Leaves and Benefits Specialist - Leaves & Accommodations Professional

POSITION SUMMARY

KKR’s Global Benefits team is seeking a Leaves and Benefits Specialist to help manage KKR’s leaves process as well as assist with employee benefits operations, including healthcare, retirement, work-life, and wellness policies/programs for the Americas. Based in Boston, Hartford or Des Moines, this role will primarily support employees in the U.S., Bermuda, and Canada. This individual will be responsible for managing the day-to-day leave of absence operations and driving initiatives to enhance the leaves experience, achieve greater efficiencies in vendor service delivery and optimize KKR employees’ understanding and utilization of leaves and overall benefit plans. This individual will also contribute to aspects of benefits/wellness programming as part of a matrixed team where responsibilities may shift to meet agile demands.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Assist with leaves of absence and the disability/accommodations process in compliance with state and federal laws and firm policies, including the interactive process, document reviews, and case tracking
• Partner with key leaves of absence stakeholders to deliver a streamlined leaves experience (e.g., employees, managers, leaves administrator, HC Business Partners, Employee Relations, legal counsel, etc.)
• Serve as a point of contact for employee benefits inquiries, ensuring timely, accurate, and high-quality support across all benefit programs, including workers’ compensation and business travel accident insurance
• Help manage day-to-day benefits operations, including employee life cycle events (onboarding, transfers, qualifying life events, terminations), benefits invoicing and billing, and maintenance of benefits-related content in HRIS (Workday) and other benefits vendor systems
• Support the administration of benefits programs across the Americas, including assisting with the U.S. Open Enrollment cycle
• Assist in the creation and execution of effective communications and materials to drive awareness and engagement in benefits and wellness programs
• Enhance the Benefits governance framework and drive operational efficiencies
• Assist with benefits integration and due diligence activities related to mergers, acquisitions, or divestitures within the Americas region. to drive operational efficiencies
• Maintain a strong technical understanding of benefits programs and trends across the U.S., Bermuda, and Canada, including competitive plan design and regulatory requirements

QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor’s degree in business, finance, human capital or related field, or equivalent practical experience
• Experience working in a dynamic, matrixed, fast-paced, and pressurized environment
• Motivated self-starter with the ability to work with a high degree of autonomy
• Commitment to confidentiality and experience interacting with employees’ complex private medical and financial matters; HIPAA training to be completed upon hire
• At least three years of recent professional experience with U.S. employee benefits and wellness plan development and delivery

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• 7+ years of leaves administration and progressive benefits/wellness experience for plans in the U.S.
• Meaningful knowledge of Americas benefits plan design including healthcare, work-life (i.e., family building and support) and retirement plans along with plan administration, associated payroll processes, regulatory requirements and benefits program taxability
• Exceptional project management skills with the ability to deliver on tight deadlines with follow through and attention to detail
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills with the ability to interface with all levels of the organization
• Strong sense of accountability and sound personal judgment, including an understanding of competitor offerings and the general marketplace with the ability to use data to influence key stakeholders
• Successful record of handling employee benefits inquiries, building efficient operational processes, and demonstrating influence with key internal stakeholders
• Proven ability in vendor/broker/consultant relationship management and establishing effective partnerships with external service providers to ensure quality service, including but not limited to working with HRIS systems such as Workday
• Curiosity about and openness to adopting emerging AI technologies in day-to-day workflows

SALARY RANGE

It is expected that the base annual salary range for this Boston, Des Moines or Hartford based position will be $95,000 to $125,000 for Boston, $70,000 to $95,000k for Des Moines and $75,000 to $105,000 for Hartford.  Actual salaries may vary based on factors, such as skill, experience, and qualification for the role. Employees may be eligible for a discretionary bonus, based on factors such as individual and team performance.

#LI-ONSITE

Base Salary Range 70000 - 125000 USD