How to hire a benefits manager

How to hire a benefits manager, step by step

Here's a step-by-step benefits manager hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a benefits manager job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new benefits manager
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does a benefits manager do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you post your benefits manager job, you should take the time to determine what type of worker your business needs. While certain jobs definitely require a full-time employee, it's sometimes better to find a benefits manager for hire on a part-time basis or as a contractor.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   A benefits manager's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, benefits managers from different industries or fields will have radically different experiences and will bring different viewpoints to the role. You also need to consider the candidate's previous level of experience to make sure they'll be comfortable with the job's level of seniority.

   This list shows salaries for various types of benefits managers.

   Type of Benefits Manager	Description	Hourly rate
   Benefits Manager	Compensation managers plan, develop, and oversee programs to determine how much an organization pays its employees and how employees are paid. Benefits managers plan, direct, and coordinate retirement plans, health insurance, and other benefits that an organization offers its employees.	$18-50
   Plan Administrator	A plan administrator's duties depend on their line of work or place of employment. Still, they typically include understanding the client or the project's needs, developing plans, performing research and analysis, liaising with internal and external parties, setting goals, establishing guidelines and timelines, and developing strategies to optimize procedures... Show more	$21-49
   Compensation Director	A compensation director spearheads and oversees an organization or company's compensation programs, ensuring they adhere to state and federal standards. They primarily set objectives and guidelines among their staff, delegate responsibilities, facilitate research and assessments, and develop strategies to optimize compensation operations... Show more	$40-76

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • HR
   • Customer Service
   • HRIS
   • HIPAA
   • Life Insurance
   • Open Enrollment
   • Cobra
   • ERISA
   • FMLA
   • Long-Term Disability
   • Benefits Administration
   • ACA
   • Payroll System
   • Benefit Programs

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Lead a successful transition of payroll, time and labor, benefits and general ledger to PeopleSoft.
   • Collaborate with ADP to ensure system readiness and manage benefit communications.
   • Lead departmental PeopleSoft projects and initiatives; involve in systems testing when additional system upgrades are implemented.
   • Coordinate annual open enrollment, update benefits within HRIS, reconcile monthly statements and approve premium statements for payment.
   • Insure HIPPA compliance as it relates to payroll and human resources.
   • Create monthly charge back reports for FSA and all other benefits for finance.

   More benefits manager duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your benefits manager job description is a great way to entice the best and brightest candidates. A benefits manager salary can vary based on several factors:

   • Location. For example, benefits managers' average salary in wyoming is 47% less than in pennsylvania.
   • Seniority. Entry-level benefits managers earn 63% less than senior-level benefits managers.
   • Certifications. A benefits manager with a few certifications under their belt will likely demand a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for a prestigious company or an exciting start-up can make a huge difference in a benefits manager's salary.

   Average benefits manager salary

   $64,064yearly

   $30.80 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level benefits manager salary

   $39,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 5, 2025

   Average benefits manager salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	Pennsylvania	$91,183	$44
   2	New York	$90,334	$43
   3	Massachusetts	$89,472	$43
   4	District of Columbia	$86,473	$42
   5	Hawaii	$82,583	$40
   6	California	$78,715	$38
   7	Virginia	$78,456	$38
   8	Maryland	$78,384	$38
   9	North Carolina	$75,142	$36
   10	Indiana	$74,874	$36
   11	Michigan	$70,088	$34
   12	Missouri	$68,303	$33
   13	Florida	$66,808	$32
   14	Tennessee	$64,324	$31
   15	North Dakota	$63,551	$31
   16	Nebraska	$63,193	$30
   17	Georgia	$62,665	$30
   18	Texas	$60,790	$29
   19	Arizona	$59,593	$29
   20	Alabama	$59,446	$29

   Average benefits manager salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Microsoft	$120,403	$57.89
   2	Hunton & Williams LLP	$110,413	$53.08
   3	Point B	$107,964	$51.91
   4	Bain & Company	$105,075	$50.52	3
   5	Accenture	$101,538	$48.82	87
   6	AlixPartners	$101,483	$48.79
   7	Circle Internet Financial	$101,426	$48.76
   8	Silicon Valley Bank	$101,332	$48.72
   9	Duquesne Light Company	$94,351	$45.36
   10	International Trucks	$90,829	$43.67
   11	Sherpa	$90,805	$43.66
   12	Patterson Companies	$89,698	$43.12
   13	Twitter	$89,312	$42.94
   14	Clark Construction Group	$89,032	$42.80	2
   15	Fidelity Investments	$88,836	$42.71	6
   16	Navistar	$87,518	$42.08
   17	Eaton	$87,160	$41.90
   18	Milliman	$86,292	$41.49
   19	CBIZ	$86,091	$41.39	1
   20	Taylor Morrison	$83,479	$40.13	1

4. Writing a benefits manager job description

   A benefits manager job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. To help get you started, here's an example of a benefits manager job description:

   Benefits manager job description example

   Choose from multiple self-funded health plans, best dental available, first day 401k match, 3 weeks PTO, casual dress code, work from home up to 2 days per week, employer paid professional development, robust wellness offerings, and volunteer hours.

   What You Bring:

   Ideal candidates will have at least five years of benefits management experience, a relevant bachelor's degree or equivalent work experience and a CEBS, HRCI or SHRM certification. Prior experience with Canadian employment and self-funded insurance plans are a plus!

   We hope it feels like you belong here, and we can't wait to meet you!

   Our Differences Are What Drive Us

   Check out the full job description to learn more.

   Location: Hooksett, NH

   Check out the other benefits that Merchants Fleet has to offer here.

   The Company

   You're invigorated by team collaboration and a fast-paced work environment. Opportunities for growth motivate you to always bring your a-game . You're tired of being told “no” when you think of ways to improve, innovate, and do things better.

   There's a place for people like you. Welcome to Merchants Fleet .

   We've been around for more than 60 years, but we're the fastest growing fleet management company in North America. The fleet industry is behind every delivered package, the summertime memories kids make on their way to camp, and the heavy-duty trucks and vans that keep the lights on. That's a lot of responsibility, and why we want our employees to always be at their best.

   Everything at Merchants Fleet is fueled by our entrepreneurial spirit, including:
   - Leadership who truly lead and engage with employees

   - Real career paths and the tools you need to grow and develop

   - A work environment that's encouraging and collaborative

   We know employees won't stay if they're not happy, which is why we provide a great benefits package on top of our award-winning work environment. In fact, we've just made the “Great Companies to Work For in NH” list for the seventh year in a row and have a 90% employee satisfaction score (just a little higher than the national average of 57%).

   So, what are you waiting for? See why a career with Merchants Fleet is the best decision your future self has ever made.

   We are so fortunate to have an in-house team of Talent Acquisition Specialists who do an exceptional job meeting all of the needs of our business. For this reason, we do not have a need for external recruiting support.

   ^#LI-CC1

   To provide all candidates with the highest level of our attention, Merchants Fleet does not accept uninvited solicitations or resumes from third parties.

   California Residents click here for California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA).

   Equal Opportunity Employer/Protected Veterans/Individuals with Disabilities.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are a few common ways to find benefits managers for your business:

   • Promoting internally or recruiting from your existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
   • Attend job fairs at local colleges to meet candidates with the right educational background.
   • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to recruit passive job-seekers.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your benefits manager job on Zippia to find and recruit benefits manager candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Recruiting benefits managers requires you to bring your A-game to the interview process. The first interview should introduce the company and the role to the candidate as much as they present their background experience and reasons for applying for the job. During later interviews, you can go into more detail about the technical details of the job and ask behavioral questions to gauge how they'd fit into your current company culture.

   You should also ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match the ideal candidate profile you developed earlier. Candidates good enough for the next step can complete the technical interview.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new benefits manager

   Once you've found the benefits manager candidate you'd like to hire, it's time to write an offer letter. This should include an explicit job offer that includes the salary and the details of any other perks. Qualified candidates might be looking at multiple positions, so your offer must be competitive if you like the candidate. Also, be prepared for a negotiation stage, as candidates may way want to tweak the details of your initial offer. Once you've settled on these details, you can draft a contract to formalize your agreement.

   It's also important to follow up with applicants who do not get the job with an email letting them know that the position is filled.

   To prepare for the new benefits manager first day, you should share an onboarding schedule with them that covers their first period on the job. You should also quickly complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Finally, Human Resources must ensure a new employee file is created for internal record keeping.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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How much does it cost to hire a benefits manager?