What does a benefit director do?
Benefits directors are professionals who plan and direct the overall design, implementation, and administration of an organization's health and welfare benefits programs. To support the decision making of the management, these directors are required to analyze benefit options and predict future costs. They should study programs so that they can identify benefit options as well as obtain advice from consultants. Benefits directors must study existing and new legislation so that they can comply with federal, state, and legal requirements and advise the management on needed actions.
Benefit director responsibilities
Here are examples of responsibilities from real benefit director resumes:
- Lead project to implement third-party ACA tax form processing for over 30,000 employee records.
- Manage relate HRIS systems, software applications for benefit administration.
- Lead departmental PeopleSoft projects and initiatives; involve in systems testing when additional system upgrades are implemented.
- Implement HIPAA compliant wellness programs, including biometric testing.
- Well verse with ERISA and HIPPA reporting.
- Work with outside ERISA counsel on pension issues.
- Gain DOL approval to merge SCA employees into self-insured plans.
- Ensure workers' compensation leaves of absence coordination with FMLA and other require laws.
- Administer self-funded medical, dental, vision, and disability plans; in addition to FMLA procedures.
- Mitigate risk by complying with ACA, modify part-time benefit eligibility/benefits offerings.
- Co-Le the design and delivery efforts of integrate PeopleSoft implementation for HRIS administration.
- Advise HIV/AIDS and chronically/terminally ill patients about rights and filing for temporary or permanent disability base on status and clinical condition.
- Consult and coordinate with legal counsel for retirement plan revisions, IRS approval and state medical insurance legal issues.
- Implement FSA automate electronic claims streaming from external dental and pharmacy vendors to FSA vendor.
- Complete a comprehensive competitive compensation analysis of all jobs measuring TCC, LTI and TDC.
Benefit director skills and personality traits
We calculated that 10% of Benefit Directors are proficient in Human Resources, Oversight, and ERISA. They’re also known for soft skills such as Leadership skills, Analytical skills, and Business skills.
We break down the percentage of Benefit Directors that have these skills listed on their resume here:
- Human Resources, 10%
Assist with Human Resources Information System functionality.
- Oversight, 6%
Team 1 - Oversight of department's 4,300+ mature DI claims.
- ERISA, 5%
Maintain in depth knowledge of government regulations, compliance with ERISA, HIPAA, FMLA, COBRA and Affordable Care Act.
- Open Enrollment, 5%
Improved open enrollment communication materials and designed and implemented technology for paperless enrollment to ensure accuracy and understanding in benefit enrollment.
- HIPAA, 5%
Restated legal plan documents (401(k), Wrap and Cafeteria), BAAs; developed HIPAA training.
- HRIS, 4%
Co-led the design and delivery efforts of integrated PeopleSoft implementation for HRIS administration.
Common skills that a benefit director uses to do their job include "human resources," "oversight," and "erisa." You can find details on the most important benefit director responsibilities below.
Leadership skills. One of the key soft skills for a benefit director to have is leadership skills. You can see how this relates to what benefit directors do because "compensation and benefits managers coordinate the activities of their staff and administer compensation and benefits programs, ensuring that the work is completed accurately and on schedule." Additionally, a benefit director resume shows how benefit directors use leadership skills: "provided oversight, training and leadership to facility payroll and benefit coordinators. "
Analytical skills. Another essential skill to perform benefit director duties is analytical skills. Benefit directors responsibilities require that "compensation and benefits managers analyze data on wages and salaries and the cost of benefits, and they assess and devise programs that best fit an organization and its employees." Benefit directors also use analytical skills in their role according to a real resume snippet: "created the department s first hris role improving data management, accuracy, reporting capabilities, processes and efficiency. "
Business skills. benefit directors are also known for business skills, which are critical to their duties. You can see how this skill relates to benefit director responsibilities, because "these managers oversee a budget, build a case for their recommendations, and understand how compensation and benefits plans affect an organization’s finances." A benefit director resume example shows how business skills is used in the workplace: "conducted benefit meetings including annual open enrollment, 401(k) and business administrator training. "
Communication skills. For certain benefit director responsibilities to be completed, the job requires competence in "communication skills." The day-to-day duties of a benefit director rely on this skill, as "compensation and benefits managers direct staff, give presentations, and work with colleagues." For example, this snippet was taken directly from a resume about how this skill applies to what benefit directors do: "initiated search, selection and purchase of a user-friendly hris add-on system providing interactive communications and employee self-service. "
The three companies that hire the most benefit directors are:
- Snap10 benefit directors jobs
- Mass Markets8 benefit directors jobs
- Cornerstone Research5 benefit directors jobs
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Compare different benefit directors
Benefit director vs. Hris manager
An HRIS manager or commonly known as a human resource information system manager, is responsible for supporting and maintaining the company's HR systems. They primarily perform the complex task of making sure all HR systems are compliant with labor regulations and regularly updated. Typically, they oversee employee data information, including processing, HR-related report generation, system upgrades, and maintaining data integrity. They supervise the implementation and daily HRIS operation. Moreover, this job requires excellent communication skills, both verbal and written.
While similarities exist, there are also some differences between benefit directors and hris manager. For instance, benefit director responsibilities require skills such as "human resources," "oversight," "life insurance," and "employee engagement." Whereas a hris manager is skilled in "project management," "business processes," "performance management," and "process improvement." This is part of what separates the two careers.
The education levels that hris managers earn slightly differ from benefit directors. In particular, hris managers are 0.7% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree than a benefit director. Additionally, they're 1.1% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Benefit director vs. Human resources consultant
A human resources consultant is responsible for supporting the human resources management of an organization by advising on policies and procedures for effective employee relations. Human resources consultants analyze HR programs and current processes and initiate projects to maintain stable operations. They also facilitate strategic plans to resolve HR matters and improve culture management. A human resources consultant must be highly-knowledgeable of the human resources industry, its techniques, regulations, and disciplines to help with the implementation of business advancements and achieve the organization's objectives.
In addition to the difference in salary, there are some other key differences worth noting. For example, benefit director responsibilities are more likely to require skills like "human resources," "oversight," "erisa," and "hipaa." Meanwhile, a human resources consultant has duties that require skills in areas such as "performance management," "workforce planning," "payroll," and "customer service." These differences highlight just how different the day-to-day in each role looks.
Human resources consultants may earn a lower salary than benefit directors, but human resources consultants earn the most pay in the manufacturing industry with an average salary of $78,879. On the other hand, benefit directors receive higher pay in the technology industry, where they earn an average salary of $97,541.In general, human resources consultants achieve similar levels of education than benefit directors. They're 4.2% more likely to obtain a Master's Degree while being 1.1% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Benefit director vs. Senior human resources consultant
A senior human resources consultant specializes in recommending solutions to optimize a company's human resource operations. Their responsibilities typically revolve around performing research and analysis to identify the strengths and weaknesses of existing procedures, devising strategies to attain the best employment practices, and developing programs for the benefit of employees. They may also implement the company's policies and regulations, creating new ones as needed. Furthermore, as a senior human resources consultant, it is essential to lead and encourage junior consultants and managers to accomplish goals in adherence to the vision and mission of the company.
Some important key differences between the two careers include a few of the skills necessary to fulfill the responsibilities of each. Some examples from benefit director resumes include skills like "human resources," "oversight," "erisa," and "hipaa," whereas a senior human resources consultant is more likely to list skills in "healthcare," "workforce planning," "payroll," and "project management. "
Senior human resources consultants earn the highest salary when working in the technology industry, where they receive an average salary of $86,984. Comparatively, benefit directors have the highest earning potential in the technology industry, with an average salary of $97,541.senior human resources consultants typically earn higher educational levels compared to benefit directors. Specifically, they're 5.7% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree, and 0.5% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Benefit director vs. Human resources business partner
Human resource (HR) business partners' primary job is to ensure that business objectives are aligned with the management and employees within an organization. They typically focus more on developing HR strategy than implementing the company policies. They often work with individual business units, and their work is related to the company's current and future success. HR business partners are also responsible for providing performance management guidance, developing contract terms for new employees, transfers, and promotions, and providing advice on business units.
Types of benefit director
Updated January 8, 2025
