Senior Benefits Manager

SEIU•Washington, DC

5h•Hybrid

About The Position

The Senior Benefits Manager is SEIU’s strategic leader and subject matter expert for employee benefits, leave administration, and wellness programs. Reporting to the Director of People, Talent and Human Resources, this role develops, administers, and continuously improves a comprehensive benefits strategy that supports employee well-being and organizational goals. The position leads benefits operations, vendor relationships, compliance, leave management, employee education, benefits analytics, and organizational wellness. The role develops a coordinated approach to employee well-being, benefits, leave administration, and employee support, and advises senior leadership on how these programs relate to organizational culture, engagement, and workforce effectiveness. It works across leadership, HR, Legal, Payroll, HRIS, employees, managers, vendors, and the Benefits Fund. The position works independently and is based at SEIU’s Washington, DC headquarters in a hybrid or onsite work environment.

Requirements

5–7+ years of progressive experience in benefits administration, including at least 2 years in a senior or lead capacity.
Experience with HRIS and benefits administration platforms such as Workday, ADP, UKG, or Paylocity.
Strong knowledge of federal and multi-state benefits regulations.
Deep expertise in benefits administration, compliance, and vendor management.
Strong analytical skills, including the ability to interpret data and identify trends.
Exceptional communication skills and the ability to explain complex information clearly and empathetically.
High attention to detail and accuracy.
Ability to manage multiple priorities and meet deadlines in a fast-paced environment.
Strong customer-service orientation and commitment to confidentiality.
Collaborative mindset and ability to partner across departments.

Responsibilities

Develop and lead a comprehensive employee well-being strategy addressing physical, mental, emotional, and financial wellness, family support, work-life integration, and quality of life.
Design and implement benefits programs that support employee attraction, retention, engagement, and long-term success while aligning with SEIU’s values and organizational goals.
Partner with leadership to ensure benefits and wellness programs reinforce organizational culture and employee experience strategy.
Use data, employee feedback, industry trends, and workforce metrics to identify opportunities to improve well-being, engagement, satisfaction, and organizational health.
Develop financial wellness programs, including retirement readiness, financial literacy, debt management, and long-term financial security resources.
Design and oversee health and wellness initiatives promoting preventive care, mental health awareness, resilience, stress management, and healthy lifestyles.
Equip managers with resources and training to foster psychologically safe, inclusive, and supportive work environments.
Advise senior leadership on the relationship between benefits, wellness, organizational culture, employee engagement, and workforce effectiveness.
Lead a multi-year workforce well-being roadmap that balances employee care, organizational sustainability, and operational effectiveness.
Ensure compliance with federal, state, and local laws governing benefits and leave programs, including ERISA, ACA, HIPAA, COBRA, FMLA, ADA, state leave laws, and retirement plan regulations.
Oversee preparation, review, and distribution of required notices, disclosures, Summary Plan Descriptions, and regulatory filings.
Monitor legislative and regulatory developments and recommend policy and program changes.
Lead internal and external audits related to benefits and leave administration, and partner with Legal and HR leadership to mitigate risk and ensure policy compliance.
Partner with the HR Program Manager to develop and deliver accessible benefits communications, including guides, FAQs, presentations, and digital content.
Facilitate benefits presentations during new-hire orientations and ongoing education sessions for employees and managers.
Provide confidential support to employees navigating complex benefits or leave situations.
Oversee administration of Paid Family Leave, FMLA, ADA accommodations, short- and long-term disability, and other leave programs.
Ensure consistent application of leave policies and legal requirements, coordinating with employees, managers, and third-party administrators to support leave transitions.
Lead administration of employee benefit programs, including medical, dental, vision, life insurance, disability, retirement plans, FSAs, HSAs, wellness initiatives, and voluntary benefits in partnership with the Fund.
Ensure timely and accurate benefit enrollment processing with the HRIS team, including life-event changes, terminations, and qualifying events.
Direct annual open enrollment planning, communications, system readiness, testing, training, and implementation.
Partner with Payroll and HRIS teams on benefit deductions, system integrations, and compliance requirements.
Establish quality assurance measures and conduct regular audits to maintain data integrity and operational excellence.
Serve as the senior escalation point for complex employee benefits issues and executive-level inquiries.
Lead relationships with insurance carriers, brokers, consultants, third-party administrators, wellness providers, and the Benefits Fund.
Manage vendor performance through service-level agreements, reporting, audits, and operational reviews.
Lead benefits contract evaluations, renewals, negotiations, and requests for proposals.
Work with vendors to improve service delivery, education, cost containment, and employee engagement; monitor claims and utilization trends for opportunities to improve programs.