Senior Director, Benefits and Leave of Absence

Role Overview

• Develop and steward the enterprise benefits and leave strategy, ensuring alignment with Nemours workforce, financial, and clinical operations strategies.
• Lead multiyear strategic planning, forecasting, and scenario modeling for benefits and leave programs.
• Establish and maintain systemwide governance frameworks, policies, and controls that drive consistency, compliance, and risk mitigation across all states and business units.
• Assess market competitiveness and model long-range financial impacts to inform executive decision-making.
• Provide strategic recommendations and insights to the various enterprise-wide stakeholder leaders on plan design, emerging risks, cost drivers, and workforce implications.
• Serve as the organizational liaison to external consultants, advisors, and vendor partners for benefits, leave, compliance, and actuarial strategy.
• Lead enterprise financial planning for benefits and leave: trend analysis, reserve forecasting, risk modeling, cost containment strategies, and ROI evaluation.
• Drive multivendor optimization strategies that reduce cost, enhance service, and improve associate experience.
• Oversee enterprise compliance with federal and state regulations (ERISA, FMLA, ADA, ACA, HIPAA, state leave laws, PFML programs, etc.).
• Anticipate future legislation and proactively design scalable strategies to minimize organizational risk and operational disruption.
• Partner with Legal, Compliance, and HR Operations to ensure audit readiness and documentation excellence.
• Lead enterprise transformation of benefits and leave operations, including digital modernization, workflow automation, AI/analytics enablement, and experience redesign.
• Drive continuous improvement using data insights, benchmarking, and service level performance management.
• Architect tools, job aids, and standardized processes for HRBPs, managers, and associates.
• Oversee the enterprise vendor ecosystem, including medical, pharmacy, dental, disability, LOA partners, stoploss, actuarial advisers, wellness, navigation, and communication vendors.
• Lead high-stake vendor negotiations and RFPs that materially impact enterprise cost, service quality, and risk posture.
• Ensure vendors meet contractual SLAs, performance guarantees, and compliance standards.
• Lead enterprise communication strategy for benefits and leave, ensuring clarity, transparency, and accessibility for all associates across diverse roles, states, and work environments.
• Partner with Communications to develop compelling, multichannel content that enhances understanding and engagement.
• Act as an enterprise leader for largescale change initiatives affecting benefits or leave programs.
• Lead, develop, and mentor a multistate team of benefits and leave professionals, building future bench strength and fostering a culture of accountability, innovation, and service excellence.
• Model and reinforce Nemours values while promoting inclusion, belonging, and psychological safety.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business, Mathematics, Accounting, Finance, or related field required
• Master’s degree or professional certifications (CEBS, CBP)
• Experience in healthcare or large, multi-site organizations.
• 10+ years of Progressive experience in benefits, leave administration, or Total Rewards administration and leadership, including experience in large, complex, multistate organizations.
• Proven experience leading enterprise benefits and leave of absence programs with significant financial and operational impact.
• Demonstrated history of influencing executive leaders and driving system level outcomes.
• Experience overseeing vendor ecosystems and complex administrative and governance cycles at the enterprise level.
• Strong knowledge of federal and state regulations governing benefits and leave.
• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel and Office applications.

Benefits

• Health insurance
• Paid time off
• Professional development