Total Rewards Benefits Manager - North America

At Suntory Global Spirits, we craft spirits of the highest quality and deliver brilliant experiences to people around the world. Suntory Global Spirits has evolved into the world's third largest leading premium spirits company ... where each employee is treated like family and trusted with legacy. With our greatest assets - our premium spirits and our people - we're driving growth through impactful marketing, innovation and an entrepreneurial spirit. Suntory Global Spirits is a place where you can come Unleash your Spirit by making an impact each and every day. What makes this a great opportunity? About Suntory Global Spirits At Suntory Global Spirits (“SGS”), we craft spirits of the highest quality and deliver brilliant experiences to people around the world. As the world’s third-largest premium spirits company, we are driven by our purpose, our legacy, and our people. We are a company where every individual is trusted to make an impact, challenge the status quo, and Unleash Their Spirit every day. Role Responsibilities Role Mission This role will be responsible for the day-to-day management of Americas (Canada , US, US VI, and Mexico) employee benefit plans to ensure all plans meet strategic objectives. This role will maintain strong relationships with our HR People Solutions team and multiple third-party administrative vendors and consultants. They will stay well-informed on legislative / regulatory developments and ensure full compliance. The role is also responsible for developing recommendations that are aligned with company strategy and goals. The successful candidate will enable our Total Rewards philosophy to be an employer of choice, building business cases and analysis, utilizing industry trends, market benchmarking and internal metrics, to support successful outcomes that enhance our employee experience, and positive results. The individual will work closely with People, Culture and Communications teams and other cross-functional teams to implement benefit programs and policies that provide positive impacts and inspire our employees to “unleash their spirit”. Outcomes/Success Criteria (Insert 3-5 specific and measurable indicators of success for this role. How will the candidate know they are successful? Ensure the outcomes are candidate-centric.) Successfully deliver and pro-actively manage market leading Americas Benefit programs, policies and processes. Quickly adapting to the SGS ways of working, learning our programs, policies and processes to provide subject matter expertise to colleagues and employees. Assist with development of employee benefits strategy to ensure programs are market-competitive, cost-competitive and aligned with company strategy, and oversee the implementation of approved plan design changes. Monitor internal metrics, industry and workforce trends, as well as regulatory and legislative changes, working with Total Rewards leadership to develop the benefits strategy and implement changes. Ensuring all plan related documents are accurate and up to date (SPD, plan documents, information on intranet, etc.) Develop and execute communication strategies to ensure all parties are fully informed of benefit plan changes and improve employee understanding, promoting our strategic agenda and fostering an appreciation of the value of all Americas benefit programs and services to employees through the employment life cycle, including new hires, open enrollment, retirement and respond to escalated issues from the HR People Solutions team. Manage multiple third-party vendor relationships to ensure efficient and effective administration of all Americas benefit plans. Continually evaluate internal and external administrative processes. Select and regularly evaluate all third-party vendors and service providers to ensure programs are managed by high quality, technically savvy, and financially sound organizations. Qualifications Thorough knowledge of the full spectrum of employee benefit plans, including 401k, health and welfare plans (medical, wellness, dental, vision, life insurance, disability, workers’ compensation). Proven skill set to include analytical, critical thinking, statistical and problem-solving abilities to ensure compliance, consistent interpretation and application of plans, thorough knowledge of other related benefit plan design and administration. Demonstrated success in building and maintaining relationships with multiple third-party vendors, HR partners and employees at all levels; vendors include administration partners, brokers, consultants, auditors, attorneys and on-site/near-site health/fitness clinic managers. Strong MS office skills (Excel, PowerPoint etc.); good understanding of HR systems and interfaces with third-party vendors. Strong communication, presentation, and interpersonal skills; excellent planning & organizational skills. Minimum Requirements: 5+ years of experience managing all facets of US employee benefit plans, including retirement, health and welfare plan administration, reporting and compliance. Exposure to North American and International Benefits plus Mergers and Acquisitions is preferred. Experience managing outsourced administrative vendors, RFP development, vendor Selection, project management of implementations/transitions, and plan harmonization expertise. Previous experience working with benefit plan financial modeling, creating and coordinating the development of plan documentation, conducting research and survey participation. Ability to work independently and be proactive in a fast-paced environment, possessing a strong sense of ownership and accountability, knowing when and how to escalate to leadership to keep projects on track, and stakeholders informed. Ability to articulate issues concisely and clearly for all audiences with a track record of establishing compliant, creative and successful solutions. Desired Qualifications: Bachelor's Degree in Business, Human Resources or equivalent education and experience. Total Rewards experience such as compensation subject matter expertise would be an advantage. Experience working with Union benefits. Strong verbal and written communication skills. Ability to work and lead projects in a matrixed environment. Identifying Total Rewards and Benefits employee experience optimization opportunities. The salary range for this role, based in Chicago, is $105,000-$130,000, along with an annual bonus, 401K match, profit sharing, and medical and wellness benefits. The salary range is commensurate with the candidate’s location, experience, and skillset. The range will vary if outside of this location. While relocation, immigration, and/or tax compliance support are not guaranteed, we may offer assistance to successful candidates depending on factors such as role requirements in accordance with company guidelines. At Suntory Global Spirits, people are our number one priority, and we believe our people grow together in diverse and inclusive environments where their unique insights, experiences and backgrounds are valued and respected. Suntory Global Spirits is committed to equal employment opportunity regardless of race, color, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, citizenship, marital status, disability, gender identity, military veteran status and all other characteristics, attributes or choices protected by law. All recruitment and hiring decisions are based on an applicant’s skills and experience.