Mgr Benefits Americas

Purpose of Job

The Benefits Manager is responsible for designing, administering, and continuously improving North American health and welfare benefit programs to ensure compliance with all applicable regulations and alignment with business strategy. This role serves as the primary liaison with vendors and internal stakeholders, manages enrollment and communications, monitors market competitiveness within the energy sector, and supports HR and leadership with data-driven insights on benefits, recognition, and total rewards for employees, including expatriates.

Key Accountabilities

• Maintains North American health and welfare plans in compliance with government regulations (e.g. ERISA, HIPAA, COBRA, IRS Section 125, etc.)
• Coordinates vendor selection and serves as contact person for vendors.
• Manages online enrollment system
• Assists HR management with departmental budget by providing benefits data.
• Develops, implements and administers healthy lifestyle programs
• Coordinates creation, publication and delivery of employee benefit communications; including, annual Total Compensation Statements
• Conducts meetings for new hires, to address benefit changes and to assist with interpretation of benefit plans for North America; includes expats working in the US
• Recommends changes or improvements to benefit plan design; including, impacts of new legislation on current benefit plans and transactional activities
• Maintains, domestic and international, market intelligence regarding employee benefit matters within the energy sector
• Partners with Head of Total Rewards International Chemicals regarding benefit changes and implementation
• Maintains routine administrative work required for North America and other Sasol US company sponsored benefit plans
• Supports management with plan mergers or terminations due to acquisitions, mergers and divestitures.
• Coordinates maintenance of participant data, recordkeeping services, fund management, trust administration, and actuarial valuation
• Monitors service provider recordkeeping activities, administrative activities and plan data for qualified and non-qualified plans
• Interacts with Finance, internal and external attorneys, auditors, benefit consultants, service providers and financial institutions
• Maintains benefit survey data to review for competitiveness of plans  
• Supports and acts as advisor to Human Resources Business Partners 
• Manages long service award program for North America
• Assists with leave activities related to employees not actively at work
• Assists with implementation and rollout of recognition programs for North America
• Ensures timely distribution of all federally required notices; including, Form 1095, SARs, SPDs, etc.

Formal Education

• Bachelor’s degree in HR or related field required

Working Experience

• 10-15 years’ experience working with various types of employee benefit plans
• Knowledge of current benefits legislation
• Knowledge of ERISA and other pension benefit legislation and regulatory requirements of IRS, DOL, & PBGC
• Working knowledge of service provider activities, plan mergers and plan termination procedures
• Working knowledge of personnel/payroll systems for benefits administration, a plus

Required Personal and Professional Skills

• Must be capable to act in a supervisory role; past supervisory experience is required
• Demonstrated strong client service skills with cross-functional teams
• Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to engage and influence with all levels of the organization.
• Demonstrates a trustworthy and confidential professional manner
• Change/Project management experience – required
• Action oriented with the ability to prioritize and do multiple tasks simultaneously.
• Strong presentation and public speaking skills to deliver training initiatives and related topics to large audiences within the client group.
• Experience working with non-traditional work schedules for rotational employees, pay practices and resolving issues with payroll as necessary.
• Ability to work in a multi-site environment; travel required