Specialist, Benefits & Wellness

Incumbent reports to Director, Benefits & Wellness. The Benefits and Wellness Specialist is responsible for administering, coordinating, and optimizing employee benefit programs and wellness initiatives to support the overall well-being and satisfaction of employees. Acts as Subject Matter Expert for Medical, Dental, Vision, Life, FMLA and EAP plans as well as voluntary plans. Responsible for the day-to-day administration of plans and leave management, including coordination of implementations, compliance activities, and communications. Works closely with Benefits Analyst to ensure data integrity. Works closely with benefit consultants, vendors, and providers. Will also determine leave decisions based on federal, state and company policies. Under limited supervision, seeks guidance on matters and situations outside of guidelines or policy. Uses creativity, critical thinking and experience to plan and accomplish short- and long-term goals and responsibilities. Support initiatives for CCL brand and Corporate consisting of approximately 3,400 employees. Essential Functions Manage all aspects of employee benefits programs, including health, dental, vision, life insurance, and retirement plans. Oversee the enrollment process, including new hire onboarding and annual open enrollment. Audit employee elections in Oracle HCM ensuring all necessary data is accurate and complete. Ensure necessary supporting documents are valid and have been uploaded. Identify incomplete data and/or missing documents. Follow up with employees to resolve incomplete data or missing documents. Work with Sr. Benefits Analyst and HRIS to resolve any process gaps or defects. Seek and identify opportunities for process improvements. Ensure benefits programs comply with legal requirements and industry regulations. Manage and administer all aspects of employee leaves, including FMLA, short-term disability, long-term disability, and other applicable leave programs. Serve as the primary point of contact for employees requesting leaves and guide them through the leave application process, providing guidance and support to employees seeking assistance with leave-related matters and wellness inquiries. Ensure compliance with federal and state leave laws, maintain accurate records, and stay up to date with regulatory changes. Collaborate with leave management provider, HRBP, and supervisors to resolve leave-related issues and disputes. Provide guidance and support to employees seeking assistance with leave-related matters and wellness inquiries. Update communication collateral and ensure proper communication with all stakeholders. Communications includes required notifications, targeted communications, lunch and learns, open enrollment, SharePoint site, ALEX tool, articles, job aides, etc. Liaise with the HR Service Center team to ensure communications pieces, articles and job aides related to assigned plans are updated and disseminated in a timely manner. Serve as the main point of contact for employees regarding benefits inquiries, issues, changes and leave requests. Respond to myHRExperience cases and emails through to resolution. Knowledge & Skills Responsible for the administration and optimization of employee benefits programs and wellness initiatives for ~3,400 employees across CCL and Corporate. Serves as the subject matter expert for core benefit offerings including medical, dental, vision, life insurance, FMLA, EAP, and voluntary plans. The incumbent ensures compliance, data integrity, and effective communication across all benefit-related functions, while also managing leave programs and wellness initiatives. Applies sound judgment, analytical skills, and effective problem-solving to resolve data discrepancies, leave decisions, and compliance issues. Collaborates with HRIS, vendors, and internal teams to improve processes and ensure accurate, secure handling of protected information. Enhances employee experience by ensuring accurate benefits administration and timely support for leave and wellness inquiries. Drives operational efficiency and compliance through process improvements and data integrity. Demonstrates leadership through clear communication, relationship-building, and cross‑functional collaboration. Leads benefit‑related communications and supports environmental compliance by reporting issues per the Environmental Compliance Plan. Proficient in Microsoft Office 365, Advanced Excel, PowerPoint, and HRIS systems. Qualifications Required Education: Bachelor’s Degree Required: 3+ years’ experience in HR and/or Benefits. Preferably in FMLA A combination of years of experience can be substituted for educational requirement Effective communication and interpersonal skills, ability to demonstrate sound judgement, analytic skills, effective problem‑solving skills and ability to build and maintain effective work relationships. Very good understanding of Federal & State Regulatory Laws applicable to Benefits (i.e. FMLA; HIPPA, etc.). Ability to interpret policies. Ability to recognize confidential and protected information and maintain information in a confidential and secure manner. Advanced Excel; Intermediate PowerPoint; Microsoft Office 365; Proficiency in HRIS. Physical Demands Must be able to remain in a stationary position at a desk and/or computer for extended periods of time. Travel None or very little travel Work Conditions Work beyond normal business hours or on weekends may be required occasionally to support business needs, projects, or operations. This position is classified as “in-office.” As an in‑office role, it requires employees to work from a designated Carnival office in South Florida Tuesday through Thursday each week. Employees may work from their homes on Mondays and Fridays. Candidates must be located in (or willing to relocate to) the Miami/Ft. Lauderdale area. Offers to selected candidates will be made on a fair and equitable basis, taking into account specific job‑related skills and experience. At Carnival, your total rewards package is much more than your base salary. All non‑sales roles participate in an annual cash bonus program, while sales roles have an incentive plan. Director and above roles may also be eligible to participate in Carnival’s discretionary equity incentive plan. Plus, Carnival provides comprehensive and innovative benefits to meet your needs, including: Health Benefits: Cost‑effective medical, dental and vision plans Employee Assistance Program and other mental health resources Additional programs include company paid term life insurance and disability coverage Financial Benefits: 401(k) plan that includes a company match Employee Stock Purchase plan Paid Time Off: Holidays – All full‑time and part‑time with benefits employees receive days off for 8 company‑wide holidays, plus 2 additional floating holidays to be taken at the employee’s discretion. Vacation Time – All full‑time employees at the manager and below level start with 14 days/year; director and above level start with 19 days/year. Part‑time with benefits employees receive time off based on the number of hours they work, with a minimum of 84 hours/year. All employees gain additional vacation time with further tenure. Sick Time – All full‑time employees receive 80 hours of sick time each year. Part‑time with benefits employees receive time off based on the number of hours they work, with a minimum of 60 hours each year. Other Benefits: Complementary stand‑by cruises, employee discounts on confirmed cruises, plus special rates for family and friends Personal and professional learning and development resources including tuition reimbursement On‑site Fitness center at our Miami campus About Us Carnival Corporation & plc is the world’s largest leisure travel company, our mission to deliver unforgettable happiness to our guest through our diverse portfolio of leading cruise brands and island destinations, including Carnival Cruise Line, Holland America Line, Princess Cruises, and Seabourn in North America and Australia; P&O Cruises and Cunard Line in the United Kingdom; AIDA in Germany; Costa Cruises in Southern Europe. Join us and embark on a career that offers not only the chance to grow professionally but also the opportunity to be part of a global community that makes a difference. In addition to other duties/functions, this position requires full commitment and support for promoting ethical and compliant culture. More specifically, this position requires integrity, honesty, and respectful treatment of others, as well as a willingness to speak up when they see misconduct or have concerns. Carnival Corporation & plc and Carnival Cruise Line is an equal employment opportunity/affirmative action employer. In this regard, it does not discriminate against any qualified individual on the basis of sex, race, color, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, age, marital status, mental, physical or sensory disability, or any other classification protected by applicable local, state, federal, and/or international law. #J-18808-Ljbffr