Benefits Manager

Plona Partners; Los Angeles (CA); Hybrid; USD 130,000 - 170,000; Full time

Job summary

Plona Partners in Los Angeles is seeking an experienced Benefits Manager to lead its comprehensive employee benefits programs. You will oversee health & welfare, retirement plans, leave administration, and related compliance within a sophisticated professional services environment.

You'll manage vendor relationships, lead a small benefits team, and partner with HR, Payroll, and Finance to optimize plan design, renewals, and overall employee experience.

Qualifications

• 8+ years of progressive experience in employee benefits or total rewards.
• Expertise in benefits administration, leave management, retirement programs, and compliance.
• Strong vendor management and budgeting/forecasting experience.
• Proven people-management and coaching skills; leadership capability.
• Experience with Workday and MS Excel for analysis and reporting.

Responsibilities

• Lead the administration and ongoing improvement of health, welfare, retirement, and leave programs.
• Oversee benefits strategy, plan design, renewals, vendor negotiations, and broker relationships.
• Ensure ERISA, ACA, HIPAA, COBRA, FMLA, CFRA, and other regulations compliance.
• Manage retirement plan governance, 401(k) filings, audits, and related activities.
• Oversee budgets, reporting, utilization analysis, and cost-management initiatives.
• Lead and develop a Benefits team including a Senior Analyst and Coordinator.
• Partner with HR, Payroll, Finance, and HR Ops to deliver a strong benefits experience.
• Drive process improvements and enhance employee communications and service delivery.

Skills

Benefits administration

Leave management

Retirement programs

Regulatory compliance

Vendor management

Budgeting & forecasting

People management

Workday

Microsoft Excel

Education

Bachelor's degree in HR/Business/Finance/Accounting

Professional certification (CEBS/CBP/SHRM-CP/SCP/PHR/SPHR)

Tools

Workday

HR systems

Job description

Work Arrangement: Hybrid — typically in-office Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays, with flexibility based on business needs

Leadership: Direct management of two benefits professionals

An established, highly regarded law firm is seeking an experienced Benefits Manager to lead its employee benefits programs, leave administration, vendor relationships, and benefits compliance. This is an excellent opportunity for a seasoned HR and benefits professional to take ownership of a comprehensive benefits portfolio, partner with senior HR leadership, and lead a dedicated benefits team within a sophisticated professional services environment.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the administration and ongoing improvement of health and welfare, retirement, wellness, and employee leave programs.
• Oversee benefits strategy, plan design, annual renewals, vendor negotiations, and broker relationships.
• Ensure compliance with ERISA, ACA, HIPAA, COBRA, FMLA, CFRA, and other applicable regulations.
• Manage retirement plan governance, 401(k) administration, required filings, audits, and compliance activities.
• Oversee benefits budgets, financial reporting, utilization analysis, and cost-management initiatives.
• Lead, coach, and develop a team consisting of a Senior Benefits Analyst and Benefits Coordinator.
• Partner with HR leadership, Payroll, Finance, HR Operations, and other stakeholders to deliver an effective employee benefits experience.
• Drive operational efficiencies, strengthen processes, and improve employee communications and service delivery.

What We're Looking For

• 8+ years of progressive experience in employee benefits, benefits management, total rewards, or a related field.
• Demonstrated expertise in benefits administration, leave management, retirement programs, and regulatory compliance.
• Strong experience managing benefits vendors, brokers, consultants, and service providers.
• Experience with benefits budgeting, financial analysis, forecasting, and reporting.
• Proven people-management skills, including coaching, mentoring, and performance management.
• Advanced proficiency with Workday, Microsoft Excel, and related HR systems.
• Bachelor's degree in HR, Business, Finance, Accounting, or a related discipline, or equivalent relevant experience.
• Professional certification such as CEBS, CBP, SHRM-CP/SCP, PHR, or SPHR is preferred.
• Law firm or professional services experience is a plus.