Benefits and Payroll Senior Specialist

Job Summary

Responsible for ensuring the organization's health & welfare and retirement benefits are administered according to plan documents and local country regulations and are handled in a way that drives high satisfaction for the associates that utilize them. This critical role manages all transactional facets for benefits including the administration of health and welfare, retirement, and/or any country-specific benefit programs for their country(s) of oversight. This role supports the benefits strategy determined by the Total Rewards COE where applicable, holds our vendors accountable to ensure service delivery of benefits meets the service level expectations of our associates.  This person holds a key position within the Human Resources organization with a strong focus on delivering an outstanding associate experience. You will be liaison and build relationships with the internal customers, key stakeholders, Payroll Operations, Total Rewards, Legal, Finance, and other working groups as necessary.

Key Tasks & Responsibilities (Essential Functions)

• Responsible for handling associate inquiries and/or issue resolution for the day-to-day administration of benefits including but not limited to health & welfare plans, retirement plans, and leave administration. Manages and performs key operational and administrative tasks such as processing enrollments, terminations, carrier remittances, associate eligibility, and other related items to ensure efficient and accurate benefit program management.  This role will also handle Tier 2 employee questions regarding policies and procedures related to benefits and payroll. This role is the primary point of escalation of serious issues with the responsibility to bring timely and accurate resolution from beginning to end.  Designs solutions to prevent issues from occurring again.  Effective auditing practices of data and oversight for change is critical in this role along with a process improvement mindset. 
• Coordinates and performs payroll related benefits transactions such as: applying special deductions, reconciling benefits/leave of absence deductions, paid time off, or other; Performs other tasks as needed such as: collecting and maintaining accurate associate information for HR files (signed policies, tax forms, banking information, etc.), produce employment confirmation letters, reports, etc.. gather payroll data such as garnishments orders and relay to the Third-Party Payroll provider, participate in the verification of payroll data for each pay period, participates in the payroll year-end processes to ensure data accuracy; answer government requests/survey, train new hires and managers on the time and attendance system, be a point of contact for payroll & time and attendance topics, monitor the payroll email inbox and answer questions, calculate vacations pay out/statutory holidays.
• Helps support the coordination and delivery of any communication or involvement by applicable third parties to ensure compliance and risk mitigation. Helps ensure appropriate governance, design and development of benefits programs are conducted in accordance with organizational objectives/strategies as well as the requirements tied to local legislation. Helps support the research to support potential new employee programs and administers the implementation of such program changes so associates experience a seamless experience. Manages and implements best practices that provide security and protection to sensitive information. Responsible for ensuring application integration and process automation is being continuously updated from an efficiency perspective. Provides appropriate reporting to key stakeholders as needed in a timely fashion. 
• Executes appropriate regulatory/government regulations, partners with COEs to understand updates and changes to regulations and internal policies and conveys regulatory or policy updates to appropriate stakeholders to ensure benefits are administered timely and accurately to associates. 

Skills and Minimum Experience Required

• This position requires a minimum of 3-5 years of related benefits experience.
• Working knowledge of retirement plans and health and welfare plans, leaves of absence and their compliance, and administration required. Understanding of key aspects of country-specific Payroll is considered a plus. 
• Prior experience with Human Capital Management Software platforms such as SAP and ADP desired.
• Being curious, open-minded to change, agile, and resilient are critical skills to help support success. Being detail oriented, having a process improvement mindset, and having long-term planning skills are important traits to hold for the role. Ability to operate in a fast-paced environment and be a team player are key characteristics for this associate to have. 

Preferred Skills and Experience

Experience in Human Reources with an emphasis on Benefits Administration or other related HR functions. Understanding or work experience in a manufacturing organization and/or union workplace requirement.