Employee Benefits Manager

About Applied Intuition Applied Intuition, Inc. is powering the future of physical AI. Founded in 2017 and now valued at $15 billion, the Silicon Valley company is creating the digital infrastructure needed to bring intelligence to every moving machine on the planet. Applied Intuition services the automotive, defense, trucking, construction, mining and agriculture industries in three core areas: tools and infrastructure, operating systems, and autonomy. Eighteen of the top 20 global automakers, as well as the United States military and its allies, trust the company’s solutions to deliver physical intelligence. Applied Intuition is headquartered in Sunnyvale, California, with offices in Washington, D.C.; San Diego; Ft. Walton Beach, Florida; Ann Arbor, Michigan; London; Stuttgart; Munich; Stockholm; Bangalore; Seoul; and Tokyo. Learn more at applied.co. We are an in-office company, and our expectation is that employees primarily work from their Applied Intuition office 5 days a week. However, we also recognize the importance of flexibility and trust our employees to manage their schedules responsibly. This may include occasional remote work, starting the day with morning meetings from home before heading to the office, or leaving earlier when needed to accommodate family commitments. About the role We are looking for a seasoned Global Benefits Manager to own our benefits programs end-to-end — strategy, vendor relationships, and day-to-day execution. This is a high‑impact, individual‑contributor role: you will set the direction for how we take care of our people while also being the person who rolls up their sleeves and gets things done. If you thrive in lean, fast-moving environments and want genuine ownership over a global benefits function, read on. At Applied Intuition, you will: Own the full benefits lifecycle, from annual strategy and budget planning through day‑to‑day employee questions and escalations. Lead open enrollment end-to-end: project‑manage timelines, build communication plans, configure and test systems, and serve as the primary point of contact for employees throughout the process. Design, evaluate, and optimize a comprehensive benefits portfolio including medical, dental, vision, life/AD&D, disability, FSA/HSA, 401(k)/retirement, equity education, commuter benefits, EAP, and voluntary offerings. Manage and evolve both self‑funded and fully‑insured health plans, including working with TPAs, stop‑loss carriers, and understanding claims data to drive cost and quality outcomes. Serve as the primary relationship owner for benefits brokers and carriers; lead RFPs, renewals, and contract negotiations. Administer and continuously improve benefits configuration in Workday, ensuring data integrity, accurate plan setup, and a seamless employee experience. Build and scale global benefits programs, navigating statutory requirements and market norms across multiple geographies. Partner cross‑functionally with Finance, Legal, and Payroll on plan funding, compliance (ACA, ERISA, HIPAA, SOX), and reporting obligations. Analyze benefits utilization data and benchmark against the market to make evidence‑based recommendations to leadership. Develop employee‑facing communications and education materials that drive engagement and benefits literacy across the organization. We're looking for someone who has: 7+ years of progressive benefits experience, with direct ownership of a benefits function (not just support or coordination). Demonstrated experience leading open enrollment independently, including systems configuration, employee communications, and issue resolution. Deep expertise across benefit plan types: medical, dental, vision, life, disability, FSA/HSA, 401(k), commuter, EAP, and supplemental/voluntary plans. Hands‑on experience with both self‑funded and fully‑insured health plans — you understand the mechanics of each, including stop‑loss insurance, claims funding, TPA management, and how to use claims data to inform plan design. Proven track record managing broker and carrier relationships, including running RFPs, leading renewals, and negotiating contracts. Proficiency in Workday Benefits: you have personally configured plans, set up enrollment events, and troubleshoot issues in Workday (not just worked alongside someone who does). Experience working in at least one high‑growth startup and at least one publicly traded company — you understand what it means to build infrastructure quickly and to operate under public‑company compliance standards. Comfortable operating without a large team: you take pride in getting things done directly, without delegating everything to others or waiting for additional headcount. Strong analytical skills; able to interpret utilization reports, benchmark data, and cost projections to make a business case. Excellent written and verbal communication skills — able to explain complex benefits concepts clearly to employees at all levels. Nice to have: CEBS, CBP, or similar professional certification. Experience administering benefits across multiple countries, particularly in EMEA and APAC. Familiarity with equity compensation education programs and the benefits implications of RSU/ESPP plans. Experience supporting a company through an IPO or major M&A transaction, including benefits harmonization. Compensation at Applied Intuition for eligible roles includes base salary, equity, and benefits. Base salary is a single component of the total compensation package, which may also include equity in the form of options and/or restricted stock units, comprehensive health, dental, vision, life and disability insurance coverage, 401k retirement benefits with employer match, learning and wellness stipends, and paid time off. Note that benefits are subject to change and may vary based on jurisdiction of employment. Applied Intuition pay ranges reflect the minimum and maximum intended target base salary for new hire salaries for the position. The actual base salary offered to a successful candidate will additionally be influenced by a variety of factors including experience, credentials & certifications, educational attainment, skill level requirements, interview performance, and the level and scope of the position. Please reference the job posting’s subtitle for where this position will be located. For pay transparency purposes, the base salary range for this full‑time position in the location listed is: $135,000 - $175,000 USD annually. Don’t meet every single requirement? If you’re excited about this role but your past experience doesn’t align perfectly with every qualification in the job description, we encourage you to apply anyway. You may be just the right candidate for this or other roles. Applied Intuition is an equal opportunity employer and federal contractor or subcontractor. Consequently, the parties agree that, as applicable, they will abide by the requirements of 41 CFR 60‑1.4(a), 41 CFR 60‑300.5(a) and 41 CFR 60‑741.5(a) and that these laws are incorporated herein by reference. These regulations prohibit discrimination against qualified individuals based on their status as protected veterans or individuals with disabilities, and prohibit discrimination against all individuals based on their race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or national origin. These regulations require that covered prime contractors and subcontractors take affirmative action to employ and advance in employment individuals without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, protected veteran status or disability. The parties also agree that, as applicable, they will abide by the requirements of Executive Order 13496 (29 CFR Part 471, Appendix A to Subpart A), relating to the notice of employee rights under federal labor laws. #J-18808-Ljbffr