Senior Benefits Manager

Role Overview

• Own & Elevate Benefits Strategy
• Be the go-to expert on all things benefits -
• designing and managing programs that are competitive, compliant, and aligned with Zūm’s business goals and employee value proposition.
• Lead benefits strategy across multiple plan structures, including PEO-administered plans, direct-employer plans, MERP, union/CBA-governed benefits, and state-mandated programs (e.g., Washington SEBB).
• Conduct benchmarking and market analysis to ensure our offerings are competitive and cost-effective across both corporate and field employee populations.
• Partner with the leadership and brokers to evaluate funding models (fully insured, self-funded, level-funded) and make data-driven recommendations on plan design.
• Drive the design and modeling of new benefit constructs, including field employee medical reimbursement plans and deductible-exposure analysis.
• Continuously evaluate and improve benefits offerings to enhance employee satisfaction and retention while managing cost trends.
• Manage Retirement & 401(k) Programs
• Serve as the day-to-day operational owner of Zūm’s 401(k) program, including contribution remittance, eligibility management, loan administration, and participant support.
• Partner with plan advisors on fiduciary governance, investment menu reviews, plan design changes, and 401(k) committee meeting preparation.
• Manage annual nondiscrimination testing (ADP/ACP, top-heavy, coverage) and coordinate corrective actions, including QNEC distributions and HCE refunds.
• Oversee compliance filings (Form 5500, annual audits) and ensure adherence to ERISA fiduciary standards.
• Ensure Compliance & Mitigate Risk
• Ensure full compliance with federal, state, and local benefits regulations, including ERISA, ACA, COBRA, HIPAA, FMLA, CFRA, and city-specific health care ordinances (e.g., SF HCSO).
• Own ACA compliance end-to-end: eligibility tracking across variable-hour field employees, 1095-C reporting, and IRS penalty response and abatement processes.
• Manage Wrap Plan and SPD documentation, Section 125 (POP) Plan administration, and Section 105(h) MERP nondiscrimination testing.
• Partner with inside and outside counsel on benefits-related legal matters, due diligence requests, and regulatory filings.
• Support the development of sophisticated operational workstreams: benefits disclosures, plan documentation for legal due diligence, and ERISA loan covenant review.
• Manage relationships with compliance consultants and ensure timely and accurate regulatory filings across all benefit plans.
• Drive Benefits Operations & Administration
• Manage the full lifecycle of benefits administration: new hire enrollment, qualifying life events, open enrollment, COBRA, and offboarding.
• Own vendor and broker relationships across medical carriers, ancillary providers, retirement recordkeepers, benefits administration platforms, and leave management partners.
• Oversee carrier invoice reconciliation, premium billing, and payroll deduction accuracy across multiple payroll systems, identifying and resolving discrepancies promptly.
• Manage and improve leave of absence programs (FMLA, CFRA, ADA interactive process, state-specific leaves, parental leave) in coordination with the broader People Ops team.
• Establish and standardize policies, processes, and documentation across the benefits function, building scalable infrastructure for continued growth.
• Educate & Empower Employees
• Lead annual open enrollment planning and execution, including vendor coordination, employee education materials, and system configuration.
• Develop clear, accessible benefits communications for a diverse workforce -
• from corporate employees to CDL drivers and attendants across 15+ states.
• Serve as the senior escalation point for complex benefits questions, ensuring timely and empathetic resolution.
• Partner with field operations to ensure benefits information is accurately communicated at the local level.
• Travel occasionally (up to 15%) to company facilities for open enrollment support, employee education, and vendor meetings.
• Build Strong Cross-Functional Partnerships
• Collaborate with Finance on benefits budgeting, forecasting, renewal cost modeling, and accounts payable coordination for vendor payments.
• Build and maintain dashboards and reports on benefits utilization, cost trends, enrollment metrics, and program effectiveness.
• Partner with HRIS and Payroll teams during system implementations and integrations, ensuring benefits data flows cleanly across platforms.
• Support compensation-adjacent projects as needed, including total rewards statements and offer benchmarking inputs.

Requirements

• 8–12+ years of progressive experience in people operations, benefits management, administration, and strategy, with at least 3 years at a senior or lead level.
• Deep expertise in health & welfare plan design, 401(k)/retirement plan administration, and leave management.
• Thorough working knowledge of ERISA, ACA, COBRA, HIPAA, FMLA, Section 125, and state/local benefits regulations.
• Proven experience managing benefits for a large, distributed, multi-state workforce (1,000+ employees), including hourly and non-exempt populations.
• Strong vendor management skills: experience leading broker relationships, carrier negotiations, renewals, and RFPs.
• Exceptional analytical skills: you can model plan costs, interpret utilization data, and build executive-level reporting.
• Strong project management capabilities with the ability to drive multiple complex initiatives simultaneously and hold vendors accountable to timelines.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to translate complex benefits concepts for employees at all levels.
• Proficiency in HRIS platforms, benefits administration systems, and advanced Excel/Google Sheets.

Benefits

• Medical
• Dental
• Vision
• 401(k)
• Holidays
• Wellness
• Vacation