Remote Associate Director, Benefits & Payroll

Husch Blackwell; Kansas City (MO); On-site; Confidential; Full time

Job summary

Husch Blackwell LLP seeks an Associate Director of Benefits & Payroll to lead health, retirement and well‑being programs across multiple locations. You will oversee payroll governance, partner with Finance and external providers, and drive program improvements to enhance the employee experience.

The role requires extensive HR regulatory knowledge, leadership of cross‑functional teams, and partnership with Senior HR leadership to align Total Rewards with firm strategy.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, Finance or a related field.
• CEBS, CPP, SHRM-SCP, SPHR or other relevant professional certification preferred.
• Eight to ten years of progressively responsible experience in benefits, payroll and/or Total Rewards.
• Experience in a large law firm or other professional services organization.
• Experience leading teams and cross-functional initiatives.
• Significant experience administering employer-sponsored health and welfare benefit programs; experience supporting executive and partner benefit programs preferred.
• Experience supporting qualified retirement plans and retirement plan governance.
• Demonstrated experience leading complex, multi-state payroll operations.
• Strong knowledge of applicable payroll, benefits and retirement regulations, including ERISA, IRS, DOL, HIPAA, ACA, COBRA, and state-specific wage and hour regulations.
• Proven experience managing broker and vendor relationships, overseeing annual plan audits, and serving on fiduciary committees.
• Broad understanding of compensation principles and their interaction with payroll, benefits and retirement administration.
• Experience with UKG Pro and related HR technology platforms strongly preferred
• Excellent analytical, communication, and project management skills, with the ability to translate complex information into actionable insights.

Responsibilities

• Lead design and ongoing management of health and welfare benefit programs.
• Oversee retirement program governance and administration.
• Develop and align well-being programs with DEI and Total Rewards.
• Provide operational leadership for multi-state payroll processing.
• Collaborate with Finance, HR Technology, and external partners on governance.
• Drive continuous improvement in benefits, payroll and retirement processes.
• Lead cross-functional initiatives across People & Culture and Finance.

Skills

Leadership

Communication

Project management

Analytical thinking

Confidentiality

Education

Bachelor’s degree in HR/Business

CEBS/CPP/SPHR or equivalent

Tools

UKG Pro

Job description

Husch Blackwell LLP seeks an Associate Director of Benefits & Payroll to lead health, retirement and well‑being programs across multiple locations. You will oversee payroll governance, partner with Finance and external providers, and drive program improvements to enhance the employee experience.

The role requires extensive HR regulatory knowledge, leadership of cross‑functional teams, and partnership with Senior HR leadership to align Total Rewards with firm strategy.