Senior Benefits Manager

gategroup; Reston (VA); Hybrid; USD 125,000 - 130,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Incentive pay

Paid time off

401(k) with company match

Life insurance

Disability insurance

Voluntary life & health plans

Employee discounts

Job summary

Gate Gourmet, a gategroup company, is seeking a Benefits Administration leader in the US/Canada region. The role reports to the Director, Total Rewards for North America and oversees medical, dental, life, disability, and other benefits with a focus on compliance and vendor management.

Hybrid work arrangement with 2 days in office is required; the team collaborates with HRIS, payroll, and legal to administer comprehensive benefit programs and ensure ERISA compliance.

Qualifications

• 7+ years of progressive experience in employer Benefits Administration, HR/Shared Services.
• Experience with outsourced benefits administration and self-funded plans.
• Strong understanding of ERISA, ACA, COBRA, HIPAA, and other applicable regulations.

Responsibilities

• Manages outsourced benefits administration and vendors, coordinating with payroll, finance, legal, and HR.
• Oversees leave policies across multi-state jurisdictions while ensuring compliance.
• Evaluates and recommends improvements to existing benefits using market data.
• Ensures consistency across regions and compliance with union agreements.
• Develops benefits communication strategy and enrollment materials.
• Collaborates with HRIS and payroll teams to maintain benefits data integrity.
• Executes with legal review, plan documents and amendments including Summary Plan Descriptions.
• Ensures ERISA compliance and manages required regulatory filings.
• Monitors regulatory changes and reports recommended updates to management.

Skills

Vendor relationship management

ERISA knowledge

Communication skills

Financial modeling

HRIS proficiency

Education

Bachelor's degree

Master's degree preferred

Tools

Workday HRIS

Benefits Administration Systems

Excel

Job description

Gate Gourmet, a gategroup company, is the world's largest independent provider of catering and provisioning services for the airline industry. For the past 70 years, we have served over 250 carriers in more than 30 countries. Gate Gourmet combines culinary expertise with the highest standards of food safety and production to deliver delicious, healthy, and affordable meals to over 270 million travelers around the globe.

Job Summary

This role report to the Director, Total Rewards for North America and will manage and administer benefits & wellness programs to include: medical, dental, life, disability, voluntary, leave, sick, executive benefit plans and others in the US and Canada.

Annual Hiring Range/Hourly Rate:

• $125,000-$130,000/Per Year
• This position is eligible for incentive pay of 10% of the annual base salary, dependent upon successful attainment of company, team, and individual goals.
• Paid time off
• 401k, with company match
• Company sponsored life insurance
• Voluntary short-term/long-term disability insurance
• Voluntary life, accident, and hospital plans
• Employee Assistance Program
• Employee Discounts

Main Duties and Responsibilities

• Manages fully outsourced model of benefits administration including management of external vendors and collaboration with internal departments (i.e. payroll, finance, legal and human resources).
• Responsible for overseeing and administering leave policies like vacation, sick, and family medical leave, ensuring compliance with multi-state and provincial legal regulations while managing the day-to-day operations of these benefit offerings.
• Evaluates, compares and recommends improvements/changes to existing company benefits by utilizing market data from various consultants, surveys, and other sources of information.
• Ensures consistency across all regions while complying with union agreements.
• Develops overall benefits communication strategy including new hire orientation materials, on-going employee communications, exit materials, and annual enrollment communications.
• Provides regular communication updates to field human resources team and advises and counsels management and employees on existing benefits.
• Prepares and executes, with legal consultation, benefit plan documentation and amendments including summary plan descriptions, summary annual reports and manages audits as necessary.
• Assures company compliance with provisions of Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA).
• Supervises preparation of reports and applications required by law to be filed with Federal and State agencies.
• Monitors, reviews and analyzes changes to federal, state, city and port authority laws and regulations pertaining to benefits and reports necessary or suggested changes to management and human resources.
• Collaborates with HRIS, Compensation & Payroll teams, ensures integrity of all benefits related employee data.
• Works on special projects and other duties as assigned by management.

Qualifications

Education:

• A bachelor's degree is required, master's degree preferred.

Work Experience:

• At least seven (7) years of progressively responsible professional experience in employer Benefits Administration, Human Resources, and/or HR Shared Services.
• Experience should include outsourced benefits administration, working with fully insured and self-funded medical plans, and working with a large, geographically dispersed employee population of varying backgrounds.
• Working knowledge of wellness programs a plus.
• Experience in vendor relationship management is required.
• Strong understanding of ERISA, ACA, COBRA, HIPAA, Section 125, and other applicable federal and state benefits regulations

Technical Skills:

• Ability to construct financial models and budgets.
• Experience with Workday HRIS and 3rd Party Benefits Administration Systems is required.
• Experience with Microsoft Office suite, with expertise in Excel

Language / Communication Skills:

• Ability to communicate effectively with internal and external customers verbally and in writing

Job Dimensions

Geographic Responsibility: NA

Type of Employment: Full-time

Exemption Classification: Exempt

Travel %: Minimal travel

Internal Relationships: field human resources team, HRIS, legal

External Relationships: benefits consultants, vendors

Work Environment / Requirements of the Job: Hybrid (2x in office required, subject to change)

Gategroup Competencies Required to be Successful in the Job:

• Thinking – Information Search and analysis & problem resolution skills
• Engaging – Understanding others, Team Leadership and Developing People
• Inspiring – Influencing and building relationships, Motivating and Inspiring, Communicating effectively
• Achieving – Delivering business results under pressure, Championing Performance Improvement and Customer Focus

Demonstrated Values to be Successful in the Position

• We treat each other with respect and we act with integrity
• We communicate and keep each other informed
• We put our heads together to problem solve and deliver excellence as a team
• We have passion for our work and we pay attention to the little details
• We foster an environment of accountability, take responsibility for our actions and learn from our mistakes
• We do what we say we will do, when we say we are going to do it
• We care about our coworkers, always taking an opportunity to make someone’s day better

The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by the individual(s) assigned to this position. They are not intended to be an exhaustive list of all duties, responsibilities, and skills required. Management reserves the right to modify, add, or remove duties and to assign other duties as necessary. In addition, reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of this position.

gategroup is an equal opportunity employer committed to workforce diversity. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment and will not be discriminated against on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran status, disability status or other category under applicable law.