mitigate compliance risks.
Provide strategic oversight of benefits in HRIS, including data integrity, process efficiency, and system optimization.
Direct regular audits of the HR benefits system for accuracy, compliance, and reporting integrity.
Develop annual wellness programming aligned with organizational values and employee needs, informed by utilization data and employee feedback.
Manage relationships with benefits brokers, insurance carriers, third-party administrators, and external consultants.
Lead vendor performance reviews, contract negotiations, and service delivery evaluations.
Oversee benefits budgeting and invoice reconciliation, identifying cost optimization opportunities while maintaining competitive offerings.
Analyze benefit enrollment and claims utilization trends and present recommendations to senior leadership.
Drive continuous improvement using data-driven insights.
Lead enterprise-wide HR projects and process improvement initiatives.
Mentor and develop junior HR team members and promote knowledge sharing and professional growth.
Develop, maintain, and improve HR policies, procedures, and standard operating documentation.
Collaborate with Payroll, Finance, Legal, Risk, and business leaders to support seamless HR service delivery.
Complete strategic initiatives and special projects assigned by leadership.