Vice President, Benefits & Retirement

Employee Benefits And Retirement Programs Director

Accountable for the design, strategy, financing, and administration of all employee benefits and retirement programs across the Jefferson enterprise. This role provides strategic leadership over a comprehensive portfolio spanning medical, dental, vision, pharmacy, life, disability, voluntary benefits, health and wellness programs, 401(k) and 403(b) plans, defined benefit/pension obligations, non-qualified deferred compensation, and executive benefit arrangements. Leads a high-performing team and serve as the enterprise authority on benefits strategy in a complex, multi-entity, multi-state health care environment — including union and non-union populations, diverse workforce segments, and the unique benefit obligations inherent to an employer that is simultaneously a health system, a health plan, a university, and a care delivery organization.

• Develop and execute a multi-year benefits and retirement strategy aligned with enterprise workforce and total rewards goals.
• Lead design and ongoing evaluation of all health, welfare, and retirement programs to ensure competitiveness, quality, and financial sustainability
• Partner with CHRO and CFO on annual and long-range benefits budgeting, financial modeling, and scenario planning.
• Lead renewal negotiations with carriers, PBMs, TPAs, and stop-loss partners to optimize plan economics.
• Direct strategy for retirement programs including 401(k), 403(b), defined benefit/pension plans, NQDC, and supplemental retirement plans (SRPs)
• Oversee ERISA compliance, plan document maintenance, Summary Plan Description (SPD) accuracy, and Form 5500 filings across all qualified and non-qualified plans
• Direct the defined benefit/pension program, including actuarial assumptions, asset-liability management, investment policy compliance, and PBGC obligations where applicable
• Partner with investment consultants and record keepers to optimize 401(k)/403(b) fund lineups, participant education, and retirement readiness outcomes
• Ensure enterprise-wide compliance with ACA, ERISA, HIPAA, COBRA, FMLA, ADA, SECURE Act 2.0, Mental Health Parity, No Surprises Act, and all applicable state and local mandates
• Oversee compliance calendar, plan audit processes, discrimination testing (ADP/ACP, top-heavy), and corrective action under IRS and DOL programs
• Lead and develop a multidisciplinary benefits team across plan management, leave administration, retirement operations, analytics, and vendor governance.
• Oversee benefits communication strategy, open enrollment, and year-round education across digital and in-person channels.
• Partner with HR technology teams to optimize benefits platforms and self-service capabilities.

• Bachelor's Degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, Finance or related field
• 15+ years of progressive benefits leadership experience and
• 7 years in a senior or executive benefits leadership role
• Deep technical expertise in health and welfare plan design, self-insurance, actuarial concepts, and pharmacy benefit management
• Mastery of ERISA, ACA, HIPAA, COBRA, FMLA, ADA, SECURE Act 2.0, Mental Health Parity, and No Surprises Act compliance requirements
• Strong financial acumen, including benefits budgeting, actuarial modeling, claims analytics, and total compensation costing
• Exceptional executive presence and communication skills; ability to present complex benefit strategy to the Board, C-Suite, and frontline employees alike
• Demonstrated ability to build, lead, and inspire high-performing teams in a fast-paced, high-accountability environment
• Strategic thinker with an evidence-based orientation and comfort with data, analytics, and benefits technology platforms
• Collaborative and politically savvy; skilled at building cross-functional partnerships with Finance, Legal, IT, Risk, and Clinical Operations
• High degree of personal and professional integrity; trusted steward of confidential and sensitive information

• Master's Degree in Business Administration, Health Administration or related field
• 5 years in a large, complex, multi-entity health care enterprise (health system, integrated delivery network, or payer/provider organization) strongly preferred

• Proven experience managing self-insured health plan programs with annual spend of $250M or greater
• Experience as a named or functional ERISA fiduciary, including retirement plan governance, DOL/IRS compliance, and investment committee leadership
• Direct experience managing defined benefit pension plans, including actuarial oversight and PBGC compliance, preferred
• Experience leading benefits integration
• Exposure to union benefit plan management

Work Shift: Workday Day (United States of America)

Worker Sub Type: Regular

Employee Entity: Thomas Jefferson University

Primary Location Address: 1101 Market, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States of America