Strategic Benefits Director

At ASSA ABLOY our people have made us the global leader in access solutions, In return, we open doors for them wherever they go. With nearly 61,000 colleagues in more than 70 different countries, we help billions of people experience a more open world. Our innovations make all sorts of spaces – physical and virtual – safer, more secure, and easier to access.  

The Americas Division is seeking a Strategic Benefits Director to join the HR team at their headquarters in New Haven, CT. 

The incumbent for this dynamic role will lead the alignment and integration of the company's decentralized health and welfare benefits into a cohesive, overarching benefits strategy. The Strategic Benefits Director will collaborate across divisions, segments and business units to create a unified approach that maximizes value, compliance, and employee engagement while maintaining the flexibility required by different business divisions. This role is pivotal in driving a consistent, competitive benefits strategy that aligns with the organization's overall goals while considering the unique needs of a decentralized workforce. 

Key Responsibilities: 

Strategic Alignment of Decentralized Benefits: 

• Lead efforts to centralize and standardize health and welfare benefits across all business units while maintaining necessary flexibility for decentralized operations. 

• Collaborate with various leaders to understand existing benefits structures and create a unified approach that ensures consistency in quality, cost-effectiveness, and employee satisfaction. 

• Develop a long-term strategy to align benefits offerings with overall business objectives and industry best practices. 

Program Design & Management: 

• Evaluate and integrate current health and welfare programs into a cohesive benefits package that can be implemented across the organization. 

• Ensure that new and existing benefits programs meet the needs of a diverse workforce while adhering to both divisional goals. 

• Oversee vendor selection, contract negotiations, and ongoing vendor relationships to ensure streamlined, cost-effective benefits administration. 

Stakeholder Collaboration & Leadership: 

• Act as a strategic partner to decentralized business unit leaders, providing guidance and expertise on benefits design, compliance, and optimization. 

• Lead cross-functional teams to execute the benefits strategy, ensuring smooth communication and collaboration between business units, HR, finance, and legal. 

• Serve as the company’s subject matter expert on benefits strategy, offering insights and recommendations to senior leadership on an ongoing basis. 

M&A Involvement:   

• Harmonize and align employee benefits programs post-acquisition, ensuring they are competitive, cost-effective, and supportive of our overall acquisition strategy. 

• Lead the development of a unified benefits strategy across newly acquired companies, ensuring smooth integration of their benefits programs into our existing structure. 

Compliance & Governance: 

• Ensure that all health and welfare benefits comply with federal, state, and local regulations (ACA, HIPAA, ERISA, etc.), regardless of where individual business units are located. 

• Establish governance frameworks to manage decentralized benefits programs, ensuring consistent application of policies and regulatory adherence across the organization. 

• Lead audits and reviews of benefits programs to identify and mitigate risks. 

Data Analysis & Reporting: 

• Monitor and assess the performance of decentralized benefits programs to drive consistent improvements and identify cost-saving opportunities. 

• Analyze data from different units to inform decisions that align with the broader organizational strategy. 

• Provide regular reports to senior leadership on benefits utilization, financial impact, and overall program performance. 

Communication & Change Management: 

• Develop a communication strategy to educate business units and employees on the benefits consolidation process and ensure understanding and engagement with the new benefits framework. 

• Lead change management efforts to smoothly transition decentralized benefits programs into a unified strategy, addressing potential concerns and roadblocks. 

Qualifications: 

• Bachelor’s degree in human resources, business administration, or a related field (Master’s degree preferred).  

• Minimum of 10-15 years of experience in benefits management, with a strong emphasis on managing decentralized or complex organizational structures.  

• Demonstrated ability to design and implement benefits programs that align with both corporate strategy and the specific needs of decentralized business units.  

• Strong knowledge of regulatory requirements related to health and welfare benefits, including ACA, HIPAA, ERISA, and others. 

• Excellent stakeholder management and collaboration skills, with experience working cross-functionally to align competing priorities.  

• Strong analytical skills with a data-driven approach to decision-making and strategic planning.  

• Professional certifications such as CEBS, PHR, SPHR, or SHRM-SCP are a plus. 

This position is located full-time and located in New Haven, CT at the Opening Solutions Americas headquarters. 

What we offer
 

We’re passionate about providing amazing opportunities and benefits, so that you can enjoy a lifelong career with us. We are proud to offer:
 

• Continuous professional development opportunities and an environment that fosters internal growth and mobility.

• Competitive compensation and benefits package which includes multiple healthcare options, tuition reimbursement, and matching 401k.

• Generous holiday schedule and paid time off to refresh and recharge.

• Employee pricing on our products and discount programs for travel, entertainment, and more!

We review applications regularly, so don’t hesitate, apply today!

ASSA ABLOY is an Equal Opportunity Employer/Minorities/Females/Disabled/Veteran

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We are the ASSA ABLOY Group
Our people have made us the global leader in access solutions. In return, we open doors for them wherever they go. With nearly 61,000 colleagues in more than 70 different countries, we help billions of people experience a more open world. Our innovations make all sorts of spaces – physical and virtual – safer, more secure, and easier to access. 

As an employer, we value results – not titles, or backgrounds. We empower our people to build their career around their aspirations and our ambitions – supporting them with regular feedback, training, and development opportunities. Our colleagues think broadly about where they can make the most impact, and we encourage them to grow their role locally, regionally, or even internationally.

As we welcome new people on board, it’s important to us to have diverse, inclusive teams, and we value different perspectives and experiences.