Benefits Specialist

About Us

Group 1 Automotive, Inc. (NYSE: GPI) is a Fortune 250 leader in global automotive retail, operating more than 250 dealerships and collision centers across the United States and United Kingdom. As the 4th largest dealership group in the U.S., Group 1 delivers a fully integrated automotive experience, including vehicle sales, financing, aftersales service, and digital retail solutions. As the automotive industry continues to evolve, Group 1 is investing in the people, technology, and operational excellence needed to shape what comes next. Our work is grounded in a simple belief, that a better experience for customers starts with an exemplary experience for employees. At Group 1, our commitment is to keep finding smarter ways to serve our customers and support one another. We believe great careers are built in environments where people are trusted, challenged, and given room to grow. If you share our core values of integrity, transparency, professionalism, teamwork, and respect, you can get more with Group 1. More opportunity. More support. More ways to build a career that moves you forward.

Overview

Group 1 Automotive, Inc. is seeking a Benefits Specialist to join our Corporate People Operations team. This position plays a key role in the day-to-day administration of Group 1’s employee benefits programs, supporting employees throughout the benefits lifecycle while ensuring accuracy, compliance, timely issue resolution, and a positive employee experience.

The Benefits Specialist serves as a knowledgeable resource for employees regarding benefit eligibility, enrollment, qualifying life events, and benefit-related questions. This role is responsible for researching and resolving benefit errors, monitoring benefits inbox activity, identifying enrollment and leave-related discrepancies, researching benefit and payroll unpaid premiums, and developing processes to prevent recurring issues.

The ideal candidate has 2–4 years of hands-on benefits experience and brings an analytical mindset, strong communication skills, technical aptitude, attention to detail, and curiosity to learn new systems and processes. This role is best suited for someone with an established foundation in benefits administration who is ready to expand their technical and analytical capabilities in a large, complex organization.

Responsibilities

Benefits Administration & Employee Support

• Serve as a primary resource for employees regarding benefit eligibility, enrollment, coverage, qualifying life events, and general benefit questions.
• Provide clear, accurate, and timely guidance to employees while delivering a high level of customer service.
• Manage the benefits inbox, researching employee inquiries, identifying issues, coordinating resolutions, and ensuring appropriate follow-up.
• Resolve new-hire enrollment issues and benefit discrepancies, partnering with employees, vendors, and other internal teams as needed.
• Advise employees on qualifying life events and ensure required changes and documentation are completed within established timelines.
• Administer Qualified Medical Child Support Orders (QMCSOs) from receipt through completion, ensuring accurate and timely processing.

Open Enrollment & Benefits Testing

• Support all phases of annual Open Enrollment, including preparation, employee communications, enrollment support, issue resolution, and post-enrollment validation.
• Conduct benefits testing related to Open Enrollment, system changes, integrations, and other benefit initiatives.
• Document testing results, errors, and required corrections and coordinate retesting through resolution.

Issue Resolution, Audits & Data Analysis

• Review weekly and monthly benefits reports to identify errors, discrepancies, trends, and required corrections.
• Research and resolve benefit enrollment errors, leave-related benefit errors, incorrect deductions, reimbursements, and benefit-relateds unpaid premiums.
• Review benefits integrations and audit reports to identify data or processing issues.
• Perform routine audits and reconciliations to maintain the integrity of benefits information across HRIS, Payroll, and vendor systems.
• Analyze recurring errors to identify root causes rather than addressing individual transactions alone.
• Escalate complex or high-risk issues appropriately while maintaining ownership through resolution.

Process Development & Continuous Improvement

• Look for opportunities to reduce manual work and improve existing benefits processes.
• Support benefits-related system testing, implementations, audits, and special projects.
• Demonstrate curiosity and a willingness to learn new benefits programs, systems, regulations, and processes.

Cross-Functional & Vendor Partnership

• Partner with Payroll to research and resolve benefit deductions, reimbursements, and benefit-related pay discrepancies.
• Work with insurance carriers and benefits vendors to resolve enrollment, eligibility, coverage, and administrative issues.
• Collaborate with People Operations, Payroll, Leave Administration, HRIS, and other internal partners to resolve employee issues.
• Track outstanding issues and ensure employees and stakeholders receive timely updates through resolution.
• Support employee wellness and engagement initiatives as needed.
• Perform additional responsibilities and special projects as assigned.

Qualifications

• 2–4 years of hands-on employee benefits administration experience.
• Demonstrated experience with general health and welfare benefits administration, including employee enrollment and eligibility.
• Hands-on experience supporting annual Open Enrollment.
• Experience performing benefits testing and validating enrollment or system changes.
• Experience processing Qualified Medical Child Support Orders (QMCSOs).
• Experience communicating directly with employees and explaining benefits information in a clear, understandable manner.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills.
• Strong attention to detail and commitment to accuracy.
• Comfortable learning and working within multiple systems and technology platforms.
• Ability to manage a high-volume inbox, competing priorities, and deadlines in a fast-paced environment.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality and exercise appropriate discretion when handling sensitive employee information.
• Demonstrated curiosity and willingness to learn new programs, processes, and technology.

Preferred

• Analytical and problem-solving mindset with the ability to research issues through resolution. Also to include experience identifying trends, root causes, and process improvement opportunities.
• Experience partnering with or supporting Payroll, including benefits deductions and reconciliation.
• Experience with Workday, particularly benefits-related functionality.
• Experience supporting benefits within a large, multi-location organization.
• Experience developing procedures, workflows, process documentation, or job aids.
• Intermediate Microsoft Excel skills.

Equal Opportunity Employer

We are an Equal Opportunity Employer and do not discriminate based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, or any other protected status. Employment is contingent upon successfully completing all applicable pre-employment requirements in accordance with federal, state, and local law.