Benefits Program Manager

Zendesk; Kraków; Hybrid; PLN 190,000 - 286,000; Full time

Job summary

Zendesk in Krakow operates with a hybrid model across Krakow, Dublin, Berlin, Lisbon, seeking a Benefits Program Manager to shape EM E A employee benefits strategy and delivery. This role balances cost control with a premier employee experience, partnering with People Operations and vendors to drive program effectiveness.

The role emphasizes regulatory compliance (GDPR, global benefits) and cross-functional collaboration to elevate Zendesk’s benefits offerings globally.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in HR, Business or related field or equivalent experience.
• 7+ years in Benefits/HR with cost management focus.
• Knowledge of global statutory benefits requirements.
• Familiarity with GDPR, EEOC, ADA and HIPAA as applicable.
• Strong analytical, negotiation and vendor-management skills.
• Excellent written and verbal communication and stakeholder management.

Responsibilities

• Design, implement, and oversee employee benefits programs aligned with values and market practices.
• Develop and execute communications plans for benefits changes.
• Design efficient delivery models to deliver consumer-grade employee experience.
• Negotiate contracts/renewals and monitor vendor performance.
• Partner with People Ops/Payroll/HRIS/IT on program operationalization.
• Ensure compliance and risk management for benefits programs.

Skills

Benefits program design

Vendor management

Data analytics

Change management

Financial acumen

Cross-functional collaboration

Education

Bachelor's degree in HR/Business

Tools

HRIS

Benefits software

Job description

## Benefits Program ManagerApply: Hybrid: Krakow, Poland: Dublin, Ireland: Berlin, Germany: Lisbon, Portugal: Full time: Posted 12 Days Ago: R35369## Job DescriptionThe Benefits Program Manager will play a strategic role in the EMEA region in shaping thefuture of our organization’s employee benefits offerings by delivering programs that attract andretain best-in-class talent, empower our employees to be their best selves, and align with theoverall strategic objectives of the organization. Serving as the regional Subject Matter Expert(SME), you will balance a human-centered employee experience with rigorous costcontainment, optimizing programs through forward-thinking strategies, strong financial acumen,and technology.This role offers an excellent opportunity to develop your career in a global strategic positionwhile managing vendor accountability, cross-functional risk mitigation, and continuous processoptimization.**In this role you will:*** Design, implement, and oversee employee programs that align with organizational values, goals, strategies and market competitive practices* Develop and execute employee communication plans on benefit programs and changes that effectively convey the value of programs.* Design and implement efficient and effective delivery models for benefits programs to deliver consumer grade employee experience, leveraging appropriate internal/ external support and technology.* Manage relationships with benefit vendors and brokers, including negotiating contracts/renewals and vendor performance monitoring/ review* Provide leadership and partnership in operationalization of benefits programs with People Operations, Payroll, HRIS, IT and other teams.* Provide guidance to People Operations/ Services on employee escalations* Manage compliance and risk management related to benefits programs. including but not limited to related local regulatory reporting, audits, retirement committees.* Continuous assessment of program effectiveness through benefits data/ analytics to drive program optimization.* Lead global initiatives across team aimed at elevating Benefits at Zendesk.**To succeed you must have:*** Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business or a related field OR equivalent experience necessary to obtain theoretical and practical knowledge to successfully fulfill the scope and responsibilities of the position.* Experience in Benefits or Human Resources demonstrating the ability to perform the role at level, typically seen with 7+ years of professional working experience.* Knowledge of global statutory benefits requirements.* Knowledge of global government regulations related to benefits programs, including EEOC, ADA, HIPAA, GDPR requirements.* Excellent analytical, problem-solving, and decision-making abilities.* Excellent interpersonal interaction skills, with a customer-focused and collaborative mindset.* Strong knowledge of benefits programs design and management including health, risk, retirement, leave, etc. and market trends* Strong written and verbal communication skills to create a good understanding of programs by employees.* Strong negotiation skills and experience managing vendor relationships.* Strong proficiency in leading and implementing change management efforts for benefits programs changes.* Strong attention to detail.* Strong proficiency in interpreting/ leveraging data to drive program decisions* Strong cultural awareness and appreciation for diverse employee backgrounds.* Ability to balance empathy and understanding of employees’ needs with business goals and objectives.* Strong financial acumen.* Proficiency in process design for benefits programs.* Previous experience in HRIS and benefits administration software* Adaptable and flexible, with the ability to respond to changing priorities in a fast-moving environment/ industry.* Strong growth mindset and learning agility* Ability to think global and act local to effectively drive global initiatives and manage local benefits programs* Ability to analyze complex data sets and draw key actionable insights* Holding a creative approach towards problem solvingThat said, if your experience looks a little different from what we’ve identified and you think you can rock the role, we’d love to learn more about you!**About Us**Zendesk builds software for better customer relationships. It empowers organizations to improve customer engagement and better understand their customers. Zendesk products are easy to use and implement. They give organizations the flexibility to move quickly, focus on innovation, and scale with their growth.More than 100,000 paid customer accounts in over 150 countries and territories use Zendesk products. Based in San Francisco, Zendesk has operations in the United States, Europe, Asia, Australia, and South America.Interested in knowing what we do in the community? Check out the Zendesk Neighbor Foundation to learn more about how we engage with, and provide support to, our local communities.## Zendesk is an equal opportunity employer, and we’re proud of our ongoing efforts to foster diversity & inclusion in the workplace. Individuals seeking employment at Zendesk are considered without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, age, sex, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, marital status, medical condition, ancestry, physical or mental disability, military or veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.By submitting your application, you agree that Zendesk may collect your personal data for recruiting, global organization planning, and related purposes. Zendesk's Candidate Privacy Notice explains what personal information Zendesk may process, where Zendesk may process your personal information, its purposes for processing your personal information, and the rights you can exercise over Zendesk’s use of your personal information.The Poland annualized base salary range for this position is zł190,000.00-zł286,000.00. Please note that while the salary range represents the minimum and maximum base salary rate for this position, the actual compensation offered will be based on job related capabilities, applicable experience, and other relevant factors. This position may also be eligible for bonus, benefits, or related incentives that will be communicated during the offer stage.