Director of Benefits
📍 Location: Houston, Texas (Onsite/Hybrid)
💼 Employment Type: Full-Time
📈 Seniority Level: Director
🕒 Experience Required: 10+ years
🎓 Education: Bachelor’s Degree required (Master’s preferred)
💰 Salary: $160,000 – $200,000
🌎 Visa Sponsorship: Not available
🚀 Overview
A leading healthcare organization is seeking a Director of Benefits to lead the strategy, design, and delivery of enterprise-wide benefits programs.
This role is responsible for building and managing competitive, compliant, and cost-effective total rewards offerings, while leading a high-performing team and partnering across HR, finance, and executive leadership.
🔧 Key Responsibilities
Benefits Strategy & Program Leadership
Design, implement, and manage comprehensive benefits programs, including:
Health & welfare plans
Retirement plans (401k, 403b, pension, non-qualified)
Life, disability, and voluntary benefits
Develop programs that attract, retain, and engage top talent
Drive continuous improvement of benefits offerings and service delivery
Compliance & Governance
Ensure full compliance with:
ERISA, IRS, DOL regulations
COBRA, HIPAA, FMLA, healthcare reform laws
Oversee plan governance, reporting, and regulatory requirements
Maintain audit readiness and risk mitigation processes
Vendor & Stakeholder Management
Manage relationships with:
Brokers
Consultants
Actuaries
Third-party administrators
Evaluate vendor performance and negotiate contracts
Partner with internal stakeholders across:
HR
Finance
HRIS
Executive leadership
Total Rewards Integration
Collaborate with Compensation and HRIS leadership to deliver a cohesive Total Rewards strategy
Align benefits programs with organizational goals and workforce strategy
Operations & Systems
Oversee benefits administration and HRIS integration
Drive automation and system enhancements to improve employee experience and efficiency
Act as escalation point for complex benefits issues
Analytics & Performance
Develop and track KPIs and ROI metrics for benefits programs
Use data-driven insights to optimize cost, utilization, and engagement
Leadership & Team Development
Lead, mentor, and develop a team of benefits professionals
Foster a culture of accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement
Support professional growth and capability building across the team
✅ Required Qualifications
Bachelor’s degree in:
Business
Human Resources
Or related field
10+ years of experience in:
Benefits strategy, design, and administration
Large, complex or multi-site organizations
Strong experience across:
Health & welfare plans
Retirement programs
Compliance and regulatory frameworks
⭐ Preferred Qualifications
Master’s degree (MBA, HR, or related)
Professional certifications such as:
CEBS (Certified Employee Benefits Specialist)
CBP (Certified Benefits Professional)
🧠 Key Skills
Strong leadership and team management capability
Deep knowledge of benefits compliance and regulations
Excellent stakeholder management and communication skills
Strong analytical, problem-solving, and decision-making ability
Experience with HRIS systems and benefits platforms
🎯 Ideal Candidate
Strategic leader with deep benefits expertise in healthcare or complex environments
Proven ability to balance cost management with employee experience
Strong operator who can drive both strategy and execution
Experienced in managing vendors, compliance, and large-scale program