Senior Benefits Strategist

CDW; Illinois; Hybrid; USD 91,000 - 110,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Annual bonus plan

Benefits overview

Job summary

CDW is seeking a Senior Benefits Specialist in Illinois to lead design, administration, and compliance of health, welfare, and retirement programs. You will collaborate with brokers, carriers, and cross-functional partners to ensure cost-effectiveness and alignment with business goals.

The role requires a strong analytical mindset, excellent communication, and the ability to drive program enhancements while maintaining compliance with ERISA, ACA, COBRA, HIPAA, and related regulations.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree and 5+ years of employer benefits experience in plan design/financial analysis OR 9+ years of experience.
• Strong knowledge of health plan design, administration, underwriting principles, and compliance (ERISA, ACA, COBRA, HIPAA).
• Excellent verbal and written communication with stakeholders and leadership.
• Ability to manage competing priorities and meet deadlines.
• Experience with data analysis to support decision making and strategic planning.

Responsibilities

• Design and administer health, welfare, retirement, and wellness programs.
• Partner with brokers, carriers, consultants, and vendors across renewals and enrollment.
• Support implementation of new programs and process improvements.
• Analyze utilization, trends, and effectiveness to identify optimization opportunities.
• Develop policies, procedures, and governance frameworks.
• Manage vendor relationships and conduct evaluations and contract reviews.
• Monitor vendor performance and escalation of issues.
• Coordinate compliance activities and regulatory filings.
• Prepare reports and business cases for leadership regarding program performance.
• Support budgeting, forecasting, and analytics for benefits.

Skills

Analytical skills

Cross-functional collaboration

Organizational skills

Problem solving

Effective communication

Vendor management

Coworker experience focus

Regulatory awareness

Education

Bachelor’s degree in business/health administration/HR/related field

Tools

Workday

Microsoft Office (Copilot)

Job description

CDW is seeking a Senior Benefits Specialist in Illinois to lead design, administration, and compliance of health, welfare, and retirement programs. You will collaborate with brokers, carriers, and cross-functional partners to ensure cost-effectiveness and alignment with business goals.

The role requires a strong analytical mindset, excellent communication, and the ability to drive program enhancements while maintaining compliance with ERISA, ACA, COBRA, HIPAA, and related regulations.