Senior Specialist, Benefits

Build-A-Bear Workshop; St. Louis (MO); Hybrid; USD 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

Build-A-Bear Workshop seeks a Senior Specialist, Benefits to manage and enhance the company’s employee benefits programs. The role oversees health, wellness, retirement, and leave plans, ensuring legal compliance while delivering exceptional associate experiences. It requires detail orientation and strong knowledge of benefits regulations.

Hybrid work environment with collaboration across Benefits leadership to design holistic programs and improve overall associate satisfaction.

Qualifications

• BA/BS in human resources, business, or related field is required.
• Progressive experience in benefits administration is expected.
• Strong knowledge of benefits regulations and compliance standards.

Responsibilities

• Manage and administer group benefit programs including health, dental, vision, life, disability, retirement, and wellness.
• Maintain vendor relationships and resolve service issues.
• Support open enrollment with communications and follow-up.
• Handle leave coordination (FMLA, ADA, Workers’ Comp, Personal Leave) with managers and third parties.
• Serve as primary liaison between the company and providers.

Skills

Benefits administration

Regulatory knowledge

Analytical skills

Project management

Customer service

Education

Bachelor's degree

Tools

Microsoft Office

Teams

SharePoint

Job description

The Senior Specialist, Benefits plays a key role in managing and enhancing the organization’s employee benefits programs. This position is responsible for the day-to-day administration of health, wellness, retirement, and leave programs, ensuring compliance with all applicable laws and regulations while delivering exceptional employee experiences. The Senior Specialist, Benefits is detail-oriented, knowledgeable about benefits regulations, and serves as a trusted resource for associates.

Responsibilities

Oversight and Program Management

• Manage the administration of group benefit programs, such as health, dental, vision, life insurance, disability, retirement plans, and wellness initiatives.
• Maintain and manage vendor relationships, including resolving service issues
• Provide comprehensive support to the benefits team throughout the open enrollment cycle, including preparation, communication, and follow-up.
• Manage associate leave requests (FMLA, ADA, Workers’ Compensation, and Personal Leave) and coordinate with employees, managers, and third-party administrators to ensure a smooth process.
• Function as the primary liaison between the company and third-party providers.

Compliance and Technical Expertise

• Assist with ongoing benefits compliance activities to ensure adherence to all applicable laws and regulations.
• Monitor and evaluate benefits utilization, costs, and trends; prepare analyses and recommend enhancements to improve program effectiveness.
• Process and verify final paycheck requests accurately and in a timely manner.

Employee Support and Communication

• Serve as the primary contact for employee benefits inquiries, providing guidance and resolving complex issues.
• Develop and deliver benefits education materials, including presentations, FAQs, and intranet content.
• Support wellness integration by collaborating with the Manager Benefits and Director of Total Rewards to create a comprehensive, holistic, benefits strategy.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelors Degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or related field
• 2+ years of progressive experience in benefits administration
• Skilled in Microsoft Office, Teams & SharePoint
• Deep knowledge of benefits regulations
• Strong analytical, communication, and project management skills
• Expert customer service experience

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with enterprise HRIS platforms and benefits administration systems
• Experience in supporting open enrollment and benefits transitions or vendor changes
• Experience supporting multi-state and global employee population (the role requires experience in more than just LOA management)

Behavioral Traits For Success

• Conscientious, thorough, and precise
• Naturally cooperative and supportive
• Comfortable following established procedures and processes
• Enjoys accomplishing work as an individual
• Can work harmoniously with others
• Communication is factual, polite, and professional

Working Environment

• Typical office environment with climate control and sufficient lighting, ergonomic desk/chairs
• Hybrid work schedule (Combination of in-office and remote)
• Lifting > 25 lbs.

Your performance Will Be Measured On

• Compliance and accuracy
• Audit integrity
• Time management and planning
• Communication and associate experience
• Decision-making, judgment, and execution
• Achievement of assigned goals
• Use of tools, processes, and systems
• Stakeholder feedback

This description is not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of all functions, responsibilities, skills, and abilities. Supervisors may assign additional functions and requirements as deemed appropriate. This document does not represent an expressed or implied contract of employment, nor does it alter your at-will employment, and Build-A-Bear, Inc. reserves the right to change this job description and/or assign tasks for the employee to perform, as may deem appropriate.