The Benefits Specialist owns the day-to-day delivery and ongoing improvement of Newforma's benefits programs, primarily in the US and Canada, with support for our smaller employee populations in other countries. This is a hands-on role for someone who takes ownership: catching issues before they reach employees or Finance, bringing clear recommendations, and serving as the go-to resource for benefits across the company.
In this role, your responsibilities will include:
- Own the administration of Newforma's benefits programs across the US and Canada, and partner with local brokers to support employees in the UK, Germany, Singapore and Australia.
- Lead annual open enrollment and plan renewals from planning through go-live, making sure plan setup, rates, system configuration and employee communications are accurate and on time.
- Own monthly invoice review and reconciliation against enrollment and payroll deductions, partnering with Finance and Payroll to catch and correct discrepancies before they affect employees or the business.
- Serve as the main point of contact for brokers, carriers and plan administrators, holding vendors to service expectations and leading plan or vendor transitions, including setup, data transfer and employee communication.
- Own the timeline and coordination for required benefits and HR compliance reporting across the US and Canada, including the annual 401(k) audit, workers' compensation audits, EEO-1 and ACA reporting, Form 5500 filings and required notices such as Medicare Part D, working with Finance, Payroll and vendors so the right information reaches the right people on time.
- Administer leaves of absence across US states, Canadian provinces and our other countries, including state paid leave programs, FMLA, Canadian Employment Insurance and Record of Employment requirements, and disability claims, coordinating eligibility, benefits continuation, payroll and return to work with employees, managers and vendors.
- Process enrollments, life events, and terminations, keeping benefits data in UKG accurate and in sync with payroll.
- Review and help design benefits and wellbeing programs such as wellness, tuition reimbursement and other perks, comparing our offerings against the market and across countries and bringing clear recommendations.
- Act as the go-to resource for employee benefits questions, resolving issues fully and with care.
- Create clear, plain-language benefits communications, guides and FAQs that help employees understand and use their benefits.
- Stay current on US and Canadian benefits regulations and flag changes that affect our plans or processes.
Requirements for the position include:
- 3 to 5+ years of hands-on benefits administration experience covering both US and Canadian plans.
- Experience leading open enrollment and plan renewals from start to finish.
- Working knowledge of health and welfare plans, retirement plans (401(k) and Canadian group retirement plans, continuation coverage, and US state and Canadian provincial leave requirements.
- Experience reconciling benefits invoices and managing broker and vendor relationships.
- Experience coordinating compliance reporting and audits (for example, 401(k), workers' compensation, EEO-1 and ACA reporting).
- Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to explain benefits clearly to employees and managers.
- Sound judgment on when to resolve an issue independently and when to escalate, with a recommendation in hand.
- Experience with an HRIS or benefits administration system (UKG preferred) and strong Excel skills.
- Ability to handle sensitive information with discretion and professionalism.
- Up to 10% travel for company and team events
Nice to have qualification for this position include:
- Experience with benefits outside North America (UK, Germany, Singapore or Australia).
- Experience leading a broker, carrier or plan administrator transition.
- Experience at a software company or another fast-moving, growing business.
- A benefits certification (CEBS, GBA or similar).
- Bilingual in English and French.