Senior Director, North America Benefits

Ecolab Inc.•St. Paul, MN

16h•Hybrid

About The Position

As Senior Director, North America Benefits, you will set the strategy and lead end-to-end execution of Ecolab’s benefits portfolio across the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico—guided by enterprise-wide principles and closely aligned to our Total Rewards philosophy. In partnership with North America HR/Benefits, Finance, Accounting, Legal, and key business stakeholders, you will oversee the design, governance, and administration of programs that support employees’ health, financial security, and overall well-being. You will be accountable for a benefits budget of approximately $600M and for ensuring Ecolab’s offerings remain market-competitive, cost-effective, compliant, and easy for employees to understand and use. This is a highly visible leadership role with the opportunity to shape an employee experience that attracts, retains, and engages top talent while enabling strong business performance. This position will be based out of our corporate offices (hybrid) in St Paul, MN (Ecolab Global Headquarters).

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business, or related field
10+ years of progressive experience in benefits strategy and administration, including 5+ years leading a benefits function and/or consulting for large, complex organizations
Prior vendor management and negotiation experience

Nice To Haves

Deep knowledge of U.S. benefits regulations and compliance requirements; ability to partner effectively with Legal and external counsel
Demonstrated success designing and implementing large-scale benefits programs, driving measurable improvements in cost, experience, and compliance
Exceptional strategic, financial, and governance abilities within human resources, benefits and/or finance
Excellent communication, leadership, and change management capabilities
Experience leveraging benefits technology platforms and people/benefits analytics to drive insights, improve decision-making, and elevate the employee experience
Strong executive presence with the ability to influence, simplify complex topics, and lead through change in a matrixed environment
Post-graduate degree in business, human resources, finance preferred
Benefits credential (e.g., CEBS) and/or HR certification (e.g., SHRM-SCP, SPHR) preferred
Exposure to Canada benefits programs and related regulatory environment (provincial health coverage, statutory plans) is a plus
Intellectual curiosity to learn a multinational and multi-faceted business portfolio in a complex matrix environment
Team orientation to effectively engage and partner with regional teams and corporate functions
Ability to think strategically and handle difficult and complex issues that cut across multiple functions and businesses
Demonstrated ability to navigate conflict, negotiate, and make trade-offs as required to achieve stated goals and objectives
Courageous
Flexible and agile

Responsibilities

Develop and execute a comprehensive North America benefits strategy aligned to Ecolab’s business priorities, workforce needs, and Total Rewards philosophy.
Benchmark and evaluate programs against market data and emerging trends to maintain competitiveness and differentiated value.
Translate strategy into a multi-year roadmap with clear outcomes, governance, and measures of success.
Oversee health, welfare, wellness, and leave programs for North America employees.
Ensure strong compliance and risk management across applicable requirements (including ERISA, ACA, HIPAA, COBRA, and related federal, state/provincial, and local regulations).
Lead annual plan renewals, including plan design, cost-sharing strategy, and funding recommendations.
Establish controls and governance to ensure accurate plan documentation, filings, audits, and required notices.
Drive a benefits experience that is inclusive, simple to navigate, and responsive to diverse employee needs.
Partner with Communications and HR partners to deliver clear, engaging education and decision support—especially during life events and open enrollment.
Champion well-being initiatives spanning physical, mental, and financial health.
Own forecasting, budgeting, and ongoing financial management for the North America benefits portfolio ($600M).
Use data to understand cost drivers, utilization, and outcomes; identify opportunities to improve value, manage trend, and enhance employee experience.
Partner with Finance on reserve assumptions, accruals, and financial reporting as applicable.
Lead vendor strategy and performance management across carriers, administrators, wellness partners, and consultants; run RFPs and negotiate contracts and service level expectations.
Ensure operational excellence, issue resolution, and strong controls around eligibility, billing, and data feeds.
Build a measurement framework (experience, utilization, cost, health and well-being outcomes) to inform decisions and continuously improve programs.
Partner with HRIS/HR Operations and IT to optimize benefits technology, data integrity, and vendor integrations; strengthen reporting and insights.
Lead, coach, and develop a high-performing team of benefits professionals; set clear priorities and a culture of accountability and continuous improvement.
Partner with HR and commercial leaders to anticipate workforce needs, manage change, and deliver solutions at scale.
Serve as a trusted advisor to executive leadership on benefits strategy, emerging trends, and risk trade-offs.
Support due diligence and integration activities for mergers, acquisitions, and divestitures as they relate to benefits programs and vendors.