Benefits Manager

Benefits Manager A global food and beverage manufacturer is seeking an experienced Benefits Manager for a 6 month contract opportunity based in White Plains, NY. This role will support the Human Resources – Employee Benefits team with the administration, communication, compliance, and vendor management of employee benefit programs, including medical, prescription drug, life, disability, leave of absence, EAP, and voluntary benefit offerings. The best fit for this role is a benefits-focused HR professional who has managed complex benefits programs in a corporate environment and is comfortable working with HRIS, Payroll, Legal, Safety, Procurement, Communications, Finance, vendors, consultants, and employees. This person should bring strong benefits compliance knowledge, excellent Excel and communication skills, and the ability to keep benefit programs accurate, well-communicated, and aligned with employee experience. Compensation & Benefits Pay rate: $45.75 per hour 6 month contract opportunity Hybrid schedule: 3 days onsite in White Plains, NY and 2 days remote Eligible CRG contract employees may have access to medical, dental, vision, weekly pay, direct deposit, referral bonus opportunities, and support from the CRG recruiting and account management team after 30 days of employment. 401(k) eligibility begins after 12 months as a CRG employee. Benefit eligibility, plan details, waiting periods, and employee costs should be confirmed during onboarding. New York paid sick leave applies to eligible employees. Under New York State law, covered employees accrue sick leave at a rate of at least 1 hour for every 30 hours worked, with annual paid sick leave requirements based on employer size. Responsibilities Develop, implement, and manage benefits policies, systems, programs, procedures, and day-to-day administration for assigned benefit programs. Serve as a subject matter expert for medical, prescription drug, leave of absence, disability, voluntary benefit programs, EAP, and customer advocacy. Manage vendor relationships and partner with vendors/consultants to analyze program data, track experience, evaluate performance, and recommend program improvements. Ensure benefit enrollment accuracy within the outsourced benefits platform. Review, reconcile, and approve benefit invoices for assigned programs. Develop, design, distribute, and present benefits information for new hire orientations, open enrollment, benefit education sessions, and employee communications. Respond to employee benefits inquiries, monitor eligibility status, and assist participants with claim submission and follow-up. Collaborate with HRIS, Payroll, Legal, Safety, Procurement, Communications, and Finance on benefits processing, compliance, budgeting, forecasting, implementation, and communication. Support employee wellness programs, benefits fairs, open enrollment events, and other employee engagement initiatives. Manage and monitor assigned benefit programs by researching best practices, analyzing annual review data, increasing engagement, developing communications, answering inquiries, and maintaining compliance. Support LOA and disability administration, including process orientation, employee experience, HR/staff training, line manager guidance, safety coordination, and plan-rule adherence. Maintain knowledge of market and legislative benefits trends, evaluate cost/benefit implications, and support compliance activities including 5500 filings, 1094/1095-C, ARPA, PPACA/ACA, and nondiscrimination testing. Qualifications Bachelor’s degree required. 10 years of Human Resources experience, with strong benefits management experience. Working knowledge of standard HR benefits management principles, employee benefit regulations, plan language, benefit operations, and administrative procedures. Experience administering medical, prescription drug, disability, leave of absence, EAP, voluntary benefits, wellness, and related employee benefit programs. Experience with benefits compliance, including ACA/PPACA, 5500 filings, 1094/1095-C, ARPA, and nondiscrimination testing. Strong vendor management, invoice reconciliation, data analysis, and benefits communication experience. Proficiency with Microsoft Office, especially Excel, PowerPoint, and Word. Ability to communicate clearly and professionally with employees, administrative teams, vendors, consultants, and internal stakeholders. Strong attention to detail, confidentiality, ethics, cultural awareness, and sensitivity to employee needs. Experience with outsourced benefits platforms, HRIS, payroll interfaces, open enrollment, LOA/disability processes, and corporate benefits communications strongly preferred. #J-18808-Ljbffr