Senior Benefits Manager

Saputo, Inc.; Milwaukee (WI); Hybrid; USD 107,000 - 141,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Development opportunities

Meaningful compensation & benefits

Community involvement

Job summary

Saputo Cheese USA Inc. is seeking an experienced leader to oversee the workers’ compensation, disability, and absence programs across our U.S. footprint.

You will manage policy, vendor partnerships, and regulatory compliance while driving program enhancements and cost containment. Ideal candidates bring 8+ years in leave and workers’ compensation, a Bachelor’s degree, and strong communication skills to partner with HR, Legal, Payroll, Benefits, and IT.

Qualifications

• 8+ years of experience in leave, disability and worker’s compensation.
• Bachelor’s Degree required.
• Strong knowledge of state and federal benefit regulations.
• Excellent written and verbal communication; ability to build internal/external relationships.
• Detail-oriented with ability to meet deadlines and manage priorities.
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team.
• Proficiency in MS Office (Word, PowerPoint, Excel).

Responsibilities

• Oversee workers’ compensation program, including vendor partnerships and claims oversight.
• Oversee short-term and long-term disability and absence programs.
• Manage absence in HRSS (Workday Absence/Workforce) and related policies.
• Lead administration and improvement of leave programs (FMLA, ADA, state leaves).
• Draft plan documents, policies, and communications.
• Collaborate with HR, Legal, Payroll, Benefits, IT on regulatory changes.
• Design absence plan configuration with stakeholders; align with system capabilities.
• Partner with third-party administrators for compliant program administration.
• Analyze utilization and costs for design and optimization.
• Lead return-to-work and accommodation strategies; drive reintegration.
• Coach and mentor a team responsible for absence programs.
• Ensure full regulatory compliance and audit readiness.
• Serve as escalation point for high-risk or sensitive cases.
• Act as SME for leave, disability and workers' comp compliance.
• Identify process and system integration improvements.

Skills

8+ years experience

Leave regulations

Disability programs

Worker’s compensation

Regulatory compliance

Communication skills

Time management

Multi-tasking

Independent & team work

MS Office

Education

Bachelor’s Degree

Tools

MS Office

Job description

At Saputo, we bring good to the table by making high-quality products, investing in our people, and supporting communities around the world . As a top 10 global dairy processor, we value contributions that matter and strive to foster an inclusive, growth-driven work environment. Ready to bring your best? In-office requirement: 4 days per week, 1 day remote work.

How You Will Contributions That Matter

• Oversee the workers’ compensation program, including vendor partnerships, claims oversight, cost containment strategies, and return-to-work programs.
• Oversee short-term disability, long-term disability, and absence programs ensuring compliant administration of statutory and company sponsored policies.
• Serve as the primary owner for Absence in the HRSS ecosystem (e.g., Workday Absence/Workforce), managing policy and operational requirements.
• Lead the administration and continuous improvement of leave and absence programs, including FMLA, ADA, state and local paid leave programs, and company leaves.
• Draft and maintain plan documents, policies, and employee communications related to leave and disability programs.
• Partner with HR, Legal, Payroll, Benefits, and IT to assess impacts of regulatory changes and business initiatives; convert new requirements into system updates, communication needs, and operational readiness plans.
• Facilitates with business stakeholders to understand requirements for absence plan design/ configuration; demonstrating understanding of business needs and recommend design based on system functionality.
• Partner with third-party administrators to ensure accurate and compliant program administration with evolving regulatory requirements.
• Analyze utilization trends and program costs to support design, optimization and strategic improvements.
• Lead return-to-work and accommodation strategies, partnering with business leaders to reduce lost time, enable safe transitional work, and support sustainable reintegration into the workforce.
• Lead, coach, and mentor a team responsible for Workers’ Compensation, Short‑Term Disability, Long‑Term Disability, and related absence programs.
• Ensure full regulatory compliance with federal, state, and local requirements (e.g., Workers’ Compensation statutes, ADA, FMLA coordination, state disability laws), including audits, reporting, and documentation standards.
• Serve as the senior escalation point for complex, high-risk, or sensitive cases involving serious injuries, prolonged disability, litigation, return-to-work challenges, and union populations.
• Serve as the subject matter expert for leave, disability, workers compensation and absence-related compliance.
• Identify opportunities to improve processes, systems integration, and employee experience.

You are best suited for the role if you have the following experience, skills, and qualifications

• 8+ years of experience in leave, disability and worker’s compensation
• Bachelor’s Degree required
• Possess a strong knowledge of state and federal benefit regulations
• Strong written and verbal communication skills; adept at building relationships with internal teams and external partners
• Highly detailed and deadline oriented.
• Ability to perform under pressure leveraging good time management skills
• Ability to multi-task and manage competing priorities
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team
• Proficient in MS Office (ie Word, PowerPoint, and Excel)

We Support and Care for Our Employees by Providing Them With:

• Development opportunities that enhance you career fulfillment.
• Meaningful compensation & benefits that help you care for your family.
• Opportunities to contribute to your community and enhance the lives of others through Saputo products.
• Salary Range: $107,350 - $140,895 salary offers will vary commensurate with experience, skills, and training.

Accessibility

Saputo Cheese USA Inc. endeavors to make Saputo.com/careers accessible to all users. If you would like to contact us regarding the accessibility of our website or need assistance completing the application process, please contact Human Resources at 214-863-2300 or email [e-mail]. This contact information is for accommodation requests only and cannot be used to inquire about the status of applications.

EEO

Saputo Cheese USA Inc. is an equal opportunity employer. Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability or protected veteran status. If you'd like more information on your EEO rights under law, please visit www.EEOC.gov.

California Applicant Privacy Notice (CCPA)

To review the Saputo Cheese USA Inc. Privacy Notice for California applicants, please review our Corporate website associated section by clicking here (English) or here (Spanish).

Making Good Food Is Our Passion, and we do it responsibly.

Our caring teams process about 10 billion litres of milk annually into a diversified range of dairy and dairy alternative products sold in over 50 countries. With 54 manufacturing facilities and over 18,100 employees, we operate our leading business in Canada, the USA, Australia, and the United Kingdom. All dairy processors have access to the same raw material and equipment; what distinguishes us is our can-do spirit and our diverse, inclusive work culture that empowers employees to grow in their own way.

Stay in touch!

Follow the hashtag #OurBestIsMadeOfYours on Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn.