The Director of Benefits provides strategic leadership and operational oversight for the College's employee benefits programs, serving as the institution's primary subject matter expert in benefits administration and compliance. This position ensures that benefit offerings are equitable, competitive, and aligned with the College's mission to support a diverse workforce across faculty, classified staff, and administrative employee groups. The Director leads the design, administration, and continuous improvement of health and welfare plans, retirement programs, leave administration, and related benefit offerings. The position collaborates closely with Payroll, Finance, and campus stakeholders to deliver employee-centered, compliant, and operationally effective benefits services. This role focuses on benefits strategy, vendor management, retirement administration, regulatory compliance, and employee education. HRIS governance, enterprise workforce reporting, institutional workforce analytics, and wellness programming operations are functions assigned to other roles within People & Workplace Culture. Essential Duties and Responsibilities Benefits Administration & Strategy Direct all aspects of the College's employee benefits programs, including medical, dental, vision, life insurance, disability, retirement, and voluntary offerings across all employee classifications (faculty, classified staff, and administrative). Lead contract negotiation, review, and interpretation for all benefits-related agreements; resolve benefits-related problems in partnership with vendors and institutional stakeholders. Ensure Summary Plan Documents (SPDs), employee communications, and all benefits materials are accurate, current, and compliant with applicable regulations. Ensure records, enrollments, and all related benefits documents are accurately maintained in compliance with institutional policies and regulatory requirements. Maintain active contacts with benefits vendors to support problem resolution, coordination of procedures and materials, and implementation of new programs. Lead annual open enrollment planning, coordination, and communications, ensuring current and accessible information is available to employees through the Benefits Fair, Online Orientation, the Benefits website, and related channels. Participate in strategic planning for the PWC office and the Benefits area; research and evaluate emerging benefits practices and recommend new programs for implementation at the College. Participate in benefits surveys and monitor benefits utilization data, market trends, and program effectiveness to inform strategic recommendations to PWC senior leadership. Support Total Rewards strategic planning efforts and institutional initiatives related to employee benefit offerings and workforce sustainability. Records Management & Information Governance Serve as the functional owner for records management across People & Workplace Culture, establishing standards, procedures, and controls governing the creation, maintenance, retention, retrieval, archival, and secure disposition of employee records and departmental records. Develop, implement, and continuously improve a comprehensive records management program that supports operational excellence, regulatory compliance, risk mitigation, and information governance across all PWC functional areas. Ensure compliance with applicable federal and state laws, institutional policies, records retention schedules, and legal requirements governing personnel, benefits, payroll, leave, recruitment, employee relations, compensation, classification, and other Human Resources records. Develop and maintain standardized records management procedures, file structures, naming conventions, retention schedules, and documentation standards across the division. Oversee electronic and physical records management processes to ensure records are complete, accurate, secure, accessible, and retained in accordance with applicable requirements. Lead periodic audits of PWC records to assess compliance, identify risks, and implement corrective actions to improve recordkeeping practices. Coordinate responses to litigation holds, audits, subpoenas, public records (GRAMA) requests, investigations, and other requests requiring retrieval of Human Resources records in collaboration with Legal Affairs and institutional stakeholders. Partner with Information Technology to develop and maintain secure electronic document management solutions and records retention processes. Develop and deliver training to PWC employees on records management requirements, privacy obligations, documentation standards, and records retention practices. Monitor changes in applicable laws, regulations, and best practices related to records management and information governance, recommending and implementing process improvements as appropriate. Establish metrics and reporting to evaluate records management effectiveness, compliance, and operational performance across People & Workplace Culture. Vendor Management & Benefits Compliance Serve as the primary institutional liaison with benefits vendors, brokers, retirement plan providers, and third-party administrators, ensuring service quality and accountability. Oversee vendor performance, contract administration, and issue resolution for all benefits-related agreements. Ensure institutional compliance with applicable federal and state regulations, including HIPAA, COBRA, ACA, ERISA, and other relevant statutes. Coordinate required benefits-related reporting, disclosure obligations, and documentation, including ACA reporting, Form 5500 filings, and required participant notices. Support benefits-related audits, compliance reviews, and regulatory reporting requirements in partnership with Finance and legal counsel as appropriate. Collaborate with Payroll, IT and HR Systems staff to maintain accuracy of benefits-related data and deduction processing within the College's HR information systems Family & Medical Leave Administration Direct and oversee the administration of the College's Family and Medical Leave (FMLA) program, ensuring consistent application, accurate recordkeeping, and compliance with federal and state regulations. Serve as the primary point of contact for employees and supervisors on FMLA eligibility, rights, and procedural requirements, providing clear and timely guidance. Coordinate FMLA leave tracking, designation notices, documentation, and interactions with short-term disability carriers and benefits vendors. Maintain confidential FMLA records in accordance with applicable federal regulations. Collaborate with Employee Relations on complex or contested leave cases, escalating as appropriate while retaining ownership of the administrative and compliance dimensions. Provide training and guidance to supervisors on their responsibilities under the College's leave policies and FMLA regulations. Leadership & Operational Oversight Supervise, develop, and evaluate Benefits staff and the Manager, Wellness, fostering a service-oriented team culture committed to accuracy, responsiveness, and continuous improvement. Establish and maintain operational procedures, workflows, and service standards that support consistent and effective benefits administration. Collaborate across People & Workplace Culture functional areas to support integrated and equitable employee service delivery. Participate in departmental strategic planning and represent the Benefits function in institutional committees and working groups as appropriate. Maintain process documentation and ensure operational continuity within the Benefits area. Employee Education & Communications Ensure employees across the College have timely access to accurate benefits information, guidance, and resources, with particular attention to equity of access for all employee groups. Design and deliver benefits education and informational sessions for employees, supervisors, and hiring managers, including new employee orientation programming. Develop and maintain accessible benefits communications through institutional channels, including the College intranet, benefits portal, and employee-facing materials. Other Duties as Assigned Perform other job-related duties and special projects assigned in support of departmental and institutional operations. Knowledge, Skills & Abilities Advanced computer skills Word processing, spreadsheet, and database management. Knowledge of Federal and State HR statues, laws, and regulations, i.e., HIPAA, COBRA, FMLA, ADEA, OWBPA, ADA, etc. Knowledge of College policies and procedures preferred. Knowledge of Human Resource Information Systems, Banner preferred. Ability to create and write reports. Ability to present information accurately, through in person training and in writing. Business English, writing and vocabulary, business math. Knowledge of standard benefits programs and compliance. Ability to collect and analyze data and information. Ability to write effectively and concisely. Effective oral and written communication along with good human relation skills. Work effectively and concisely. Work effectively with others at all levels, both within and outside the college. Manage many tasks concurrently. Manage and supervise people, projects, and data. Ability to create understanding when working with individuals and groups as it pertains to benefits and leaves. Ability to resolve conflict. Ability to maintain confidentiality. Ability to work with the HR management team. Communicate effectively with a broad range of people with a variety of abilities and backgrounds, to maintain good working relationships across the College. Work with all groups from a variety of academic, socioeconomic, cultural, and ethnic backgrounds, and with community college students, faculty, and staff, including those with disabilities. Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, Public Administration, or a related field. Three (3) to six (6) years of progressively responsible professional experience in employee benefits administration, benefits compliance, or related Human Resources functions. Supervisory or leadership experience. Trade-offs may be considered on a 1:1 basis. Experience administering employee benefits programs and working with external vendors. Higher education Human Resources experience. Experience with Banner or related HRIS platforms. Experience managing retirement and employee benefits programs. Professional certifications such as CEBS, SHRM-CP/SCP, or PHR/SPHR.