North America Benefits Manager

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Dawn Foods is a global leader in bakery manufacturing and ingredients distribution. As the partner of choice for inspiring bakery success, we helpcustomers grow their business through meaningful partnerships, research-driven insights and innovations, and products and expertise they can depend on. As a family-owned company, our commitments to our people, products, customers, and corporate values, are all part of our recipe for success.

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Why work for Dawn Foods?

PEOPLE. PRODUCTS. CUSTOMERS.

Why should you apply? We invest in you!

• Industry-leading health insurance on Day 1!
• Competitive Pay
• 401(K) + company match
• 10 Paid Company Holidays
• Paid Time Off
• Professional training
• Family-owned business over 100 years in service
• An opportunity for career advancement, working as part of an empowering workforce.

Job Purpose and Overview

This position is responsible for directing and analyzing the administrative activities related to benefits for Dawn's U.S. & Canadian operations. These responsibilities include health plans, 401(k) plans, RRSP plans, leave policies, wellness programs, and insurance policies such as life and disability. In the benefits area, this position coordinates various aspects of the administrative activities including the enrollment, termination and status changes of Team Members in the various fringe benefit programs we offer. The Manager analyzes the company's existing benefits programs and compares them to those of competing employers. They will assist the V.P. to design new benefits programs or modify existing ones and implement these changes to ensure that Dawn's programs remain competitive. The position must maintain policies and procedures to ensure that proper internal controls are maintained in the benefit area across all Dawn U.S. and Canada locations. As a member of the Business Services Team, this position must participate in the activities of this team in various areas such as Financial Reporting, Business Analysis, Compliance, Legal, and Information Systems, Taxation, and Audit. This position links with and is aligned with the Business Services Team to ensure that best practices and processes are shared and implemented.

Hybrid Schedule with 2-3 days per week on-site at the Jackson, MI location.

What will you do as a Benefit Manager at Dawn Foods?

The primary duties of a benefits manager include overseeing and improving the benefits offered to employees. Here's a breakdown of the core responsibilities:

1. Administering Employee Benefits Programs -

• Oversee and manage health insurance, retirement plans, life insurance, disability insurance, and other employee benefits.
• Ensure that benefits are competitive, cost-effective, and meet the needs of employees.
• Stay up to date on industry trends and adjust programs accordingly.
• Administering the 401k plans, and benefits programs, including medical, wellness, dental, life and disability insurance, and flexible spending.

1. Compliance and Legal Oversight

• Ensure that benefits programs comply with all federal, state, and local regulations (e.g., ACA, ERISA).
• Maintain thorough documentation for audits and regulatory reviews.
• Work with legal teams to address any issues related to benefits compliance.

3. Vendor Management and Negotiations

• Work with insurance carriers, retirement plan administrators, and other vendors to secure competitive pricing and services.
• Negotiate terms and pricing with providers to optimize benefits offerings.
• Manage vendor relationships and resolve any issues related to the administration of benefits.

4. Employee Education and Communication

• Designing, administering, and communicating all the organization's benefits programs, including wellness programs to ensure that health and welfare benefit plans meet quality, cost, and employee satisfaction objectives and the organization's overall long-term care strategy
• Partnering with People leadership and Dawn's management to initiate benefits education and orientation sessions.
• Act as the main point of contact for employees regarding benefits questions and concerns.
• Communicate changes in benefits programs effectively to all employees.
• Develop educational materials or workshops to help employees understand their benefits options.

5. Budget Management and Reporting

• Collaborate with finance teams to ensure the benefits programs fit within the company's budget.
• Track and report on benefits usage, costs, and employee satisfaction.
• Make recommendations for adjustments to benefits packages based on employee feedback and budget considerations.
• Strong IT systems background to understand and support maintenance and enhancements to the payroll and benefits systems. This will include supporting the People Technology team in building, testing, and maintaining interfaces for numerous external Dawn benefits partners.

6. Benefits Program Evaluation and Enhancement

• Continuously assess the effectiveness of existing benefits programs through surveys, feedback, and market research.
• Suggest improvements to enhance employee engagement, satisfaction, and retention.
• Implement new benefits programs as necessary based on employee needs and company objectives.
• Ability to evaluate control risk and establish policies and procedures to ensure proper internal controls in the payroll and benefits area, while helping monitor overall benefits costs and assure competitive pricing for all benefits program components.

• Uses extensive Benefits experience to develop and present ideas for improvement, and is adept at measuring and analyzing Benefits data to improve effectiveness, build efficiencies, and proactively enhance the delivery of the Benefits function
• Ensures the business complies with and meets all legal, ethical, and community standards.
• Develops and maintains strong relationships with key business partners, industry, and professional peers.
• Demonstrates "Dawn Values" and is an effective proponent of all principles of Dawn Culture. Responsible for creating an internal environment "where people like to work"
• There will always be other duties as assigned.

What Does It Take to be a Benefit Manager at Dawn Foods?

Below are the minimum qualifications to be a fit for this job.

• A bachelor's degree in HR or a related field and at least 7 years of total relevant work experience in HR/Finance with experience in: ERISA, FMLA, HIPAA, COBRA, ACA, ADA, Benefits/HRIS systems, Excel, and IRS
• At least 3 years experience in a North American Benefits Leadership role
• At least 5 years experience in a Payroll & Benefits administrative role with a Company of at least $400 million in revenues and strong experience with benefit systems
• Excellent conflict resolution skills, and strong communication, interpersonal, and management skills
• Direct experience in MS Office, ADP (vantage benefits and payroll), and HR Systems (Employee Central is essential)
• Direct experience in the development of project justification proposals, business cases and return on investment estimates and preparing briefings, presentations, and obtaining executive approval
• Proven success in a team/matrix environment is essential. Experience in the food and baking industry is preferred.

Physical Demands & Work Environment

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by a Team Member to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions.

• Work would be performed in an office setting in Dawn's Home office
• Description of the physical requirements of the job (e.g., motor coordination, physical effort, movement required).

Note:The level of physical effort may vary from site to site and in some cases be greater or lesser than documented here.

If this sounds like the opportunity that you have been looking for, please click "Apply."

About Our Benefits

Dawn is proud to employ the top talent in the baking industry, and we reward our people with comprehensive health and well-being coverage, competitive compensation packages, and award-winning benefit offerings. We also help protect your future financial health with a generous 401(k) matching program that provides additional retirement funds and many tools and resources on financial wellness. Dawn encourages professional growth through tuition assistance and educational programs, and we are always searching for ways to improve our industry-leading services and benefits.

Compensation Range:

$102,640 - $169,350 with bonus incentive.

#LI-JA1 #LI-Hybrid

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An Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity/gender expression, citizenship status, military or veteran status, genetic information or any other status or condition that is protected by applicable law.

Requisition ID: 36803