Manager, Corporate Benefits – Bertelsmann, Inc. – New York, NY

Position Overview

The Manager, Corporate Benefits is primarily responsible for the organization’s health & welfare benefits administration and compliance by providing Bertelsmann’s operating companies with expertise on complex employee benefits issues. Under the guidance of the Director, Corporate Benefits the Manager, Corporate Benefits would partner with the operating companies, vendors, and consultants on key projects, such as the implementation of new vendors. Additionally, the Manager, Corporate Benefits provides excellent customer service to internal and external stakeholders by providing analytical support and assistance with the onboarding of recently acquired operations.

The Manager, Corporate Benefits is part of the Corporate Benefits Department, which has the responsibility of developing, negotiating, and customizing the health, welfare and retirement programs for each of Bertelsmann’s U.S. operating companies, including Penguin Random House, BMG, Fremantle, Arvato, Bertelsmann Education Group, Bertelsmann Printing Group, and other holdings/groups, including any new acquisitions.

Role and Responsibilities

• Manages the administration of U.S. health and welfare benefit programs, including medical, prescription drug, dental, vision, leaves of absence/disability, life insurance, employee assistance program, voluntary benefits, and wellness benefits.
• Ensures timeliness and accuracy of required Federal and State government filings (e.g., 5500s, 720s, ACA Reporting) and ensures compliance with ERISA, COBRA, FMLA, Section 125, Medicare, IRS, and DOL requirements
• Analyze changes to state and federal laws pertaining to benefits and recommends appropriate changes to management
• Manage implementation of new vendors and onboarding of acquired companies
• Oversees retiree medical program, including open enrollment and annual subsidy update process
• Provides Human Resources/Benefits colleagues with guidance on escalated member issues by researching and advising on policies and procedures
• Partners with Director, Corporate Benefits to prepare presentations and reports for distribution to senior management regarding program offerings, improvements, and effectiveness
• Evaluates effectiveness of programs through the collection and analysis of data to make data-driven decisions regarding program improvement in order to meet employee needs
• Drafts communications for participant issues, benefits orientations, and open enrollment
• Review and update Summary Plan Descriptions in partnership with internal and external stakeholders
• Assist with vendor management, policy development and ad hoc projects
• Ensure proper document retention in accordance with statutory and internal business practices
• Manage financial reconciliation and invoicing process
• Other duties may be assigned to meet business needs

Qualifications and Education Requirements

• 3-5 years of work experience managing Health & Welfare benefits plans; Brokerage or consulting experience preferred
• Bachelor’s degree or related experience required; CEBS certification preferred
• Must be detail-oriented and be comfortable working on complex problems in which analysis of situations or data requires an in-depth evaluation
• Solid interpersonal skills and client service orientation with focus on high quality service to internal and external stakeholders
• Strong written and verbal communication skills with the ability to effectively communicate information across a large organization.
• Must be flexible; have the ability to work independently or as a team player in a fast-paced and decentralized environment
• Must be proficient in Microsoft Excel, including VLOOKUP and Pivot Tables, and other Office applications

Bertelsmann is a media, services and education company that operates in about 50 countries around the world. Its key geographical markets are Western Europe – especially Germany, France, Britain and Spain – as well as the United States. Bertelsmann’s corporate divisions include RTL Group (television), Penguin Random House (books), Gruner + Jahr (magazines), Arvato (services), Bertelsmann Printing Group (print), Bertelsmann Education Group and Bertelsmann Investments.