Industry: Healthcare / Health Services
Location: Southeastern U.S. Headquarters (Hybrid Eligible)
Job Category: HR Leadership – Benefits & Total Rewards Strategy
Position Overview
The AVP, Benefits will oversee the strategy, design, implementation, and administration of all core employee benefit programs including health and welfare, retirement, leave management, and overall employee wellbeing. This leader will be responsible for ensuring competitive, cost-effective, and compliant benefits offerings that drive employee engagement and retention—while aligning with broader organizational goals and talent strategy.
Key Responsibilities
- Develop and execute a holistic benefits strategy across health, dental, vision, life, disability, retirement, time off, and wellbeing programs.
- Lead and mentor a team of benefits professionals responsible for day-to-day program administration and continuous improvement.
- Manage vendor relationships, including brokers, carriers, consultants, and third-party administrators; oversee performance, service delivery, and cost negotiations.
- Partner with Finance and HR leadership to analyze trends, measure ROI, and manage budget impacts.
- Monitor external trends and regulatory changes to ensure the organization remains competitive and compliant.
- Oversee benefit communications strategy to ensure clarity, accessibility, and engagement across a geographically dispersed workforce.
- Ensure ongoing compliance with all applicable local, state, and federal regulations including ACA, ERISA, and HIPAA.
- Lead annual benefits enrollment planning and execution, including updates to employee self-service platforms and digital resources.
Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, Accounting, or related field (required).
- Minimum of 10 years’ progressive HR experience with a strong focus on benefits strategy and administration.
- Proven success in designing and implementing innovative, employee-centric benefits programs.
- Experience with mergers & acquisitions, Sarbanes-Oxley, and ACA compliance.
- Strong financial and analytical skills; familiarity with actuarial and accounting principles in benefits management.
- Experience managing vendor RFPs, renewals, and contract negotiations.
- Certifications such as CEBS or CBP highly preferred.
- Experience with enterprise HRIS and benefits platforms (e.g., Lawson, ADP, Dayforce) is a plus.
- Resilient, agile, and collaborative leadership style with the ability to thrive in a fast-paced, mission-driven environment.
