DIRECTOR, BENEFITS STRATEGY & ANALYSIS

JOB DESCRIPTION

Lead the strategic direction and design of all health & welfare and retirement benefits programs across the organization. This includes oversight of union and non-union populations, with a particular focus on the company's significant participation in multi-employer Taft-Hartley plans. Ensure the company's benefit offerings are competitive, cost-effective, compliant, and aligned with business and workforce strategies. Play a critical role in aligning total rewards with supporting talent acquisition, retention, and engagement. Partner closely with Associate Experience, Finance, Legal, and Labor Relations teams to ensure that benefit strategies are equitable, competitive, and sustainable across diverse associate groups. Support the Labor Relations team in preparing for and supporting union negotiations and the Total Rewards COE Benefits teams in driving health care and retirement benefit strategies across all groups. Drive innovation in benefits, ensuring programs reflect evolving workforce needs and support a high-performance culture. Demonstrate the company's core values of respect, honesty, integrity, diversity, inclusion, and safety.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Design health benefits programs that align with business goals and workforce needs across union and non-union populations in partnership with VP Total Rewards, VP Labor Relations, and Benefits leader; develop and lead the health and retirement benefits strategy for both union and non-union associates (i.e., company-sponsored and Taft Hartley plans), ensuring alignment with organizational goals, labor strategies, and market competitiveness
• Lead team in understanding the actuarial analysis and development of health care costs, projections, accrual rate development and pension funding, actuarial analysis to support plan financials and feasibility of strategies for union and non-union groups
• Partner with Labor Relations to align total rewards strategies with union contracts, prepare for and support contract negotiations, and ensure consistent application of terms; serve as the primary internal expert on Taft-Hartley plans, including pension, health, and welfare funds, advising on design, funding, governance, and fiduciary obligations
• Leverage plan data from multiple sources (i.e., company plan data warehouse, fund administrators, and vendor partners) to measure outcomes, results, service levels, and financial performance guarantees working with Total Rewards and Labor Relations to understand plan performance, create strategies and understand financial impacts
• Partner with Benefits leads to gather and understand market benchmarking to ensure competitiveness and internal equity, including specialized union groups
• Collaborate with HRBPs, Finance, Legal, and senior leaders to ensure benefits programs support talent acquisition, retention, and engagement goals
• Partner with UPHW team and Labor Relations on understanding, interpreting UPHW rules in CBAs; collaborate cross-functionally to ensure system alignment, data integrity, and process efficiency
• Participate in Retirement Benefit Plan Management Committee to oversee and monitor Defined Benefit (DB) and Defined Contribution (DC) asset investments
• Monitor Taft Hartley plan performance, funding levels, and legislative/regulatory changes impacting multi-employer plans; support collective bargaining by providing analysis and recommendations on multi-employer benefit plan costs, obligations, and alternatives
• Lead team of analysts to ensure accuracy, consistency, collaboration, and support of all strategies
• Supervise and coach direct reports in the performance of their duties; complete performance reviews and provide feedback to direct reports
• Travel independently <25%
• Ability to work cooperatively in high paced and sometimes stressful environment
• Ability to manage conflict in a reasonable, nonconfrontational and cooperative manner
• Ability to act with honesty and integrity regarding customer and business information
• Ability to follow directions and seek assistance when necessary to resolve customer and business issues
• Provide support and assistance through direct interaction with minors, individuals with special needs, and/or older adults
• Must be able to perform the essential functions of this position with or without reasonable accommodation

• 8+ years' health care and/or pension experience in all or some of the following: administration, strategy, design, financial, data analysis, actuarial, underwriting, etc.
• Strong written, oral, and presentation skills
• Demonstrated leadership skills
• Ability to achieve results through collaboration
• Must be able to interpret government policies and regulations
• Ability to preserve confidentiality of information

• Experience in Health Benefits Analyst or Manager role
• Experience as Pension or Retirement Benefits Analyst or Manager
• Benefits Leader experience
• Benefits Actuary or Underwriter experience
• Labor Relations Director experience