Director, Benefits & HR Operations

Polaris Inc.; Tempe (AZ); On-site; USD 180,000 - 240,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health, dental, and vision insurance

Wellness programs

Paid time off

Gym & personal training reimbursement

Life insurance

Disability offerings

401(k) matching contribution

Volunteer time off

Job summary

Polaris Inc. seeks a Director of Benefits & HR Operations based in Tempe, AZ to lead strategic design of benefits, wellbeing, and retirement programs while driving efficient HR operations. You will partner with Finance, Legal, Payroll, and external vendors to ensure compliant, scalable and employee‑centric services.

You will coach and develop the Benefits and HR Operations team, establish governance, SLAs, and KPIs, and champion continuous improvement across the function.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in HR, Business Administration, Finance or related field.
• 12+ years in Benefits, HR Operations or Total Rewards leadership.
• Experience with vendor management, budgets, and compliance.

Responsibilities

• Lead enterprise benefits strategy design across health, retirement, and wellbeing.
• Oversee HR operations, employee services, and lifecycle processes.
• Drive process improvements and automation with HR tech and Workday.
• Govern budgets, vendor relationships, and regulatory compliance.
• Develop leaders and foster a culture of service excellence.

Skills

Strategic Leadership

Operational Excellence

Business & Financial Acumen

Analytical & Problem-Solving

Change Leadership

Communication & Executive Presence

Education

Bachelor's degree in HR, Business, Finance or related field

Master's degree preferred

Tools

Workday

HR Technology

Job description

Position Overview

At Polaris Inc., we have fun doing what we love by driving change and innovation. We empower employees to take on challenging assignments and roles with an elevated level of responsibility in our agile working environment. Our people make us who we are, and we create incredible products and experiences that empower us to THINK OUTSIDE.

Position Overview: The Director, Benefits & HR Operations provides strategic leadership, governance, design, and operational oversight for Polaris’ benefits, well‑being, retirement, leave administration, and HR operations. The role develops and executes strategies that enhance employee experience, operational effectiveness, compliance, and financial stewardship while supporting the company’s talent and business objectives. This leader partners closely with HR Business Partners, Compensation, HR Technology, Payroll, Finance, Legal, and external vendors to ensure the successful delivery of scalable, efficient, and employee‑focused programs and services. The position serves as a key member of the Total Rewards & HR Operations leadership team reporting to the VP, Total Rewards & HR Technology. The position will be based in Tempe, AZ.

Key Responsibilities

Benefits Strategy & Program Design

Develop and lead enterprise benefits strategies aligned with business objectives, talent priorities, and Total Rewards philosophy. Design, evaluate, and enhance health, welfare, retirement, leave, and wellbeing programs to ensure competitiveness, affordability, and employee value. Monitor industry trends, benchmarking data, healthcare inflation, utilization metrics, and legislative developments to inform program recommendations. Lead annual benefits reviews and recommend plan design changes based on employee feedback, market competitiveness, and financial impact. Support executive leadership in evaluating emerging benefits strategies and workforce wellbeing initiatives.

Retirement Programs & Financial Well-being

Provide strategic oversight of retirement programs including 401(k), profit sharing, ESOP, and other financial wellbeing offerings. Partner with Finance, Legal, fiduciary committees, and external advisors to support governance, audits, and compliance requirements. Ensure retirement programs remain competitive, compliant, and aligned with enterprise objectives.

HR Operations & Employee Services

Lead enterprise HR operations, employee services, workforce administration, and employee support processes. Establish service delivery standards, performance metrics, escalation procedures, and operational controls. Drive process simplification and service excellence initiatives that improve employee and manager experiences. Oversee administration of employee lifecycle processes including onboarding, employment changes, workforce transactions, and separations. Ensure consistent, efficient, and compliant delivery of HR services across the organization.

Process Excellence & Continuous Improvement

Identify and implement process improvements that increase efficiency, reduce risk, and enhance service quality. Partner with HR Technology to automate manual processes and maximize utilization of Workday and related systems. Establish operational governance standards, documentation, controls, and service‑level metrics. Utilize data and analytics to drive decision making and operational effectiveness.

Vendor, Financial & Compliance Leadership

Lead relationships with brokers, consultants, carriers, administrators, and operational service providers. Manage benefits and HR operations budgets, vendor performance, and associated financial plans. Identify opportunities to optimize costs while maintaining strong employee value propositions and service delivery. Ensure compliance with applicable regulations, filings, notices, audits, governance requirements, and internal policy standards. Partner with Legal, Internal Audit, Payroll, Finance, and HR Technology to effectively manage risk and compliance obligations.

Leadership & Talent Development

Lead, coach, and develop Benefits and HR Operations team members. Establish clear goals, accountability measures, development plans, and succession strategies. Foster a culture of customer service, continuous improvement, collaboration, and operational excellence. Build strong partnerships across the HR function and broader business organization.

Required Competencies

• Strategic Leadership- Ability to develop and execute long‑term strategies while balancing employee experience, business objectives, operational efficiency, and financial stewardship.
• Operational Excellence- Demonstrated ability to build scalable processes, improve service delivery, drive efficiency, and maintain strong governance and controls.
• Business & Financial Acumen- Ability to evaluate financial impacts, manage budgets, assess vendor performance, and develop cost‑effective solutions.
• Analytical & Problem‑Solving Skills- Ability to leverage data, trends, and business insights to solve complex problems and improve decision making.
• Change Leadership- Ability to lead transformation initiatives, influence stakeholders, and effectively manage organizational change.
• Communication & Executive Presence- Ability to communicate complex concepts clearly and effectively to employees, leaders, executives, and governance committees.

Required Experience & Education

Preferred: Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, Finance, or related field preferred. 12+ years of progressive experience in Benefits, HR Operations, Shared Services, Total Rewards, or related HR leadership roles. Experience leading benefit programs, employee service functions, operational excellence initiatives, and vendor relationships. Demonstrated success leading teams and cross‑functional projects within a complex organizational environment. Experience managing budgets, compliance requirements, and operational performance metrics.

Preferred Experience

• Master's degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or related field.
• CEBS, SHRM‑SCP, SPHR, CBP, or similar professional certification.
• Experience supporting global programs and operations within a publicly traded company.
• Experience leading HR technology‑enabled transformation and process automation initiatives.
• Workday experience preferred.

To qualify for this position, former employees must be eligible for rehire, and current employees must be in good standing.

Employees at Polaris drive our success and are rewarded for their commitment.

Benefits

• health, dental, and vision insurance
• wellness programs
• paid time off
• gym & personal training reimbursement
• life insurance
• disability offerings

Polaris is proud to offer competitive compensation, including a market‑leading profit‑sharing plan that is fundamental to our pay‑for‑performance culture.

Polaris provides a comprehensive suite of benefits, including health, dental, and vision insurance, wellness programs, paid time off, gym & personal training reimbursement, life insurance and disability offerings.

Employees receive a generous matching contribution to 401(k), financial wellness education and consultation to plan for their financial future.

Through the Polaris Foundation and our Polaris Gives paid volunteer time off, we support employees who actively volunteer their time, efforts, and passions to improve the health and wellbeing of the communities in which they live, play and work.

At Polaris we put our employees first, by offering a holistic approach to their health and financial wellbeing.

About Polaris

As the global leader in powersports, Polaris Inc. (NYSE: PII) pioneers product breakthroughs and enriching experiences and services that have invited people to discover the joy of being outdoors since our founding in 1954. Polaris' high‑quality product line‑up includes the Polaris RANGER®, RZR® and Polaris GENERAL™ side‑by‑side off‑road vehicles; Sportsman® all‑terrain off‑road vehicles; military and commercial off‑road vehicles; snowmobiles; Slingshot® moto‑roadsters; Aixam quadricycles; Goupil electric vehicles; and pontoon and deck boats, including industry‑leading Bennington pontoons. Polaris enhances the riding experience with a robust portfolio of parts, garments, and accessories. Proudly headquartered in Minnesota, Polaris serves more than 100 countries across the globe. www.polaris.com

EEO Statement

Polaris Inc. is an Equal Opportunity Employer and will make all employment‑related decisions without regard to race, color, religion, creed, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, marital status, familial status, status with regard to public assistance, membership or activity in a local commission, protected veteran status, or any other status protected by applicable law. Applicants with a disability that are in need of an accommodation to complete the application process, or otherwise need assistance or an accommodation in the recruiting process, should contact Human Resources at 800-765-2747 or [e-mail]. To read more about employment discrimination protection under U.S. federal law, see: Know Your Rights: Workplace Discrimination is Illegal (eeoc.gov). At Polaris, the need for diverse perspectives and experiences enables our vision of Best People, Best Team. We value our differences and align our passions to do great work. As a highly efficient growth company, we are driven to be agile and adaptable to support our customers. At Polaris we unite to create memorable adventures.