Senior Benefits specialist
About The Position
The Senior Benefits Specialist is a senior-level individual contributor responsible for the administration, analysis, and continuous improvement of North America employee benefit and leave programs. This role serves as a subject matter expert for health and welfare plans, retirement programs, leave of absence of administration, and benefits of compliance. The ideal candidate will possess deep expertise in U.S. benefits programs, hands-on experience administering complex leave cases, and the ability to independently manage day-to-day operations while partnering with employees, vendors, HR colleagues, and leadership. Success in this role requires strong communication skills, sound judgment, attention to detail, and intermediate analytical capabilities to identify trends, evaluate data, and recommend process improvements. This position is best suited for an experienced benefits professional who can operate independently, resolve complex issues, and provide consultative guidance across a broad range of employee benefits and leave-related matters.
Requirements
- Bachelor's degree in human resources, Business Administration, or related field, or equivalent experience.
- 5+ years of progressive experience administering U.S. employee benefits programs.
- 3+ years of direct leave of absence administration experience, including FMLA, ADA, disability, and state leave programs.
- Demonstrated expertise in U.S. health and welfare and retirement benefit programs.
- Strong understanding of benefits-related regulations and compliance requirements.
- Intermediate analytical skills with the ability to interpret data, identify trends, perform root cause analysis, and make informed recommendations.
- Proven ability to independently manage competing priorities and complex issues with minimal supervision.
- Excellent communication, organization, and stakeholder management skills.
- Proficiency with HRIS, benefits administration systems, and Microsoft Excel.
Nice To Haves
- Experience working with outsourced benefits and leave administration vendors.
- Experience supporting multi-state employee populations.
- Experience with Canadian benefits a plus.
- Experience analyzing benefits and leave metrics to support strategic decision-making.
- Knowledge of benefits of compliance requirements, including ERISA, ACA, COBRA, HIPAA, Section 125, FMLA/LOA, ADA and related regulations.
Responsibilities
- Serve as a subject matter expert for U.S. benefit programs, including medical, dental, vision, life insurance, disability, retirement, wellness, and voluntary benefits.
- Independently research and resolve complex employee benefit inquiries and escalated issues.
- Partner with benefit vendors to ensure service delivery expectations are met, and participant issues are promptly resolved.
- Support annual enrollment activities, plan implementations, acquisitions, and other strategic benefits initiatives.
- Assist with plan audits, regulatory filings, testing, and compliance activities.
- Administer and support leave of absence programs, including FMLA, ADA accommodations, parental leave, short-term disability, long-term disability, military leave, and applicable state leave requirements.
- Serve as a resource for employees and managers regarding leave eligibility, processes, and regulatory requirements.
- Coordinate closely with third-party leave administrators to ensure accurate case management and timely resolution of leave-related issues.
- Monitor leave activity and identify opportunities for process improvement and enhanced employee experience.
- Analyze benefits and leave data to identify trends, discrepancies, compliance risks, and opportunities for operational improvement.
- Prepare reports, dashboards, and recommendations to support decision-making and program effectiveness.
- Partner with HR leadership to evaluate program utilization and employee engagement.
- Participate in continuous improvement initiatives that enhance service delivery, operational efficiency, and employee satisfaction.
- Create and maintain employee-facing communications, job aids, and educational materials.
- Conduct benefits and leave-related training and informational sessions as needed.
- Deliver a high level of customer service while managing sensitive and confidential information.
Benefits
- Health care and wellness plans
- Dental and vision plans
- Flexible and virtual work options (where available)
- 401(k) Savings Plan with company match
- Employee Stock Purchase Plan offering eligible employees the ability to purchase AGCO stock at a discounted price
- Paid holidays and paid time off
- Health savings and flexible spending accounts
- Reimbursement for continuing education
- Life insurance and other supplemental insurance plans
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Senior
