Senior Manager, Benefits (Hybrid)

Lakeshore Learning Materials, LLC•Carson, CA

11h•$110,000 - $137,500•Hybrid

About The Position

Benefits are more than a line item in a compensation package—they’re one of the most tangible ways we show our people they matter. As Senior Manager, Benefits, you’ll lead a close-knit team to design, deliver and continuously improve the benefits experience for 3,000+ Lakeshore employees across the U.S., Canada and Asia. You’ll bring both the strategic lens to evaluate what we offer and the operational rigor to make sure it runs flawlessly—from open enrollment to daily employee questions.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business or a related field
8+ years of progressive benefits administration experience, including ownership of health, retirement and leave programs
4+ years directly managing people, with a track record of developing team members and delivering results through others
Hands-on experience administering benefits in an HRIS or benefits platform (Workday, UKG or similar)
Working knowledge of relevant compliance requirements, including ERISA, ACA, COBRA, FMLA and applicable state leave laws
Strong communicator who can translate complex plan details clearly for employees, carriers and senior leadership alike
Experience managing carrier and broker relationships, including contract renewals and issue resolution
Ability to work on-site at our Carson, California, headquarters on a hybrid schedule

Nice To Haves

SHRM-CP, SHRM-SCP, PHR or SPHR certification
Experience administering benefits across multiple countries (Canada and/or Asia-Pacific)
Exposure to an HCM implementation or benefits system migration
Familiarity with self-funded or level-funded health plan structures
You make complexity feel manageable—for your team, for employees asking hard questions, and for leadership weighing big decisions
You build trust quickly with vendors and internal partners alike, and you know when to push back and when to align
You’re the kind of leader who spots a gap before it becomes a problem and already has a plan when you raise it
You hold a high bar for accuracy without letting it slow you or your team down

Responsibilities

Leading and developing a team of three Benefits professionals, setting clear expectations, coaching toward growth and holding the team accountable for delivering accurate, responsive service to employees at every level
Owning day-to-day administration of all benefit plans—self-funded medical, dental, vision, FSA/HSA, 401(k) and supplemental coverage—ensuring enrollments, changes, COBRA and leave-related premiums are processed correctly and on time
Serving as the primary point of contact for benefit carriers and our broker, managing relationships, and escalating or resolving coverage issues with urgency and care
Leading the annual evaluation of Lakeshore’s benefits offerings—benchmarking internally and externally, identifying gaps and presenting clear recommendations to leadership for the U.S. and our international locations
Overseeing leave-of-absence administration end to end, keeping timekeeping, documentation and premium collection aligned with federal, state and local leave laws
Planning and executing open enrollment and other benefits events, coordinating across HR, carriers and communications to deliver a smooth, employee-centered experience
Leading the financial management of benefit programs by analyzing claims experience, healthcare cost trends, utilization patterns and plan performance.
Partnering with brokers, carriers, TPAs and internal stakeholders to optimize plan design, control costs, mitigate risk and support data-driven benefits strategy and budgeting decisions.