Senior Benefits Manager

Location: Atlanta, GA – Inside the Perimeter Base Salary: $160,000–$180,000 (target approximately $170,000) Annual Bonus: 15% of base salary at target, based on company performance Work Model: Onsite / In-Office Schedule: Monday – Friday, Standard Business Hours Nature & Scope :Positional Overvie wOur client is seeking a highly experienced Senior Benefits Manager to lead the administration, execution, and ongoing management of its non-compensation employee benefit programs. Reporting to the Vice President of Human Resources and managing one Benefits support position, this leader will own benefits operations, vendor and broker relationships, employee benefits education, open enrollment, compliance, audits, and health and welfare plan administration . This is a hands-on leadership role requiring someone who can move comfortably between plan design and strategic initiatives and the detailed execution required to keep benefits programs accurate, compliant, responsive, and employee-focused. The environment values approachability, adaptability, accountability, speed, and strong follow-throug h. Two significant near-term priorities will be leading the annual Open Enrollment process and preparing for a potential 2027 change to part of the benefits structure that may require vendor selection/change, implementation, systems integration, employee communications, and change manageme nt.The ideal candidate brings deep health and welfare expertise, strong vendor and broker management, proven Open Enrollment leadership, benefits compliance and audit experience, and the ability to independently resolve complex employee, eligibility, carrier, and plan issues while partnering closely with HR, payroll, finance, and HRIS tea ms. Role & Responsibil ity:Tasks That Will Lead To Your Suc cessAdminister and oversee all non-compensation employee benefit programs, including medical, dental, vision, life, disability, retirement/401(k), leave, wellness, and voluntary benef its.Ensure accurate enrollment, eligibility, deductions, carrier feeds, record-keeping, and benefit-related data; partner with payroll and HRIS on reconciliations and issue resol tion.Serve as the primary escalation point for complex employee benefits inquiries, claims issues, coverage questions, and eligibility matt ers.Manage relationships with benefits carriers, brokers, and third-party administrators, including service levels, renewals, implementations, escalations, invoices, and administrative f ees.Plan and lead annual Open Enrollment from end to end, including project timelines, system configuration and testing, vendor coordination, employee communications, enrollment support, and post-enrollment accur acy.Lead or support benefits vendor evaluations and changes, including implementation planning, data/system integrations, testing, communications, and change managem ent.Ensure compliance with ERISA, ACA, HIPAA, COBRA, FMLA, Section 125, and applicable IRS/DOL requireme nts.Manage required filings and reporting, including Form 5500, ACA reporting, nondiscrimination testing, plan amendments, and documentat ion.Coordinate and support benefits and 401(k) audits, address findings, and maintain audit-ready reco rds.Contribute to health and welfare plan design, benefits problem-solving, and implementation of strategic benefits initi ves.Develop and deliver clear benefits communications, training, guides, and informational sessions for employees and manag ers.Supervise, coach, and develop one Benefits Coordinator, setting priorities, reviewing work, and ensuring accurate and timely execut ion.Use Excel and benefits/HRIS platforms to reconcile eligibility, deductions, invoices, and vendor data and identify discrepanc ies.Partner effectively with HR, payroll, finance, HRIS, brokers, carriers, and vendors in a fast-paced environm ent. Required Exper ience7+ years of progressive employee benefits administration experience, including at least 2 years supervising or leading benefits s taff.Proven experience personally planning and leading annual Open Enrollment in a multi-plan and ideally multi-state environ ment.Demonstrated ownership of benefits carriers, brokers, and third-party administrator relations hips.Hands-on health and welfare benefits experience spanning administration, plan design, employee escalations, renewals, and vendor manage ment.Experience with benefits compliance, required filings, plan amendments, Form 5500/ACA reporting, nondiscrimination testing, and 401(k) audits/audit sup port.Experience with vendor implementations and benefits-system/data integrations; experience leading a vendor change is strongly va lued.Working knowledge of ERISA, ACA, HIPAA, COBRA, FMLA, Section 125, and DOL/IRS reporting obligat ions.Proficiency with HRIS and benefits administration platforms such as UKG, Workday, ADP, or comparable systems and online enrollment platf orms.Strong Excel and data-reconciliation skills for eligibility, deductions, carrier feeds, and invoice valida tion.Strong project management, communication, judgment, attention to detail, and employee-service orienta tion.Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or a related field, or equivalent experi ence. Preferred Qualific ationsNon-qualified Deferred Compensation exper ience.Experience leading significant benefits vendor transitions or integra tions.Experience implementing strategic health and welfare initiatives in a complex or multi-state organiz ation.CEBS, SHRM-CP/SHRM-SCP, PHR/SPHR, or related professional certific ation. Team & Envi ronmentReports to the Vice President of Human Resources and directly manages one Benefits support po sition.Highly collaborative environment with regular partnership across HR, payroll, finance, HRIS, brokers, carriers, and third-party v endors.Hands-on role requiring both strategic judgment and detailed operational exe cution.Immediate focus includes annual Open Enrollment and preparation for a potential 2027 benefits structure/vendor change and integ ration.Fast-paced organization that values responsiveness, accountability, adaptability, strong relationships, and exe #J-18808-Ljbffr The Imagine Group, An Imagine Company