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.
