Benefits Manager

1004 Adient US LLC; Plymouth (MI); On-site; USD 120,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

Adient, Plymouth MI, is seeking a U.S. Benefits Manager to lead the design, implementation, and administration of health, welfare, and retirement programs. The role provides expert guidance on plans, policies, and regulatory compliance to HR, leaders, and employees.

You will oversee vendor billing, employee contributions, and benefit data, while developing clear communications to ensure effective utilization of benefits and alignment with business goals.

Qualifications

• Thorough knowledge of benefit administration and applicable laws (ERISA, COBRA, HIPAA, ACA).
• Experience with IRS/DOL filings, audits, and inquiries.
• Strong vendor management, contract negotiation, and issue escalation skills.
• Excellent written, verbal, and presentation abilities for diverse audiences.
• Financial and analytical capabilities to assess costs, trends, and budgets.
• Proven project management, organization, and multitasking in fast-paced settings.
• Ability to protect confidential information and exercise judgment.

Responsibilities

• Lead design, development, and administration of U.S. health, welfare, and retirement programs.
• Manage relationships with providers, consultants, brokers, and service admins.
• Negotiate contracts and evaluate vendor performance for value and cost efficiency.
• Analyze plan coverage, usage, market practices, and employee needs.
• Develop and execute multi-channel benefit communications strategies.
• Ensure compliance with federal/state regulations and reporting obligations.
• Coordinate ACA reporting, Form 5500, IRS, and DOL requirements with partners.
• Identify compliance risks and communicate actionable impacts to leadership.
• Maintain leave policies and ensure compliant benefit continuation and communications.
• Lead annual open enrollment for benefit and 401(k) programs.

Skills

Benefit design

Vendor management

Contract negotiation

Compliance knowledge

Communication skills

Analytics & reporting

Project management

HRIS proficiency

MS Excel advanced

Education

Bachelor’s degree

Professional certification in benefits/HR (preferred)

10+ years benefits experience

Tools

HRIS systems

Benefits platforms

Microsoft Office (Excel)

Job description

JOB DESCRIPTION Summary

The U.S. Benefits Manager leads the design, implementation, communication, and administration of the company’s U.S. health and welfare and retirement programs. The role provides consultative support to Human Resources, leaders, and employees on benefit plans, policies, regulatory requirements, and complex claims or administration issues. This position recommends benefit solutions aligned with the company’s business and talent objectives and maintains financial and operational oversight of vendor billing, employee contributions, benefit data, and administration systems.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Lead the design, development, implementation, and ongoing administration of employee benefit programs, including medical, dental, vision, life and accidental death and dismemberment insurance, wellness, 401(k), flexible spending accounts, and voluntary benefits.
• Manage relationships with benefit providers, consultants, brokers, and service administrators.
• Negotiate contracts and evaluate vendor performance, service quality, and cost effectiveness to deliver value to the organization and employees.
• Analyze plan coverage, utilization, market practices, employee needs, and industry trends.
• Recommend benefit strategies, policies, and programs that support the company’s business objectives and ability to attract and retain talent.
• Develop and execute clear, multi-channel communication strategies that help employees understand and effectively use their benefits.
• Oversee compliance with applicable federal and state benefit regulations, reporting obligations, and filing requirements.
• Partner with brokers, consultants, and vendors to support timely and accurate Affordable Care Act reporting, Form 5500 filings, Internal Revenue Service and U.S. Department of Labor requirements, audit responses, and other benefit-related obligations.
• Identify compliance risks and communicate material concerns, required actions, and potential business impacts to senior management in a timely manner.
• Maintain leave-of-absence policies and processes to support compliance, consistent administration, appropriate benefit continuation, and effective employee and manager communications.
• Lead annual open enrollment for benefit and 401(k) programs, including project planning, communications, system configuration and testing, vendor and consultant coordination, reporting, and issue resolution.
• Provide guidance on escalated employee benefit and claims matters and coordinate with vendors and internal partners to resolve issues appropriately and efficiently.

Knowledge, Skills, and Qualifications

• Thorough knowledge of benefit administration and applicable federal and state requirements, including the Employee Retirement Income Security Act, the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act, the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, and the Affordable Care Act.
• Experience supporting interactions, filings, audits, or inquiries involving the Internal Revenue Service and U.S. Department of Labor.
• Strong vendor, consultant, and broker management skills, including contract negotiation, performance oversight, and issue escalation.
• Excellent written, verbal, and presentation skills, with the ability to explain complex benefit matters clearly and confidently to employees and leaders at all levels.
• Strong financial and analytical capabilities, including the ability to analyze benefit costs, identify trends, evaluate profit-and-loss and budget impacts, and prepare actionable reports for Human Resources and Finance.
• Demonstrated project management, organizational, and complex problem-solving skills, with the ability to manage multiple competing priorities and meet deadlines in a fast-paced environment.
• Sound independent judgment, discretion, and a demonstrated ability to protect confidential and sensitive information.
• Strong service orientation and the ability to build effective internal and external working relationships.
• Proficiency with human resources information systems, benefit administration platforms, and Microsoft Office applications, with advanced Excel skills preferred.

Education and Experience

• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university required.
• Minimum of ten years of progressively responsible benefits experience, including broad knowledge of benefit strategy, compliance, administration, and operations.
• Experience managing benefit vendors, consultants, and brokers required.
• Experience supporting a fast-paced, complex organization preferred.
• Professional certification or specialized coursework in employee benefits, human resources, or a related field preferred.

PRIMARY LOCATION

Central Tech Unit Plymouth MI

Adient (NYSE: ADNT) is a global leader in automotive seating.

With more than 65,000 employees in 29 countries, Adient operates ~200 manufacturing/assembly plants worldwide.

We produce and deliver automotive seating for all major OEMs.

From complete seating systems to individual components, our expertise spans every step of the automotive seat-making process.

We take our products from research and design to engineering and manufacturing — and into millions of vehicles every year.