Director of Benefits and Wellness

Diversified Gas & Oil Corporation (“DGOC”) is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Diversified Energy Company PLC, a US-based company listed on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) and London Stock Exchange (LSE) under the ticker symbol “DEC”. Diversified Gas & Oil Corporation (DGOC) is an established owner and operator of producing conventional and unconventional natural gas & oil wells and midstream pipelines and compression stations concentrated in the Appalachian Basin in the United States. Headquartered in Birmingham, AL, our field operations are located throughout the Appalachian Basin in the states of Tennessee, Kentucky, Virginia, West Virginia, Ohio, and Pennsylvania. In 2021, Diversified announced our expansion into our Central Regional Focus Area, which includes producing areas within Louisiana, Texas, Oklahoma, and Arkansas.

POSITION SUMMARY & RESPONSIBILITIES:

Position Summary:

The Director of Health & Wellness is responsible for the strategic design, financial oversight, compliance, and administration of the Company's health and welfare, leave and disability, retirement, and workers' compensation plans.  This role also serves as the Designated Employer Representative (DER) for the Company's drug and alcohol testing and compliance. 

This position ensures our programs remain competitive, cost-effective, compliant, and aligned with the Company's business objectives and employee value proposition.  The Director of Health and Wellbeing also serves as the Company's senior subject-matter expert across these programs and collaborates closely with executive leadership, finance, legal, vendors, and other key stakeholders to drive benefit strategy, compliance, cost management, and employee engagement.

Key Responsibilities:

Health and Welfare Plans

• Lead the development and execution of the Company's health and welfare strategy, including medical, dental, vision, life, disability, FSA/HSA, voluntary benefits, EAP, and wellness programs.
• Own initiatives that support physical, mental, emotional, and financial wellbeing while aligning strategies with organizational objectives, such as engagement, productivity, and healthcare cost management.

Leave and Disability Programs

• Oversee the Company's employee leave programs, including FMLA, ADA accommodations, parental leave, state and local leave laws, and military leave (USERRA).

Financial Wellness and 401(k)

• Lead the Company's retirement and other financial offerings, including the Employee Stock Purchase Plan ("ESPP").
• Drive initiatives that support retirement readiness, financial education, and overall financial wellbeing.

Workers' Compensation

• Partner with safety, operations, legal, risk management, and TPAs to effectively manage workers' compensation claims.
• Focus on cost control, regulatory compliance, and providing a supportive employee experience throughout the claim process.
• Oversee return-to-work and modified duty programs to reduce lost-time claims and support employee recovery, aligning closely with disability management, FMLA, and ADA processes where applicable.

Designated Employer Representative

• Administer the Company's DOT and non-DOT drug and alcohol testing programs in accordance with applicable federal regulations (e.g., FMCSA, PHMSA).
• Serve as the primary point of contact for Medical Review Officers (MROs), laboratories, collection sites, Substance Abuse Professionals (SAPs), supervisors, and management regarding all testing matters.

Strategy and Plan Design

• Develop and execute an integrated benefits strategy that covers health and welfare, retirement, wellness, and leave programs.
• Manage relationships with vendors, third-party administrators, brokers, consultants, and wellness partners.
• Partner with internal and external stakeholders on budgeting, forecasting, and long-term cost modeling.
• Lead renewals, RFPs, vendor negotiations, and claim analyses.
• Hold vendors accountable for service delivery, compliance, data accuracy, and cost controls.

Compliance and Risk Management

• Ensure compliance with all applicable federal, state, and local regulations, including ERISA, ACA, COBRA, HIPAA, Section 125, FMLA, ADA, USERRA, and applicable state leave and insurance mandates.
• Oversee preparation, review, and distribution of required plan documents, including SPDs, SBCs, form 5500 filings, and plan amendments.
• Lead governance controls, audits, and documentation processes to mitigate legal and financial risk.
• Own required testing and filings, including nondiscrimination testing and Form 5500 coordination.
• Partner with legal and compliance on regulatory changes impacting plan design and administration.

Employee Experience and Communications

• Design and deliver clear, employee-friendly benefit communications, including open enrollment materials, summaries, FAQs, and targeted education campaigns.
• Partner with internal and external stakeholders to improve employee understanding, engagement, and participation.
• Serve as an escalation point for complex benefit, leave, or claim issues.
• Drive retirement-readiness and financial wellness initiatives, including webinars and educational campaigns.

Analytics and Reporting

• Analyze claims data, trend reports, utilization metrics, and vendor performance to inform strategy and decision-making.
• Develop executive-level reporting on costs, participation, risks, and opportunities.
• Use data insights to support proactive wellness, population health, and risk management initiatives.

Leadership and Collaboration

• Lead, mentor, and develop health and welfare team members.
• Collaborate cross-functionally with HR, finance, payroll, safety, operations, legal, and executive leadership.
• Support mergers and acquisitions, workforce, changes, and special projects impacting benefits and compliance.

POSITION REQUIREMENTS:

• Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, Finance, Healthcare Administration, or a related field required; Master’s degree preferred.
• Minimum of 10 years of progressive experience in benefits administration, total rewards, or human resources, including at least 5 years in a leadership role.
• Strong knowledge of employee benefits program design, administration, funding arrangements, and regulatory compliance.
• Demonstrated experience managing health and welfare programs, retirement plans, leave administration, and vendor relationships.
• Comprehensive understanding of ERISA, ACA, COBRA, HIPAA, FMLA, ADA, and other applicable benefits-related regulations.
• Experience developing benefits strategies and managing programs for multi-state organizations with both corporate and field-based employee populations.
• Strong analytical skills with the ability to interpret complex data, evaluate trends, and develop actionable recommendations for senior leadership.
• Demonstrated experience managing benefits budgets, renewals, forecasting, and vendor contract negotiations.
• Excellent communication, presentation, organizational, and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to influence at all levels of the organization.
• Professional certifications such as CEBS, CBP, SHRM-SCP, SPHR, or similar credentials preferred.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite, particularly Excel; experience with HRIS, benefits administration systems, and reporting tools strongly preferred.

Physical Requirements and Working Conditions

• Prolonged periods of working at a desk and on a computer.

Additional Requirements

• Ability to lift up to 15 pounds as needed.
• Occasional travel may be required to support business operations, vendor meetings, and employee engagement activities.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality and exercise discretion when handling sensitive employee and business information.