Manager, Health & Welfare Benefits (U.S.)

Proskauer•New York, NY

38d•$150,000 - $180,000•Onsite

About The Position

The world’s leading organizations and global players choose Proskauer to represent them when they need it the most. With 800+ lawyers in key financial centers around the world, we are known for our pragmatic and business-savvy approach. Proskauer is the place to turn when a matter is complex, innovative and game-changing. We work seamlessly across practices, industries and jurisdictions with asset managers, private equity and venture capital firms, Fortune 500 and FTSE companies, major sports leagues, entertainment industry legends and other industry-redefining companies. Proskauer is seeking an experienced and forward-thinking Manager, U.S. Health & Welfare Benefits to oversee the day-to-day administration of the Firm’s U.S. health and welfare benefit programs. This role manages a small team and serves as both an operational leader and a strategic thought partner, with a particular focus on leveraging technology, data, and evolving tools to enhance employee benefits, and leaves experience. The ideal candidate combines strong technical benefits and leaves expertise, people-management experience, financial and operational acumen, and a curiosity-driven approach to innovation in benefits administration and HR technology.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree required; benefits-related certification (e.g., CEBS) a plus.
6–8 years of experience in U.S. benefits administration, including health and welfare plans.
Significant hands-on experience administering U.S. leaves of absence and accommodations, strongly preferred.
2–5 years of people-management or team-lead experience.
Demonstrated strength working with benefits systems, HR platforms, and data; comfort serving as a systems owner or lead.
Interest in and enthusiasm for benefits technology, system optimization, and emerging tools.
Strong knowledge of U.S. benefits and leave-related compliance requirements.
Strong judgment, organizational skills, and discretion when handling sensitive matters.
Proven ability to address complex and sensitive matters with care, accuracy, and sound judgment in a client-service–driven organization.
This position will require physical presence in Proskauer’s offices on a regular basis (at least 3x per week, or more, if it becomes the policy of the Firm).

Responsibilities

U.S. Benefits Administration Manage the day-to-day administration of U.S. health and welfare benefit plans, including medical, dental, vision, life insurance, disability, and related programs.
Review and approve all benefits-related inputs to payroll, ensuring the accuracy of benefit deductions, retroactive deductions, and leave-related payroll impacts.
Partner closely with Payroll, HR Operations, and Finance to reconcile benefits and payroll data and resolve discrepancies in a timely manner.
Serve as a primary point of escalation for complex benefits, benefits related payroll, and eligibility issues.
Oversee annual U.S. Open Enrollment, including project planning, system configuration, vendor coordination, testing, employee communications, and post-enrollment reconciliation.
Ensure Open Enrollment processes are accurate, compliant, and delivered with strong employee experience.
Leaves of Absence & ADA Accommodations Own the end-to-end administration of U.S. leaves of absence, including FMLA, state and local statutory leaves, medical leaves, and Firm-sponsored leaves, administered internally.
In coordination with the Director of Employee Relations and HR Compliance, serve as the Firm’s subject matter expert on U.S. leaves, providing guidance on complex cases, regulatory interpretation, and best practices.
Support the Firm’s ADA accommodations process, partnering closely with subject matter experts across HR to engage best practices in respect of intake, documentation, and coordination between leaves and the accommodations process Ensure consistent, compliant, and employee-centered practices while maintaining confidentiality and thorough, defensible documentation.
Monitor regulatory developments related to leaves and accommodations and recommend policy, process, or system enhancements as needed
People Management & Process Leadership Manage and develop a small team of benefits professionals, providing coaching, prioritization, and performance feedback.
Oversee workload distribution across benefits and leaves to ensure timely, high-quality service delivery.
Lead process documentation, standardization, and continuous improvement initiatives, with a focus on scalability and sustainability.
Technology, Systems & Innovation Serve as a key owner and power user of benefits administration platforms and HR systems, ensuring data integrity, effective workflows, and optimal system utilization.
Identify opportunities to improve benefits and leave administration through system enhancements, automation, and evolving technology solutions.
Partner with HRIS, IT, and vendors on system upgrades, implementations, integrations, and testing.
Analyze benefits and leave data to identify trends, risks, and opportunities for operational improvement and enhanced employee experience.
Stay current on emerging benefits and HR technologies and bring forward ideas to modernizing processes and tools.
Financial & Vendor Oversight Support benefits budgeting, forecasting, and expense tracking for U.S. programs.
Review and reconcile vendor invoices and support renewals, audits, and vendor performance reviews.
Global Exposure & Development Provide backup support for non-U.S. benefits administration as needed.