HR Program Manager Benefits Strategy & Governance

Harris Health System, Inc.; Bellaire (TX); On-site; USD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

Harris Health System, Inc. is a public healthcare safety-net provider serving Harris County, Texas, delivering acute and primary care, wellness, and population health services.

As HR Program Manager Benefits Strategy & Governance, you will partner with the Director of Benefits to design, govern, implement, and optimize enterprise benefits programs within a centralized function. The role emphasizes strategic, analytical work with limited daily transaction involvement and requires close

Responsibilities

• Translate strategy into executable operational processes
• Define and maintain process ownership, service expectations (SLAs) and escalation pathways
• Develop dashboards and reports to inform leadership
• Lead enterprise benefits initiatives from concept through implementation
• Coordinate cross-functional work with HR, Finance, vendors
• Oversee Annual Enrollment strategy and execution
• Ensure policy ownership is distinct from administration and operation

Job description

Harris Health is the public healthcare safety-net provider established in 1966 to serve the residents of Harris County, Texas. As an essential healthcare system, Harris Health champions better health for the entire community, with a focus on low-income uninsured and underinsured patients, through acute and primary care, wellness, disease management and population health services. Ben Taub Hospital (Level 1 Trauma Center) and Lyndon B. Johnson Hospital (Level 3 Trauma Center) anchor Harris Health's robust network of 39 clinics, health centers, specialty locations and virtual (telemedicine) technology. Harris Health is among an elite list of health systems in the U.S. achieving Magnet® nursing excellence designation for its hospitals, the prestigious National Committee for Quality Assurance designation for its patient-centered clinics and health centers and its strong partnership with nationally recognized physician faculty, residents and researchers from Baylor College of Medicine; McGovern Medical School at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth); and The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center.

At Harris Health, we prioritize the well-being of our most valuable asset--our people--ensuring a culture of compassion, collaboration and excellence in serving Harris County's most in need. With integrity and accountability at our core, we commit to 'leading with love', embodying our dedication to quality care, education, and a steadfast respect for every individual's contribution to our mission.

HR Program Manager Benefits Strategy & Governance

Job Summary

The HR Program Manager Benefits Strategy & Governance (BSG) serves as a strategic partner to the Director of Benefits, supporting the design, governance, implementation, and performance of enterprise benefits programs.

This role operates within a centralized Benefits Strategy & Governance function responsible for plan design, vendor management, policy ownership, compliance oversight, and strategic initiatives, while MyHR Service Center teams administer benefits operations through a tiered service delivery model. This role is essential to maintaining alignment between Benefits strategy, regulatory requirements, and operational execution within a complex, multi-system environment.

The Program Manager plays a critical role in:

• Translating strategy into executable frameworks
• Driving program performance and continuous improvement
• Providing analytical insights to inform decision-making
• Ensuring operational alignment with MyHR

This position is intentionally strategic and analytical in nature, with limited involvement in day-to-day transactions.

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Key Responsibilities

1. Benefits Strategy, Plan Design, and Governance

• Partner with Benefits leadership to support plan design, program strategy, and long-term roadmap development
• Develop and maintain policies, and administrative standards for all benefits programs
• Lead vendor governance framework, including performance reviews, service delivery expectations, and issue resolution
• Partner with Finance and consultants on cost management, renewals, and financial performance of benefits programs
• Support oversight of:

• Compliance requirements
• Program integrity and consistency
• RFPs, vendor selections, and contract negotiations

• Ensure clear separation between policy ownership (BSG) and administration (MyHR)

2. MyHR Operations Liaison (Critical Function)

• Serve as the primary liaison between BSG and MyHR Service Center teams
• Translate strategy and policy into clear, executable operational processes
• Define and maintain:

• Process ownership
• Service expectations and SLAs
• Escalation pathways for complex Tier 2 cases

• Establish audit frameworks and monitor adherence to defined processesMonitor operational performance and identify:

• Breakdown points
• Process inconsistencies
• Opportunities to reduce handoffs and improve employee experience

3. Analytics, Reporting, and Insights

• Compile and analyze data across:

• Plan metrics
• Vendor performance
• Employee experience trends

• Work with Leadership, HR Partners and Consultants to develop dashboards, reports, and executive-level presentations
• Deliver data-driven recommendations to improve plan performance and operational efficiency

Support the organization's goal of more accurate reporting and improved benefits performance outcomes

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4. Program Leadership & Implementation

• Lead enterprise benefits initiatives from concept through implementation
• Manage:

• Timelines
• Deliverables
• Cross-functional coordination (HR, Finance, vendors)

• Support implementation of:

• New benefit programs
• Plan design changes
• Vendor transitions
• System/process enhancements

• Ensure alignment with enterprise priorities and resource capacity
• Annual Enrollment Strategy & Execution

• Leads enterprise Annual Enrollment strategy, planning, and execution across Benefits, HRIS, Payroll, Communications, and vendors
• Develops and manages the end-to-end project plan, including system testing, readiness milestones, and go-live execution
• Oversees data validation, payroll testing, and enrollment readiness activities
• Coordinates employee engagement strategy, including vendor fairs and communication campaigns
• Ensures post-enrollment reconciliation and reporting accuracy

5. Communication & Change Management

• Develop and execute communication strategies for benefits programs and changes

• Work with Communications Partners to create: Employee-facing materials
• Training resources for MyHR teams
• SNOW Knowledge Article Management
• Leadership communications

• Support adoption and minimize disruption during transitions and implementations
• Ensure clear ownership and accountability for roles and responsibilities between BSG and MyHR Service Team
• Enhance employee knowledge and understanding of benefits programs

6. Policy, Process, and Continuous Improvement

• Develop and maintain:

• Policies
• Procedures
• Desk guides
• Workflow documentation
• Employee Resources

• Evaluate end-to-end processes and recommend improvements to: