Senior Benefits Advisor - remote US and Puerto Rico

Position description

Salary Level: annual salary range for this role is $76,800 up to $ 91,200 - commensurate on professional experience

Closing date: Please submit application by July 20th

About Mercy Corps

Mercy Corps is a leading global organization powered by the belief that a better world is possible.

In disaster, in hardship, in more than 40 countries around the world, we partner to put bold solutions

into action — helping people triumph over adversity and build stronger communities from within.

Now, and for the future.

The People Team – Compensation + Benefits

The People Team ensures that Mercy Corps has the people who will enable it to be a world-class. cutting edge, humanitarian organization, creating transformational change in the world. We do this through the recruitment, retention, and development of the best global talent. Our aim is to drive strategic thinking and planning at all levels of the organization; create a robust body of research to guide us internally and externally and steward the organizational culture. To achieve this, we align conversations on learning; keep the organization focused on what has the greatest impact: leverage our comparative advantages in the crowded and competitive international relief and development landscape; and assure we are constantly learning from our work and the external environment.

The Position

The Senior Benefits Advisor serves as a key expert within the People Team, supporting the strategic and operational management of Mercy Corps’ global benefits programs. This position provides senior-level guidance on health, welfare, retirement, wellness, and leave programs across a diverse, international workforce. The Senior Benefits Advisor ensures that Mercy Corps’ benefits offerings are competitive, compliant, and aligned with organizational values and strategic priorities.

This role requires a deep understanding of global and domestic benefits compliance, vendor and broker management, process improvement, and data analytics. The ideal candidate will bring technical expertise, strategic insight, and the ability to effectively communicate and collaborate across teams and geographies.

Essential Responsibilities

Strategic Program Management

• Serve as a subject matter expert on global health, welfare, retirement, and leave programs, advising leadership and regional HR teams.
• Partner with the Director to assess, evolve, and implement global benefits strategies aligned with Mercy Corps’ mission and operational realities.
• Evaluate benefits offerings for competitiveness, cost-effectiveness, and alignment with budget and organizational philosophy.

Benefits Operations and Compliance

• Oversee the daily administration of U.S. and global benefits programs, including medical, dental, vision, life insurance, disability, 403(b), wellness, workers’ compensation, expatriate benefits, and voluntary offerings.
• Ensure compliance with applicable global and U.S. regulations, including ERISA, ACA, HIPAA, FMLA, IRS Section 125, DOL, and others.
• Support and lead the annual benefits renewal and open enrollment process, including communication, vendor coordination, and system readiness.
• Conduct audits of benefit data, vendor contracts, and internal processes to maintain data integrity and mitigate compliance risks.

Vendor and Broker Management

• Lead the RFP and renewal process for benefit vendors, evaluating proposals, managing implementations, and monitoring performance.
• Maintain strong relationships with carriers and brokers to ensure high service levels, cost containment, and innovation in offerings.
• Partner with vendors and internal stakeholders to resolve escalated eligibility and claims issues.

Employee Experience and Communication

• Develop and deliver engaging benefits communications and education materials for employees and HR colleagues globally.
• Serve as a resource and escalation point for complex employee benefit inquiries and sensitive cases.
• Champion a positive and equitable employee experience across all benefit interactions.

Data Analysis and Reporting

• Develop benefits dashboards, benchmarking reports, and financial analyses to inform strategy and track performance.
• Partner with Finance on accurate benefit cost tracking, forecasting, and budget alignment.
• Use internal and external data to drive improvements in service delivery, plan design, and employee wellbeing.

Wellbeing and Innovation

• Lead the strategy and execution of the global wellness program, integrating it with broader Total Rewards initiatives.
• Conduct and analyze health and wellbeing surveys across countries to tailor programs and improve outcomes.
• Identify and implement process improvements that enhance program effectiveness and user experience.

COLLABORATION AND CAPACITY BUILDING

• Partner closely with internal HR teams to support global and regional benefit needs, including new country implementations.
• Provide mentoring and technical training to HR team members and junior colleagues.
• Contribute to cross-functional HR projects and People Team goals as a senior leader.

Personal LEADERSHIP

• Promote Mercy Corps culture by promoting the development and advancement of ideas which allows for innovative approaches to problem-solving within existing policy and procedural requirements.
• Maintain high ethical standards and treat people with respect and dignity. Demonstrate an awareness of one's personal strengths and development needs

SAFEGUARDING RESPONSIBILITIES

• Actively learns about safeguarding and integrates it into their work, including safeguarding risks and mitigations related to their area of work.
• Practices the values of Mercy Corps including respecting the dignity and well-being of participants and fellow team members.
• Encourages openness and communication in their team; encourages team members to submit reports if they have any concerns using reporting mechanisms e.g., Integrity Hotline and other options.

Supervisory Responsibility

No direct supervisory responsibilities, but expected to provide mentoring and guidance to junior team members and regional HR colleagues.

Accountability

Reports Directly To: Director of Human Resources - US

Works Directly With: Global People Team, Corporate Finance and Payroll, External Vendors, Regional HR Leaders

Accountability to Participants and Stakeholders

Mercy Corps team members are expected to support all efforts toward accountability, specifically to our program participants, community partners, other stakeholders, and to international standards guiding international relief and development work. We are committed to actively engaging communities as equal partners in the design, monitoring and evaluation of our field projects.

Minimum Qualification & Transferable Skills

• Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business, or a related field required; advanced degree preferred.
• 5-7 years of experience in global benefits strategy, design, and operations.
• Demonstrated expertise in U.S. and international benefits compliance (ERISA, ACA, HIPAA, DOL, etc.).
• Proven experience managing multiple benefit vendors, RFPs, and vendor negotiations.
• Strong experience with leave administration and related vendors.
• Excellent communication, customer service, and problem-solving skills.
• Experience supporting global benefits in both headquarters and field-based teams.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office (especially Excel and PowerPoint); experience with HRIS and benefits platforms required.
• Demonstrated ability to manage complex projects and communicate clearly with diverse stakeholders.
• Experience with annual filings (e.g., Form 5500s, Medicare Part D notices) and retirement plan compliance required.
• Familiarity with wellness and wellbeing program strategy strongly preferred.
• Multilingual capabilities (especially French, Spanish, or Arabic) highly desirable.
• HIPAA compliance training or certification preferred.

Success Factors

The successful Senior Benefits Advisor will bring strong technical expertise in global benefits, combined with the ability to communicate and collaborate effectively across a diverse and dispersed organization. They will demonstrate a commitment to equity and employee wellbeing, along with sound judgment, discretion, and an unwavering ethical standard. They will thrive in a fast-paced, mission-driven environment and be a key contributor to Mercy Corps’ evolving Compensation and Benefits philosophy.

Living Conditions / Environmental Conditions

The position is based remotely. Travel will be infrequent.

Ongoing Learning

In support of our belief that learning organizations are more effective, efficient and relevant to the communities we serve, we empower all team members to dedicate 5% of their time to learning activities that further their personal and/or professional growth and development

Team Engagement and Effectiveness

Achieving our mission starts with how we build our team and collaborate. By bringing together individuals with a variety of experiences, backgrounds, and perspectives, we strengthen our ability to solve complex challenges and drive innovation. We foster a culture of trust and respect, where every team member is valued for their contributions, empowered to reach their full potential, and motivated to do their best work. We recognize that building a strong and effective team is an ongoing process, and we remain committed to learning, improving, and growing together.

Equal Employment Opportunity

Mercy Corps is an equal opportunity employer that does not tolerate discrimination on any basis. We actively seek out different backgrounds, perspectives, and skills so that we can be collectively stronger and have sustained global impact.

We are committed to providing an environment of respect and psychological safety where equal employment opportunities are available to all. We do not engage in or tolerate discrimination on the basis of race, color, gender identity, gender expression, religion, age, sexual orientation, national or ethnic origin, disability (including HIV/AIDS status), marital status, military veteran status or any other protected group in the locations where we work.

Application instructions

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