Senior Manager-Benefits

JOB SUMMARY

The Benefits team is responsible for overall strategy, design and management of benefits and resources to attract, retain and develop top talent. The Sr. Manager, Retirement Benefits is an integral member of the Benefits team and will focus on Marriott’s retirement benefits and financial wellbeing resources. This individual is responsible for developing strategies, managing ongoing plan operations and vendor relationships to ensure high levels of performance, cost-effectiveness, and the employee experience as part of our holistic total rewards offering. The Sr. Manager will ensure benefit plans are administered in accordance with policies and procedures as established by Marriott and ensure the accuracy of financial reporting. The Sr. Manager, Retirement Benefits will serve as the expert on the retirement plans for Marriott, proactively monitoring legislative changes, industry trends and competitive positioning to deliver high quality retirement benefits. 

The Sr. Manager, Retirement Benefits partners with teammates, key stakeholders and cross functional teams, such as Finance, Payroll, Technology and Legal to deliver a comprehensive benefits package. The Sr. Manager, Retirement Benefits will collaborate with the Take Care team to provide financial wellness services, tools and resources to associates supporting Marriott’s holistic wellbeing program. This individual may be responsible for other benefit programs and initiatives in support of Marriott’s total rewards offerings.

CORE WORK ACTIVITIES

Managing Work, Projects and Policies

• Responsible for managing $9B US retirement plans, including qualified and active and frozen non-qualified defined contributions and Puerto Rico defined contribution plan.
• Manage recordkeeping and custodian vendors to provide high quality programs and ensure benefit plans are administered according to plan guidelines.
• Manage complex projects and implementations related to plan design, administration, investment changes and process improvements.
• Develop and implement financial wellbeing tools and resources to support associates as part of Marriott’s TakeCarewellbeing program.
• Evaluate opportunities to improve policies, procedures and programs leveraging technology solutions and vendor resources.
• Identify opportunities to enhance benefit plan efficiencies and reduce costs.
• Collaborate with senior leaders to develop, recommend and implement retirement plan strategies to meet business needs.
• Lead the retirement plans audit process by collaborating with Finance to ensure coordination with auditors and plans’ recordkeepers.
• Determine how legislative and plan changes impact stakeholders, identify key messaging and partner with the Benefits Communication team to ensure retirement plan materials, communications and resources are easy to understand and are current.
• Proactively identify and implement solutions to improve the participant experience.
• Collaborate with team members to provide a comprehensive benefits experience for associates.
• Resolve plan compliance issues partnering with Legal and the Plan administrator to evaluate correction options and develop required notifications to all impacted parties, including government agencies, participants and Marriott leadership.
• Manage all aspects of retirement plan changes related to mergers and acquisitions.
• Manage a team of benefit professionals to ensure work is completed on time and meets expectations; provide mentoring, coaching, training and feedback to foster career development.
• Perform other reasonable duties as assigned by manager.

Demonstrating and Applying Discipline Knowledge

• Ensure the plans are administered in accordance with IRS and DOL regulations and each specific plan document.
• Maintain up-to-date plan documents, SPDs and compliance notices, including participant communications materials.
• Provide guidance to resolve issues that cannot be resolved by the plans’ recordkeepers.
• Gathers, shares, and uses information about industry and discipline trends, competitors, and best practices.to optimize our benefit plans.
• Ensure the integrity of the Company’s general ledger records as they relate to the retirement plans’ liability.
• Serves as a benefits technical expert, providing input and guidance for cross-functional team initiatives and issues.

Skills and Attributes

• Informs executives, peers, and direct reports on relevant information in a timely manner.
• Sets and tracks goal progress for self and others, communicates key milestones and deadlines, breaks down barriers to accomplishing work and goals, and ensures timely completion of work.
• Presents ideas, expectations, and information in a concise, organized manner.
• Makes complex decisions by collaborating with others, seeking, and sharing information with others, identifying, and evaluating alternatives, and involving and gaining support from key stakeholders.
• Uses problem solving methodology for decision making and follow up to resolve complex issues.
• Shares insights and recommendations to evolve Marriott's retirement programs and policies.

Education and Experience

• 4-year degree from an accredited university
• 7 years’ experience in benefits plan administration or retirement plan consulting or management
• 5 years’ Defined contribution recordkeeping experience preferred
• Experience working with Collective Bargaining Agreements a plus
• Excellent analytical, problem-solving skills, and critical thinking skills
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills
• High-level proficiency with Microsoft Office (Excel, Access, Word, and PowerPoint)
• Excellent program and project management skills; must be able to establish, convey, and administer work processes across various groups of stakeholders
• Ability to flourishing a team environment as well as the ability to work independently
• Demonstrated ability to prioritize activities and work on multiple projects at once