Candescent is a forward-thinking technology company transforming how financial institutions deliver Intelligent Banking experiences. We unite digital banking, account opening, and branch solutions that power and connect digital banking, account opening, and branch solutions—creating seamless engagement across digital, remote, and in-person channels.

Our Experience-Led, Intelligence-Driven approach combines human-centered design with data, automation, and cloud-based innovation. Built on an API-first architecture, our extensible ecosystem enables institutions to adapt quickly, integrate easily, and unlock new opportunities for growth—turning every customer interaction into a moment of clarity, confidence, and connection.

Position Summary

The Senior Benefits Manager is responsible for the strategic design, implementation, governance, and daily administration of global employee benefit programs. This role manages U.S. benefit plans while providing international oversight for India, Canada, the United Kingdom, and Serbia. The Senior Benefits Manager will ensure benefit offerings are competitive, cost‑effective, compliant, and aligned with the organization’s total rewards strategy. This position partners closely with HR Business Partners, Payroll, Legal, Finance, and external vendors to deliver a seamless employee experience.

Key Responsibilities

Plan Design & Strategy

· Lead the design, evaluation, and optimization of global benefit programs, including health, welfare, retirement, paid time off, disability, wellness, and voluntary benefits.

· Conduct market benchmarking analyses to ensure competitiveness across the U.S., India, Canada, the UK, and Serbia.

· Develop recommendations for plan enhancements, vendor changes, and cost‑containment strategies.

· Partner with Finance to model cost projections, renewal scenarios, and budget impacts.

· Lead annual open enrollment strategy, communications, and execution globally.

· Maintain knowledge of U.S. and international benefits regulations and emerging trends to guide long‑term strategic planning.

· Manage relationships with brokers, consultants, and vendors to drive service quality and plan performance.

Benefits Administration

· Oversee day‑to‑day administration of all benefit plans, ensuring operational accuracy and exceptional employee experience.

· Manage escalations related to enrollments, claims, eligibility, and employee inquiries.

· Ensure compliance with ERISA, ACA, HIPAA, COBRA, 401(k)/retirement plan requirements, and country‑specific statutory regulations in India, Canada, the UK, and Serbia.

· Coordinate annual activities such as renewals, audits, nondiscrimination testing, and required regulatory filings.

· Maintain benefits documentation, plan summaries, process guides, and employee communications.

· Partner with Payroll and HRIS to ensure accurate data flow and timely processing of benefit transactions.

· Oversee vendor performance, SLAs, and issue resolution.

· Support benefit components of M&A, divestitures, or global restructuring as needed.

International Benefits Scope

· India: Provident fund, gratuity, statutory medical, supplementary health plans, supplemental retirement benefits.

· Canada: Provincial healthcare integration, group benefits, retirement/pension programs, disability management.

· United Kingdom: Private medical insurance, life assurance, income protection, pension auto‑enrollment governance.

· Serbia: Statutory leave programs, supplemental medical, employer‑provided benefit enhancements.

Qualifications

Education

· Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, Finance, or a related field, or equivalent experience, required.

· Master’s degree preferred.

· CEBS, CBP, SHRM‑CP/SCP, or WorldatWork benefits certification strongly preferred.

Experience

· 7–10+ years of progressive benefits experience, including both plan design and administration responsibilities.

· Experience managing U.S. benefit plans (health & welfare, retirement, leave management) required.

· Global benefits experience covering at least two of the following countries strongly preferred: India, Canada, the UK, Serbia.

· Demonstrated experience leading vendor management, annual enrollment cycles, and program renewals.

· Experience in a mid‑size to large organization or rapidly evolving company environment is a plus.

Skills & Competencies

· Strong understanding of ERISA, ACA, HIPAA, COBRA, and international statutory regulations.

· Exceptional analytical skills with the ability to interpret data, model cost scenarios, and inform benefit design decisions.

· Vendor and project management expertise, including negotiation and SLA oversight.

· Ability to communicate complex benefits concepts clearly to employees and leadership.

· High attention to detail with strong organizational and problem‑solving skills.

· Demonstrated ability to work independently, manage multiple priorities, and operate in a dynamic environment.

· Proficiency in HRIS platforms (particularly Workday), benefits systems, and advanced Excel (VLOOKUP, pivot tables, modeling).

Key Competencies for Success

· Strategic thinking and ability to balance cost, competitiveness, compliance, and employee experience.

· Strong judgment and integrity when handling sensitive and confidential information.

· Collaborative mindset, partnering effectively with HR, Legal, Finance, and global business leaders.

· Process‑driven approach with an eye toward continuous improvement.

Statement to Third Party Agencies
To ALL recruitment agencies: Candescent only accepts resumes from agencies on the preferred supplier list. Please do not forward resumes to our applicant tracking system, Candescent employees, or any Candescent facility. Candescent is not responsible for any fees or charges associated with unsolicited resumes.