Sr Associate Benefits

Career Category

Job Description

Role Description:

The Senior Associate, Benefits supports the administration, compliance, and daily operations of the EMEA benefits programs. This role is responsible for ensuring accurate plan administration, a seamless employee experience, and strong vendor performance across both countries. The position partners closely with HR, Payroll, Legal, Finance, local HR counterparts, vendors, and external advisors to deliver high-quality service and continuous improvement across EMEA benefit offerings.

Roles & Responsibilities:

Benefit Administration & Operations

• Oversee day-to-day administration of EMEA benefit plans (health, dental, life assurance, disability, retirement/pension schemes, wellness programs, statutory allowances, and local market-specific benefits)
• Serve as primary contact for employees and HR partners regarding benefit inquiries, eligibility, and issue resolution.
• Manage enrollments, life-event changes, terminations, and ensure timely updates in HR systems including Workday and vendor platforms.
• Coordinate with Payroll on benefit deductions, taxable benefit adjustments (e.g., Benefit-in-Kind, Share plans, Car Lease …etc), and data reconciliations

Vendor & Partner Management

• Partner with benefit providers (e.g., local health insurers, pension administrators, wellness vendors) to resolve operational issues and track adherence to SLAs.
• Review and validate vendor reports, eligibility files, invoices, and monthly/annual plan reconciliations.
• Support annual plan renewals, vendor transitions, new plan implementations, and configuration updates in Workday.

Compliance & Governance

• Ensure benefits align with EMEA statutory & upcoming requirements, including but not limited to EU changes requirements, Revenue Commissioner tax rules, Benefit-in-Kind taxation, maternity/parental leave entitlements, statutory reporting, local social security obligations, accident insurance rules, pension fund requirements, and insurer reporting.
• Maintain audit-ready documentation, policies, SOPs, and benefits records.
• Support internal and external audits by providing complete and accurate data and responding to compliance inquiries.

Employee Experience & Communication

• Support the design, review, and delivery of clear benefits communications, including enrolment materials, intranet content, FAQs, and employee guides.
• Facilitate benefits onboarding and offboarding touchpoints for employees across Ireland and Switzerland.
• Identify and recommend opportunities to enhance employee understanding, satisfaction, and utilization of benefits programs.

Projects & Continuous Improvement

• Contribute to annual Open Enrollment planning and execution.
• Support benefits projects, including technology enhancements, process optimization, and vendor transitions
• Analyze trends in employee inquiries, vendor performance, enrollment patterns, and identify opportunities to streamline processes or improve service delivery.

Basic Qualifications and Experience:

• 5+ years of experience in benefits administration, preferably supporting EMEA or multi-country benefits programs.
• Strong understanding of EMEA statutory frameworks and tax considerations.
• Experience with HRIS systems such as Workday, and third-party administrator platforms; familiarity with ServiceNow is preferred.
• Experience working with global vendors, cross-functional teams, and remote workforce support.

Skills:

• Ability to manage multiple priorities and meet deadlines in a fast-paced global environment.
• Strong communication skills with the ability to collaborate effectively across time zones with employees, HR, and business partners.
• Analytical mindset with the ability to interpret data and recommend improvements.
• High attention to detail, strong documentation discipline, and process-oriented approach.
• Customer-centric mindset with a focus on enhancing employee experience.

Ability to navigate complex, diverse, global organizational structures.