Senior Benefits Manager

Saul Ewing LLP; City of Niagara Falls (NY); Hybrid; USD 175,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

Saul Ewing LLP is seeking a dynamic Senior Benefits Manager to oversee the firm's benefits programs, retirement plans, and wellness initiatives. You will lead design, compliance, vendor management, and open enrollment, serving as a subject matter expert and supervising the benefits team.

The role partners with leadership and CFO on financial forecasting, and requires experience in ERISA and regulatory compliance within a professional services environment. Hybrid work is supported.

Qualifications

• Advanced executive communication and interpersonal skills with firm leadership
• Proficiency in MS Office, especially Excel for data analysis and modeling
• Strong knowledge of ERISA, ACA, HIPAA, FMLA, COBRA, IRS/DOL regulations
• Experience leading senior-level benefits operations and compliance

Responsibilities

• Provide senior-level oversight and strategic direction for the benefits department
• Oversee annual open enrollment and plan design decisions
• Lead and mentor benefits team members and ensure excellent service
• Manage relationships with third-party administrators, carriers, brokers, and vendors
• Oversee retirement plan management, fiduciary compliance, and regulatory filings

Skills

Executive communication

Advanced Excel

HRIS systems

Benefits administration

Vendor negotiation

Education

Bachelor’s degree or equivalent

Tools

HRIS software

Job description

JOB TITLE: Senior Benefits Manager
OFFICE LOCATION: Open (California not applicable)
DEPARTMENT: Human Resources
REPORTS TO: Director of Human Resources
FLSA STATUS: Full-time/Exempt

JOB SUMMARY:

Saul Ewing is seeking a dynamic, experienced Senior Benefits Manager to provide senior-level oversight, strategic leadership, and administrative excellence across the firm’s comprehensive benefits programs. As the firm continues to grow, the Senior Benefits Manager will lead the strategic design, compliance, vendor management, and continuous evolution of employee benefits, retirement plans, and wellness initiatives. This role serves as a subject matter expert, supervising benefits team members, partnering with firm leadership, and ensuring exceptional service and support to all firm members.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Provide senior-level oversight and strategic direction for the benefits department, ensuring programs align with firm growth, competitive benchmarks, and member needs.
• Direct and oversee the annual open enrollment process, developing strategic recommendations on plan options, design enhancements, pricing structure, and cost-sharing arrangements.
• Provide daily leadership, management, mentoring, and professional development for benefits team members, fostering a high-performance culture focused on outstanding customer service.
• Serve as the ultimate internal point of escalation for complex, sensitive, and high-impact employee benefits inquiries, handling issues with empathy, discretion, and diplomatic resolution.
• Manage strategic relationships with third-party benefits administrators, insurance carriers, insurance brokers and vendors, holding partners accountable to agreed-upon service level agreements, metrics, and performance targets.
• Administer, evaluate, and expand innovative wellness programs and total rewards initiatives for firm members.
• Collaborate closely with the CFO, Controller, and Benefits Committee on partner-specific benefits matters, executive compensation alignment, and financial forecasting.
• Oversee all aspects of retirement plan management and fiduciary compliance, including 401(k) plans, Form 5500 filings, annual audits, non-discrimination testing, and statutory requirements.
• Ensure strict organizational adherence to all statutory and regulatory requirements related to welfare programs, including COBRA, HIPAA, ACA, FMLA, and Worker’s Compensation.
• Draft, review, and implement benefit documentation, including plan texts, amendments, summary plan descriptions and insurance policies in consultation with legal advisors.
• Partner with the Procurement Team to manage benefit vendor contract negotiations, ensure compliance with contract terms, and oversee ongoing service delivery.
• Conduct regular financial analyses and prepare comprehensive reports for executive management regarding the strategic and financial impact of benefit and retirement activities.
• Oversee firmwide benefits communications, ensuring transparent, timely, and accessible information reaches all firm members.
• Partner with the Senior HRIS Administrator to ensure accurate data integration, feed reliability, and system configuration for benefits enrollments, status changes, qualifying events, and annual open enrollment setups.
• Any additional responsibilities as assigned.

KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS REQUIRED:

• Advanced executive communication, presentation, and interpersonal skills with the ability to build consensus across all levels of firm leadership and staff.
• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite, with expertise in Excel (e.g., advanced data analysis, financial modeling, VLOOKUPs, pivot tables).
• Strong technical background and expertise in HRIS and benefits administration software systems.
• Proven track record of strategic vendor negotiation, vendor oversight, and SLA management.
• Deep knowledge of ERISA, ACA, HIPAA, FMLA, COBRA, IRS/DOL regulations, and legal compliance governing benefit and retirement programs.

QUALIFICATIONS AND REQUIREMENTS:

• Minimum of a Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience and education.
• Minimum of 7 to 10+ years of progressive benefits management experience within a law firm or professional services environment, including demonstrated experience leading senior-level benefits operations and compliance.
• Certified Employee Benefit Specialist (CEBS), CBP, or SHRM-SCP/SPHR certification preferred.
• Demonstrated track record in the strategic development, rollout, and optimization of enterprise employee benefits programs.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

• Individual in this position will provide additional assistance and support as directed by their supervisor.
• This job description is subject to change at any time.

SALARY:

Salaried

COMPENSATION:

The pay for this position will be determined based on relevant skills, experience, education, external market data, internal equity, and other job-related factors. The anticipated pay range for this role is between $175,000 - $190,000 annually.

Saul Ewing follows a hybrid work schedule. Candidates must reside within a reasonable commuting distance of one of our office locations.