Director of Benefits

Lead Enterprise Benefits Strategy, Financial Stewardship, and Associate Wellbeing Georgia System Operations Corporation (GSOC) is seeking a Director, Benefits to lead the strategy, design, governance, administration, and continuous improvement of benefit programs across the Family of Companies. This executive leadership role provides oversight for health and welfare, retirement, leave and accommodation, wellness, compliance, benefits technology, and vendor governance while ensuring sustainable, compliant, and associate-focused program delivery. The Director serves as the senior benefits advisor to executive leadership and partners closely with Compensation, Finance, Legal, Associate Services, HR Technology, brokers, consultants, and vendors to develop and execute benefits strategy. This opportunity is ideal for an experienced benefits leader who combines strategic thinking, financial acumen, regulatory expertise, executive influence, and strong people leadership. What You'll Do You will:

What You’ll Do

• Set the enterprise benefits philosophy, strategic direction, and multi-year roadmap across health and welfare, retirement, leave and accommodation, wellness, and related programs.
• Lead annual strategic planning and evaluate plan design, funding, contribution, eligibility, vendor, and delivery alternatives.
• Develop executive-ready recommendations and business cases for benefit strategy decisions.
• Lead and develop the Benefits team, establishing goals, priorities, service expectations, succession plans, and professional development opportunities.
• Ensure accurate and timely benefits administration, annual enrollment, retiree activities, wellness programs, leave administration, and escalated issue resolution.
• Direct benefits budgeting, forecasting, renewal analysis, cost management, and long-term financial planning.
• Review claims, utilization, participation, retirement, leave, wellness, service, demographic, and market data to evaluate program effectiveness.
• Lead relationships with brokers, consultants, carriers, administrators, recordkeepers, and other benefit vendors.
• Oversee RFPs, vendor evaluations, negotiations, contract reviews, and major implementation initiatives.
• Maintain accountability for compliance with ERISA, COBRA, HIPAA, ACA, FMLA, ADA, Medicare Part D, retirement plan requirements, and related regulations.
• Establish and monitor fiduciary, privacy, financial, operational, and administrative controls.

What You Bring

• Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, Finance, Accounting, or a related field. Advanced degree preferred. Equivalent combination of education, training, and directly related work experience may be considered.
• Ideally 10+ years of progressively responsible benefits experience, including leadership of broad benefit portfolios and at least 5+ years of people leadership.
• Experience leading benefits strategy, plan design, vendor governance, financial analysis, compliance, audits, and executive recommendations.
• Strong financial, analytical, communication, negotiation, and leadership capabilities.
• Ability to balance cost, compliance, competitiveness, associate experience, and organizational objectives.

Preferred Qualifications Benefits Strategy & Total Rewards

• Experience leading enterprise health and welfare, retirement, wellness, leave, and accommodation programs.
• Experience partnering with compensation teams to deliver integrated Total Rewards strategies.

Compliance, Governance & Risk

• Strong knowledge of ERISA, HIPAA, ACA, COBRA, retirement plan governance, fiduciary responsibilities, and benefits compliance.
• Experience preparing for and responding to audits, testing, filings, and regulatory reviews.

Certifications

• CEBS strongly preferred.
• CBP, PHR, SPHR, SHRM-SCP, or similar professional certifications are valued.

Experience leading cross-functional initiatives with Compensation, Finance, Legal, HR Technology, Associate Services, Procurement, brokers, consultants, and vendors.

• Experience presenting complex benefit choices, financial implications, material risks, and recommended actions to executive audiences.

Executive Leadership & Enterprise Partnership

• Working knowledge of HCM, benefits administration, payroll, vendor, and reporting platforms; Infor CloudSuite experience is preferred.
• Experience sponsoring benefits technology, data, process, service, reporting, control, or associate‑experience improvements.
• Experience improving controls, service quality, operational efficiency, reporting accuracy, and associate support through technology and process enhancement.

Advantages of Working at GSOC

• Mission-Driven Impact: Your leadership helps shape benefits programs that support employees and retirees across the Family of Companies.
• Enterprise Influence: Partner with executive leadership to influence Total Rewards strategy, workforce sustainability, and associate wellbeing.
• Strong Values and Professional Standards: Work in an environment grounded in accountability, collaboration, integrity, and continuous improvement.

Work Environment & Benefits

• GSOC offers a professional, collaborative work environment with competitive compensation, comprehensive benefits, educational assistance, annual incentives, retirement benefits, and opportunities for continued growth and leadership development.
• Occasional support outside normal business hours may be required during annual enrollment, renewals, implementations, regulatory deadlines, critical issue resolution, or significant service disruptions.

Why Join GSOC

This is a unique opportunity to lead benefits strategy and operations for a mission-driven organization while influencing programs that impact associates, retirees, and organizational success.