North America Benefits Partner

Every day, we get opportunities to make a positive impact – on our colleagues, partners, customers and society. Together, we’re pioneering the solutions of the future and unlocking the full potential of precious resources. Trusted to act on initiative, we challenge conventional thinking to develop world-leading technologies that inspire progress in vital areas, including energy, food, water and shipping.

As we push forward, the innovative, open spirit that fuels our 140-year-old start-up culture and rapid growth also drives our personal growth. So, as we shape a more resourceful, less wasteful world, we build our careers too.

About the job

Alfa Laval is seeking a North America Benefits Partner who will be responsible for the end-to-end administration, compliance, and continuous improvement of employee benefit programs across the United States and Canada. This role serves as the subject matter expert for health and welfare benefits, retirement plans, leave of absence programs, open enrollment, vendor management, data integrity, employee communications, and regulatory compliance.

The successful candidate will possess extensive experience managing employee benefits programs in both the U.S. and Canada and will work closely with HR, Payroll, Finance, employees, and external vendors to ensure the accurate, compliant, and efficient administration of all benefit programs. This role is responsible for the day-to-day operational management of benefits and serves as a trusted resource for employees, managers, HR Business Partners, and business leaders

This is an on-site hybrid role in Richmond, VA or Houston, TX.

As a part of the team, you will:

• Serve as the primary administrator for all employee benefit programs across the United States and Canada.

• Manage the day-to-day administration of health and welfare plans, including medical, dental, vision, life insurance, disability, health savings accounts, wellness programs, and voluntary benefits.

• Administer employee eligibility, enrollments, terminations, qualifying life events, beneficiary updates, and dependent verification activities.

• Lead the annual Open Enrollment process for the United States and Canada, including planning, vendor coordination, communications, audits, testing, and post-enrollment reconciliation.

• Administer U.S. 401(k), Deferred Compensation, and Canadian retirement and savings programs while partnering with vendors to support employee education and plan administration.

• Coordinate and administer leave of absence programs, including FMLA, parental leave, short-term disability, long-term disability, and applicable Canadian leave programs.

• Manage relationships with brokers, insurance carriers, third-party administrators, retirement providers, and other benefits vendors to ensure effective service delivery.

• Ensure compliance with all applicable U.S. and Canadian benefits regulations, including ERISA, COBRA, ACA, HIPAA, FMLA, Section 125 plans, and related legislative requirements.

• Perform ongoing audits, reconciliations, and reporting activities to maintain data accuracy across HRIS, payroll, carrier, and vendor systems.

• Investigate and resolve employee benefit inquiries and escalations while delivering exceptional customer service and support.

• Develop and maintain benefits communications, educational resources, policies, and procedures that enhance the employee experience.

• Identify opportunities to improve benefits administration processes, support system enhancements and integrations, and partner with HR, Payroll, Finance, and business leaders on strategic benefits initiatives.

At Alfa Laval, we pride ourselves on creating an inclusive and dynamic workplace that values diverse perspectives and experiences. While we typically welcome applicants from all locations, currently, we are prioritizing candidates who reside in the US or have an established presence in the area. Visa sponsorship is not available for this role.

What you know:

You have a Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, Finance, or equivalent relevant industry experience, and:

• Minimum 5 years of progressive benefits administration experience.

• Demonstrated hands-on experience administering employee benefit programs in both the United States and Canada is preferred.

• Proven experience managing annual Open Enrollment processes from planning through execution.

• Experience administering retirement programs, including U.S. 401(k) plans and Canadian retirement programs.

• Experience managing leave of absence programs and disability administration.

• Strong knowledge of U.S. and Canadian benefits compliance requirements.

• Demonstrated experience managing relationships with brokers, carriers, third-party administrators, and retirement plan providers.

• Experience conducting benefits audits, reconciliations, and data integrity reviews.

• Advanced Microsoft Excel skills are required.

• HRIS experience required (Workforce Now)

• Experience with Power BI and data visualization tools preferred.

• CEBS, SHRM-CP, SHRM-SCP, PHR, or related professional certification preferred.

• Ability to work independently with minimal supervision while effectively partnering across multiple functions.

What’s in it for you?

Alfa Laval offers a competitive salary and full benefits package, including medical/dental/vision/life, 401(k) plan, and more. At Alfa Laval, we carefully consider a wide range of compensation factors to determine your total compensation package. We rely on market indicators to determine compensation and consider your specific job family, background, skills, and experience to get it right. These considerations can cause your compensation to vary and will also be dependent on your location. The base salary for this role is typically $95,000 - $125,000 annually.

Alfa Laval is an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to building an inclusive and diverse workforce. All employment is decided on the basis of qualifications, merit, or business need, without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or protected veteran status.

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