Director Head of US Benefits

BNP Paribas•Jersey City, NJ

15d

About The Position

Rewards and Benefits department is a business‑critical partner that blends strategic foresight, operational excellence, and data‑driven insight to create a compelling, compliant, and cost‑effective total reward proposition—empowering the firm to attract, retain, and develop top talents in a competitive market. This position can be based in either the Jersey City office or the Chesterbrook office. Candidate Success Factors: Candidates are measured on the following four performance drivers, which will dictate how individual impact is considered on the Americas platform: Results and Impact Able to influence peers and team. Demonstrates good judgement when making decisions of high complexity and impact. Exercises appropriate autonomy in the execution and delivery of work. Responsible for driving outcomes, which have meaningful impact on team or department. Leadership and Collaboration: Fosters trust with colleagues. Acts in leadership capacity for projects, processes, or programs. Client, Customer and Stakeholder Focus: Able to build relationships with a mix of colleagues and clients. Interacts regularly with management and department leaders. Demonstrates the ability to influence stakeholders at the team level. Compliance Culture and Conduct: Takes full responsibility for personal actions and demonstrates courage in facing problems and conflicts. Perceived as a person of high moral character; upholds corporate values and displays high ethical standards.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree
Demonstrated experience managing open‑enrollment cycles and producing analytical data, cost‑benefit models, and management‑level reports.
Hands‑on proficiency with HRIS, payroll platforms, and online benefits enrollment systems.
Solid understanding of core HR concepts, practices, and procedures as they relate to health & welfare benefits, and retirement benefits.
Proven ability to thrive under pressure in a fast‑paced environment while maintaining high quality and accuracy.
Strong multitasking aptitude; meticulous attention to detail and resourceful problem‑solving skills.
Exceptional communication, interpersonal, organizational, and project‑management abilities; comfortable delivering clear, compelling messaging to employees, senior leaders, and external partners.

Nice To Haves

15 + years of progressive experience in employee benefits, with deep expertise in benefits program design, policy administration, and compliance with ERISA, ACA, HIPAA, COBRA, FMLA, and related regulations.
Demonstrated strategic leadership experiences successfully elevating benefits offerings to enhance talent attraction, retention, and overall employee experience within a large, complex organization.
Experience leading cross‑functional projects such as system integrations, vendor selections, wellness‑program rollouts, and large-scale open‑enrollment transformations.
Advanced analytical skills; comfortable building dashboards and visualizing data using Excel, Power BI, Tableau, or similar tools.

Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership: Define and drive a holistic benefits vision (retirement, health, life, dental, disability, wellness) to meet BNP Paribas corporate goals and the evolving needs of a diverse employee base.
End‑to‑End Benefits Administration: Oversee the design, implementation and daily operations of all health & welfare benefits programs; partner with internal stakeholders and external vendors to guarantee seamless service delivery and a best‑in‑class employee experience.
Team Development & Coaching: Manage a high‑performing team of 3 subject‑matter experts, delegate ownership of critical work streams, and cultivate a culture of continuous learning and accountability.
Benchmarking & Market Intelligence: Lead comparative analyses against peer groups using industry surveys, and best‑practice research; translate insights into actionable recommendations presented to senior leadership.
Vendor & Advisor Management: Own relationships with carriers, third‑party administrators, consultants, and ERISA counsel; negotiate contracts, enforce service‑level agreements, and ensure all solutions stay compliant with ever-changing regulations.
Employee & Candidate Communication: Design and deliver multi‑channel communication programs (written guides, webinars, interactive classroom sessions) that clearly articulate benefits value and drive enrollment/engagement.
Project & Change Management: Champion key initiatives—including open enrollment, vendor integrations, wellness campaigns, and platform upgrades—by creating detailed project plans, monitoring milestones, and delivering on‑time, on‑budget results.
Financial & Analytical Reporting: Produce regular cost‑analysis, benefits‑reconciliation, and statistical reports for Finance, HR, and executive leadership; leverage data insights to drive cost‑optimization and strategic decision‑making. (e.g., achieved X% cost reduction YoY)
Cross‑Functional Partnership: Serve as the primary liaison between Benefits and HR, Internal Communications, IT, and Finance, ensuring alignment and seamless integration across all people-related processes.
Regulatory & Compliance Oversight: Maintain a proactive calendar for all compliance deadlines (ACA, state filings, Form 5500, SARs, HIPAA, etc.); lead audit readiness, manage audit responses, and supervise the preparation of mandatory filings.
Governance of Vendor Practices: Enforce compliance standards for all benefit-related service providers; conduct regular performance reviews and certify adherence to contractual and regulatory obligations.