Vice President, Benefit Plans
$160,600–$240,900 year
HybridMinneapolis, Minnesota, United States
Job Summary
Design, implement, and oversee the strategic management of employee benefit programs, including retirement, health, welfare, and wellness offerings. Monitor industry trends and legislative developments to recommend enhancements that strengthen the employee value proposition and support business objectives. Lead benchmarking, competitive analysis, and vendor governance to ensure plans remain competitive, compliant, and financially sound. Provide strategic leadership for fiduciary committees and partner with Legal, Tax, Finance, and external consultants to manage risks and maintain strong internal controls. Drive employee communications and engagement strategies to ensure participants understand available benefits and recognize program value. Build and develop high-performing team capabilities while fostering a collaborative, results-oriented environment. Support due diligence and integration activities for mergers, acquisitions, and strategic transactions as needed.
Required Qualifications
- Bachelor's degree or equivalent
- 10+ years of progressive experience in employee benefits, including leadership responsibility for complex benefit programs and teams
- Deep knowledge of benefit plan design, administration, governance, and compliance, including retirement, health and welfare, and wellness programs
- Strong understanding of regulatory, tax, fiduciary, and legislative requirements affecting employee benefit programs
- Demonstrated success leading and developing benefit professionals across varying levels of experience
- Experience managing vendor partnerships, service providers, consultants, and benefit administration operations
- Experience with advanced benefits financing techniques, analytical, and problem-solving capabilities, including experience evaluating program costs, effectiveness, trends, and business impacts
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills with the ability to influence senior leaders and communicate complex benefit matters to diverse audiences
- Ability to build strong partnerships across Human Resources, Legal, Tax, Finance, Technology, and external organizations
- Valid work authorization that does not now, or in the future, require visa sponsorship for employment in the United States (e.g., H-1B, F-1 CPT, F-1 OPT, TN)
- Ability to work in the office at least four (4) days per week
Desired Qualifications
- Master's degree or equivalent
- Benefits experience within financial services or another highly regulated industry
- Certified Employee Benefits Specialist (CEBS) designation or equivalent professional certification
- Experience supporting fiduciary committees and governance structures associated with retirement and health benefit programs
- Demonstrated success leading significant benefit transformations, vendor transitions, or large-scale program implementations
- Experience with using a captive as a benefits financing vehicle
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