Lead Benefits Specialist

Bounteous is seeking a Lead Benefits Specialist to join their growing organization. This role is critical for shaping and delivering benefits programs across the United States and Canada. The specialist will be the primary point of contact for day-to-day benefits administration, covering enrollment, terminations, leaves of absence, and invoicing. They will collaborate with the Benefits & Wellness team and People & Culture colleagues to ensure smooth, compliant, and employee-centered benefits onboarding and offboarding. The ideal candidate will focus on operational excellence and contribute to a people-first benefits strategy.

Must Have

• Administer day-to-day operations of benefit programs in accordance with plan documents and regulations.
• Manage and administer leaves of absence in coordination with external vendors and payroll.
• Oversee relationships with benefits vendors and outsourced administrators.
• Provide guidance and support to People & Culture Partners and employees on benefits-related matters.
• Liaise with insurers, vendors, employees, and the People Experience team to resolve issues.
• Partner with HRIS, payroll, and external vendors to resolve data integrity issues and conduct periodic audits.
• Manage ACA reporting requirements, including preparation and issuance of 1095-C forms.
• Respond promptly to inquiries in the benefits mailbox.
• Develop and deliver benefits and well-being communications.
• Support the implementation of new benefit programs, vendor transitions, and integration of acquired organizations.
• Participate in benefits and People & Culture initiatives to improve processes and increase operational efficiency.
• Transmit benefits data to vendors, conduct quarterly audits, and oversee invoicing and reconciliation.
• 4-6 years of benefits administration experience across the Americas (United States experience required).

Good to Have

• Demonstrated critical thinking skills with the ability to analyze complex benefits issues, identify root causes, and develop effective solutions.
• Strong emotional intelligence to navigate sensitive employee situations with empathy, discretion, and professionalism.
• Ability to balance data-driven decision-making with human impact, ensuring both compliance and employee well-being.
• Proven problem-solving skills with the ability to anticipate challenges and recommend proactive strategies.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Ability to interact effectively with all levels of staff using strong interpersonal skills.
• Superior organizational skills with a results-focused mindset, strong execution, and attention to detail.
• Self-motivated and adaptable, thriving in a fast-paced, entrepreneurial environment.
• Strong desire to learn and grow.

Bounteous is a premier end-to-end digital transformation consultancy dedicated to partnering with ambitious brands to create digital solutions for today’s complex challenges and tomorrow’s opportunities. With uncompromising standards for technical and domain expertise, we deliver innovative and strategic solutions in Strategy, Analytics, Digital Engineering, Cloud, Data & AI, Experience Design, and Marketing.

Our Co-Innovation methodology is a unique engagement model designed to align interests and accelerate value creation. Our clients worldwide benefit from the skills and expertise of over 4,000+ expert team members across the Americas, APAC, and EMEA. By partnering with leading technology providers, we craft transformative digital experiences that enhance customer engagement and drive business success.

We are seeking a Lead Benefits Specialist to join our growing organization. In this role, you will play a critical part in shaping and delivering benefits programs that support employees across the United States and Canada. You will serve as the primary point of contact for day-to-day benefits administration, ensuring a seamless experience across enrollment, terminations, leaves of absence, and invoicing.

You will collaborate closely with the broader Benefits & Wellness team and People & Culture colleagues to ensure benefits onboarding and offboarding are smooth, compliant, and employee-centered. This role is ideal for someone who enjoys owning operational excellence while contributing to a thoughtful, people-first benefits strategy.

Information Security Responsibilities

• Promote and enforce awareness of key information security practices, including acceptable use of information assets, malware protection, and password security protocols
• Identify, assess, and report security risks, focusing on how these risks impact the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of information assets
• Understand and evaluate how data is stored, processed, or transmitted, ensuring compliance with data privacy and protection standards (GDPR, CCPA, etc.)
• Ensure data protection measures are integrated throughout the information lifecycle to safeguard sensitive information

Role and Responsibilities

• Administer the day-to-day operations of Bounteous' benefit programs in accordance with plan documents and applicable state and federal regulations
• Manage and administer leaves of absence in coordination with external vendors and the payroll team
• Oversee relationships with benefits vendors and outsourced administrators to ensure adherence to established processes, service level agreements, and timely resolution of participant issues
• Provide guidance and support to People & Culture Partners and employees, serving as a trusted resource on benefits-related matters
• Liaise with insurers, vendors, employees, and the People Experience team to resolve issues and maintain strong, collaborative working relationships
• Partner with HRIS, payroll, and external vendors to resolve data integrity issues and conduct periodic audits to ensure ongoing compliance
• Manage ACA reporting requirements, including preparation and issuance of 1095-C forms
• Respond promptly to inquiries in the benefits mailbox by thoroughly researching issues and providing clear, accurate guidance to employees
• Develop and deliver benefits and well-being communications, including quarterly newsletters, intranet content, and open enrollment materials
• Support the implementation of new benefit programs, vendor transitions, and the integration of acquired organizations into company benefit plans
• Participate in benefits and People & Culture initiatives to improve processes, reduce manual effort, and increase operational efficiency
• Transmit benefits data to vendors, conduct quarterly audits, and oversee the invoicing and reconciliation process

Preferred Qualifications

• 4-6 years of benefits administration experience across the Americas (United States experience required)
• Demonstrated critical thinking skills with the ability to analyze complex benefits issues, identify root causes, and develop effective solutions aligned with company policies and compliance requirements
• Strong emotional intelligence, with the ability to navigate sensitive employee situations with empathy, discretion, and professionalism while fostering trust and positive engagement
• Ability to balance data-driven decision-making with human impact, ensuring both compliance and employee well-being
• Proven problem-solving skills with the ability to anticipate challenges and recommend proactive strategies for benefits administration
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills
• Ability to interact effectively with all levels of staff using strong interpersonal skills
• Superior organizational skills with a results-focused mindset, strong execution, and attention to detail
• Self-motivated and adaptable, thriving in a fast-paced, entrepreneurial environment
• Strong desire to learn and grow

Individual pay is determined by many factors, including experience, relevant education or training, and organizational needs. The mid-range to maximum of the salary range is generally reserved for individuals who are highly experienced in the role.

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Bounteous is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. Bounteous does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, physical or mental disability, national origin, veteran status, or any other status protected under federal, state, or local law. Bounteous is willing to sponsor eligible candidates for employment visas.

For employment opportunities based in Canada:

Bounteous is an equal opportunity employer. In accordance with the Ontario Human Rights Code and Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005, accommodation will be provided at any point throughout the hiring process, provided the candidate makes their accommodation needs known to Bounteous. We welcome applications from all qualified candidates.

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*Must be legally eligible to work in Canada._

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We may use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to support parts of the hiring process, such as reviewing applications, analyzing resumes, or assessing responses. These tools assist our recruitment team but do not replace human judgment. Final hiring decisions are ultimately made by humans. If you would like more information about how your data is processed, please contact us.