Senior Benefits & Wellness Strategy Leader

Columbus; Columbus (OH); On-site; USD 95,000 - 140,000; Full time

Job summary

The City of Columbus seeks an Employee Benefits and Wellness Manager to lead design, execution, compliance, and financial sustainability of health, welfare, and wellness programs. You will drive data analytics, manage vendor relationships, and oversee end‑to‑end RFPs while supporting labor negotiations and HIPAA compliance.

You will coach a team of benefits professionals, ensure regulatory compliance, and optimize plan performance, balancing costs with robust employee coverage.

Qualifications

• 7 to 10+ years of progressive experience in benefits administration.
• Experience in self-funded medical plans, pharmacy, and plan financing.
• Knowledge of public-sector benefits environment.
• Experience supporting unionized workforces / collective bargaining.
• Strong knowledge of ACA, HIPAA, COBRA, FMLA, Section 125, Medicare coordination, nondiscrimination testing, and state requirements.
• Experience with RFPs, procurement, and vendor management.
• Experience with benefits administration systems and payroll integration.
• Ability to translate technical benefits issues for executives, employees, and labor stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Develops and executes a long‑term benefits strategy using data to inform recommendations and ensure competitive programs.
• Oversees compliance, budgeting, ACA/state reporting, nondiscrimination testing, and audits.
• Leads end‑to‑end RFPs for health and welfare benefits and negotiates withTPAs and vendors.
• Manages vendor partnerships and provides strategic guidance during labor relations.
• Establishes KPIs and uses analytics to monitor plan performance and costs.
• Directs open enrollment, life events, SOPs, data validation, and audit trails.

Skills

Benefits administration

Leadership

Data analytics

Vendor management

Regulatory compliance

Education

Bachelor's degree in a related field

Master's degree may substitute for one year of experience

Job description

The City of Columbus seeks an Employee Benefits and Wellness Manager to lead design, execution, compliance, and financial sustainability of health, welfare, and wellness programs. You will drive data analytics, manage vendor relationships, and oversee end‑to‑end RFPs while supporting labor negotiations and HIPAA compliance.

You will coach a team of benefits professionals, ensure regulatory compliance, and optimize plan performance, balancing costs with robust employee coverage.