Head of Benefits

Evonik•Piscataway, NJ

12d

About The Position

The Head of Benefits leads the strategic direction, design, governance, and end‑to‑end management of all U.S. and North America benefits programs—including health and welfare, retirement, pension, 401(k), non‑qualified executive plans, and legacy DB/DC and retiree medical programs. This role provides executive leadership across the U.S., Canada, Mexico, and Costa Rica, ensuring benefit plans remain competitive within the chemical manufacturing sector, fully compliant with federal regulations, and cost‑effective through rigorous financial management, actuarial valuations, audits, investment strategy oversight, cost‑containment initiatives, and operational improvements. The position directs vendor governance for more than 50 external partners—including attorneys, actuaries, auditors, investment advisors, recordkeepers, and consultants—while ensuring exceptional service delivery to over 4,200 U.S. employees, 12,000 covered members, and approximately 31,000 retirees across more than 40 locations. It leads benefit‑related merger, acquisition, and divestiture activity, including due diligence, asset/liability transfers, and alignment with HR, Finance, Legal and Accounting. Additional responsibilities include managing senior executive agreements and non‑qualified deferred compensation plans, overseeing complex executive compensation and localization arrangements, providing strategic support to business leaders and HR partners, guiding wellness initiatives, and developing direct reports and HR colleagues to strengthen organizational capability.

Requirements

Bachelor’s and graduate degree (MBA) required; CEBS certification required.
15+ years senior‑executive leadership in large‑company employee benefits, spanning HR, Legal, and Finance; full accountability and freedom to act leading complex legacy plans and union collective bargaining agreements in a large multi‑state manufacturing environment.
Experience as a global benefits head and as a key regional leader (preferably North America) within a large multinational manufacturing firm; breadth across global benefits, HR, Finance, and project management; experience with expatriates and Canada/Mexico/Costa Rica benefits a plus.
Ownership of financial management, audits, actuarial valuations, nondiscrimination testing, investment strategies, and data analysis tied to measurable outcomes.
Track record in cost‑containment initiatives, vendor management/negotiations, contracting, governance, and business process documentation/mapping.
Deep working knowledge of ERISA, ACA, HIPAA, IRS Code, COBRA, HITECH, FMLA, ADA; proven compliance across retirement and health & welfare plans.
Hands‑on experience with non‑qualified executive deferred compensation, 409A compliance, executive agreements, and administration of severance, qualified/non‑qualified plans, and localization agreements.
Proven ability to partner with in‑house and external counsel, Regional/Global Finance, Comptroller, and CFO; strong negotiation, stakeholder management, and executive‑level communication skills.

Responsibilities

Champion the organization’s mission, vision, values, and strategic direction; develop and communicate a functional strategy and inspire a diverse workforce to achieve ambitious business goals.
Lead the creation and execution of strategy for a benefits function, anticipating complex regional challenges and aligning plans with broader corporate strategy.
Design and oversee HR frameworks, policies, and tools that meet business needs while ensuring consistency across regions and compliance with all legal and regulatory requirements.
Provide authoritative expertise and strategic guidance to senior leadership on policy implementation, large-scale initiatives, and organizational change efforts.
Develop and maintain strategic organizational policies for a major business entity or function, ensuring they support operational performance and corporate objectives.
Assess current and future capability needs for an international organization; identify skill gaps, prioritize development activities, and foster a culture of continuous growth and personal potential.
Build organizational capability through mentoring and informal development methods, ensuring leadership strength and succession readiness across the enterprise.
Lead regional relationships with unions serving as the primary spokesperson in strategic consultations and negotiations; collaborate with senior leaders to define business objectives, negotiation positions, and outcomes aligned with organizational value.