Overview

Great Day Improvements - Benefits Director/Manager

As the Benefits Director/Manager, you will be the strategic and hands-on leader responsible for designing, executing, and optimizing Great Day's benefits programs, including health and welfare (with wellness), retirement (401(k)), leave of absence, and workers' compensation. This role is critical in building a scalable, compliant, and cost-effective benefits function that enhances employee experience, drives engagement, and supports Great Day's vision to be a destination employer. This individual will lead benefits administration while also developing the systems, processes, and team needed to scale with growth.

The Benefits Director/Manager partners cross-functionally with HR, Legal, Finance, Operations, and partners to ensure Great Day's programs are aligned, competitive, compliant, and effectively communicated.

Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership & Team Building • Serve as a working leader, directly managing day-to-day benefits operations while building future capabilities and team resources. • Lead the development, implementation, and continuous improvement of scalable benefits strategies that drive employee engagement and operational excellence. • Provide thought leadership in benefits program design to support attraction, retention, and cost control objectives. • Foster a culture of well-being and performance by embedding wellness into the benefits strategy.

Program Oversight: Health & Welfare, Retirement, Leave, and Workers' Compensation • Manage and improve all benefits programs including medical, dental, vision, life, disability, wellness, 401(k), leave of absence (FMLA, STD, LTD), and workers' compensation. • Own the annual open enrollment process including strategy, communications, system configuration, and vendor execution. • Administer and refine self-insured plans, including management of stop-loss, TPAs, and broker partnerships. • Oversee workers' compensation and return-to-work programs in collaboration with safety and operations teams; analyze data and implement injury prevention strategies. • Ensure smooth leave management processes, ensuring compliance and consistent employee experience. • Support fiduciary responsibility for the 401(k) plan; assist in plan design evaluation, communication, and compliance.

Compliance, Vendor Management, and Reporting • Ensure compliance with all applicable federal, state, and local laws and regulations (ERISA, ACA, COBRA, HIPAA, FMLA, ADA, DOL, IRS). • Prepare and lead compliance filings and audits including Form 5500, nondiscrimination testing, and plan notices. • Manage vendor relationships with insurance providers, brokers, TPAs, and wellness partners; lead negotiations and monitor SLAs. • Leverage data and financial analysis to monitor plan utilization, ROI, cost drivers, and market competitiveness.

Communication & Engagement • Design and deliver clear, engaging benefits communication strategies to educate and empower employees. • Serve as a senior escalation point for complex employee benefit issues and claims resolution. • Champion initiatives to lift benefits literacy, employee trust, and value perception across the organization.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in HR, Business Administration, Finance, or related field; Master's degree or CEBS/SPHR/SHRM-SCP preferred. • 10+ years of progressive experience in benefits administration and strategy, with hands-on experience in both compliance and systems. • Experience in self-insured environments, benefits cost modeling, and program design. • Proven ability to analyze, forecast, and communicate benefits trends, risks, and opportunities with financial acumen. • Demonstrated leadership experience, including team development and vendor performance management.

Skills and Attributes: • Detail-oriented and data-driven, with strong analytical, reporting, and problem-solving skills. • Effective communicator and educator across all levels of the organization. • High level of comfort with benefits systems, data audits, and technology (ADP and other HRIS platforms a plus). • Agile learner with a collaborative mindset, able to work in a high-growth, change-oriented environment. • Passionate about improving employee experience and total rewards impact while managing cost-effectiveness.

GDI is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer

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