Senior Specialist- Benefits Administration

Senior Specialist- Benefits Administration

Company: A Global Pharmaceutical Company

Contract: 6 months Contract initially (with possibility of extension)- Full-Time, 35 hours weekly

Start Date: ASAP, no long notice periods

Location: Hybrid- Cheshire- 50% office-based

About the Role

This role sits within the People Services function and is responsible for the administration and delivery of employee benefits and retirement programmes, including health and welfare, pension/savings plans, and wellbeing initiatives. The successful candidate will ensure the efficient day-to-day operation of benefits programmes while delivering an excellent employee experience and supporting continuous process improvement.

Key Responsibilities

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• Manage the end-to-end administration of employee benefits programmes across assigned markets, ensuring operational excellence and a positive employee experience.
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• Act as the escalation point for complex benefits enquiries, providing guidance on benefit plans, policies, processes, and procedures to HR teams, employees, and key stakeholders.
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• Develop and maintain process documentation, local work instructions, training materials, and knowledge articles, while identifying opportunities to streamline processes.
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• Support the implementation of new benefit programmes, plan design changes, and process improvements within operational systems.
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• Administer day-to-day benefits activities, including eligibility, enrolments, life event changes, terminations, and claims.
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• Liaise with external vendors, brokers, and system providers to ensure the smooth delivery of benefits services.
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• Manage updates within provider portals and reconcile system reports, integrations, and data feeds.
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• Support vendor management activities, including purchase orders, invoice validation, payment tracking, and service level monitoring.
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• Coordinate enrolment periods, maintaining annual activity calendars alongside internal stakeholders and external providers.
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• Investigate and resolve benefits-related issues raised by employees, HR teams, and third-party vendors.
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• Review employee communications, HR portal content, and vendor websites to ensure information remains accurate, up to date, and supports employee self-service.
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• Support compliance and governance activities, including audits, risk identification, and corrective actions.
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• Collaborate with internal stakeholders to implement enterprise-wide benefits solutions and improve operational processes.
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• Recommend and support enhancements to benefits administration systems, including testing new functionality, system changes, and upgrades.
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• Deliver training to HR colleagues and team members on benefits processes and system changes.
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• Complete annual benefits surveys and support the administration and communication of employee wellbeing programmes.
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Requirements

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• Bachelor's degree or equivalent professional experience.
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• Proven experience in employee benefits administration in Life Sciences.
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• Strong analytical skills with excellent attention to detail.
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• Good understanding of HR policies, employment legislation, and employee benefits regulations.
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• Advanced Microsoft Excel skills (including Pivot Tables and VLOOKUP/XLOOKUP) and proficiency across Microsoft Office.
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• Experience working in a fast-paced, complex environment with the ability to manage multiple priorities.
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• Strong problem-solving skills and sound business judgement.
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• Experience working within multinational or multicultural organisations.
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• Excellent stakeholder management and communication skills, with the ability to explain complex information clearly.
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• Continuous improvement mindset with a proactive approach to enhancing processes.
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• Fluent English is essential. Italian or Spanish language skills would be advantageous.
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• Experience across wider HR functions such as payroll, recruitment, or performance management.
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• Experience working within an HR Shared Services environment.
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• Familiarity with HR and benefits systems such as Workday, ServiceNow, Darwin, Ariel, or similar platforms.
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• Experience coaching or mentoring colleagues and supporting capability development.
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