Benefits Consultant

Operating as the bridge between strategy and execution, the consultant translates Total Rewards COE design into clear, scalable processes, documentation, and governance. This role partners closely with HR Service Delivery, HRIS, Payroll, and external vendors to resolve complex cases, enhance data quality, and strengthen the end-to-end employee and manager experience.

With strong technical depth, operational rigor, and a continuous improvement mindset, the Benefits Consultant ensures benefits programs run smoothly, compliantly, and in alignment with Albemarle's global philosophy, values, and transformation roadmap.

Key Responsibilities

Benefits Administration & Operational Delivery

• Oversee daily administration of health & welfare, life and disability, voluntary benefits, wellness programs, time off programs, and Leave of Absence coordination, including escalations requiring SME expertise.
• Manage eligibility, enrollment, coverage corrections, and vendor file interfaces in partnership with HRIS and HR Service Delivery.
• Troubleshoot and resolve complex employee cases, navigating across carriers, payroll, HRIS, and case management systems to ensure accurate, timely outcomes.
• Support Annual Enrollment planning, testing, communications, documentation updates, and post enrollment reconciliation.
• Maintain strong SOPs, process maps, and knowledge articles to support self-service, consistent execution, and global scale.

Vendor Coordination & Issue Resolution

• Serve as the primary operations contact for benefits vendors, managing escalations, monitoring SLAs, and ensuring strong operational performance.
• Partner with Total Rewards COE on vendor improvements, renewals, plan changes, and new program alignment.
• Influence vendors and internal partners to uphold service standards and resolve issues with urgency and clarity.

Compliance, Governance & Quality Assurance

• Ensure ongoing compliance with ERISA, ACA, COBRA, HIPAA, FMLA, and internal governance standards.
• Support audits, plan documents, regulatory filings, testing cycles, and compliance reviews.
• Own operational governance for benefits related case management, ensuring SLA adherence, documentation quality, and consistent handling of sensitive or high impact issues.
• Conduct regular quality checks on data, interfaces, reporting, and vendor outputs to mitigate downstream impacts.

Data Integrity, Reporting & Analytics

• Review, validate, and reconcile data across HRIS, vendor files, payroll, and case management tools.
• Use reporting and analytics to surface trends, recurring issues, root causes, and insights that inform process or system enhancements.
• Partner with HRIS and Service Delivery to strengthen dashboards, operational reporting, and data integrity controls.

Project Implementation, Automation & Continuous Improvement

• Support benefits related implementations, system enhancements, and cross functional initiatives.
• Identify opportunities to simplify processes, reduce manual effort, and introduce automation and AI enabled improvements across the benefits lifecycle.
• Apply strong project management rigor to requirements, timelines, testing, and transition to steady state.
• Ensure new programs, changes, and enhancements are operationalized effectively with clear workflows, documentation, and change management.

Global Collaboration & Alignment

• Partner with global HR teams to ensure alignment between U.S. and international benefits operations where applicable.
• Support development of consistent global processes while respecting local regulatory nuances.

What You Bring

Required Experience & Skills

• Bachelor's degree required.
• 5+ years of experience in benefits operations, vendor management, or total rewards administration.
• Strong understanding of U.S. benefits regulations and experience supporting health, welfare, and leave programs including ERISA, COBRA, HIPAA, FMLA, or ADA.
• Strong analytical skills with demonstrated experience reconciling large data sets using Excel, including pivot tables, lookups (VLOOKUP/XLOOKUP), and data validation techniques.
• Experience resolving complex issues spanning employees, vendors, HRIS, and payroll.

Preferred Experience & Skills

• CEBS, SHRMCP, or similar certifications preferred.
• Proven operational and systems acumen; comfortable navigating HRIS, vendor portals, case management tools, dashboards, and data.
• Excellent problem-solving skills, attention to detail, and ability to independently manage sensitive or time critical cases.
• Clear, confident communicator with ability to explain benefits concepts in practical, employee friendly terms.
• Collaborative mindset with the ability to partner effectively across COE, Service Delivery, Payroll, HRIS, and external vendors.
• Process oriented and data driven, with a continuous improvement mindset and willingness to challenge inefficiencies.
• Comfortable with technology and digital enablement, including identifying opportunities for automation and AI.
• Experience resolving complex issues spanning employees, vendors, HRIS, and payroll.
• Prior experience in an HR shared services or matrixed operating model.
• Exposure to global benefits programs or multinational environments.

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