At Elanco (NYCE: ELAN) – it all starts with animals!

As a global leader in animal health, we are dedicated to innovation and delivering products and services to prevent and treat disease in farm animals and pets. We’re driven by our vision of ‘Food and Companionship Enriching Life’ and our approach to sustainability – the Elanco Healthy Purpose™ – to advance the health of animals, people, the planet and our enterprise.

At Elanco, we pride ourselves on fostering a diverse and inclusive work environment. We believe that diversity is the driving force behind innovation, creativity, and overall business success. Here, you’ll be part of a company that values and champions new ways of thinking, work with dynamic individuals, and acquire new skills and experiences that will propel your career to new heights.

Making animals’ lives better makes life better – join our team today!

US Benefits Manager

Work Location - Hybrid: Position is in our corporate headquarters, which is currently in Greenfield, IN. Elanco Animal Health will be moving to a new headquarters in downtown Indianapolis in Q1 2025.

RELOCATION ASSISTANCE IS AVAILABLE FOR TOP APPLICANTS

Position Summary:

This position is responsible for planning, implementing, and managing benefit programs, procedures, policies, and administration of Elanco’s US health and welfare, including leave programs and retirement. The person is tasked with ensuring that Elanco’s US benefits programs and individual plans are aligned with our employees’ needs. Apart from evaluating and updating Elanco’s current benefit program, the ideal candidate is expected to create and implement new ones that will help the company attract and retain top performers. Will serve as a subject matter expert in benefits design, principles, and practices with the ability to collaborate across HR, Finance, Legal, Payroll, and IT in partnership with business leaders to ensure that benefits align with strategic objectives, are compliant with statutory regulations, and promote the well-being of our employees.

Responsibilities:

Strategic Planning and Finance

• Manage and oversee all aspects of program/vendor management activities to ensure excellent service and support, to include conducting comparative/benchmark analysis of plan provisions, practices, and cost.




• Monitor market practices, trends and lead the development/implementation of new initiatives to ensure benefit offerings remain market-competitive, sound financially, and legally compliant.




• Manage open enrollment process by creating and implementing a project plan and working with internal partners for the delivery and execution.




• Manage and oversee retirement plan processes, to include, collaborating closely with the company’s Investment Advisor, and acts as a subject matter expert to the Investment Committee for retirement plans ensuring that adequate processes and controls are in place to meet the Company’s fiduciary responsibility.




• Responsible for collaborating with broker consultants and internal partners in assessing and aligning current benefits strategies in the merger or acquisition process to ensure a comprehensive understanding of the existing employee rewards system.




• Lead benefits budgeting process and ensure all costs are accounted and reconciled to include invoice processing and tracking of expenses for all programs.

Vendor Management/Procurement

• Collaborate with broker consultants and Elanco Procurement on identifying vendors to solicit for benefit plan Requests for Proposal when required, and partners with legal and leadership in the selection and negotiation process.




• Coordinate all aspects of vendor contract and amendments as needed with procurement, and sets/measures performance metrics for the vendor.

Compliance

• Remain informed about relevant laws and regulations related to employee benefits (ERISA), ensuring compliance with local, state, and federal laws and requirements, to include required government filing such as Form 5500 reporting for both H&W and retirement, ACA, SAR, PCORI, etc.




• Responsible for coordinating Benefits Directives/Policies as assigned related to the US Benefits programs in coordination with Global Total Rewards.

Benefits Administration/Communications

• Oversee all marketing/communications of programs, partnering with internal communications and vendor teams to promote Elanco’s programs and partnerships, to include implementing a communications strategy to ensure programs are understood and effectively utilized.




• Work with third party vendor in managing FMLA leave and disability administration process, and serve as a resource for HR, payroll and other internal partners regarding leave policies and practices.




• Serve as Tier 2/3 and work with HR agents in responding to employee inquiry escalations on Retirement, Health and Welfare and leaves.




• Oversee Special Projects for Benefits that require senior level analysis/review.

Basic Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree preferably in HR or related discipline.




• 5-7+ years of progressive experience in Benefits, ideally in a large global organization.




• Highly proficient in Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint; working knowledge of HRIS databases.




• Strong project, process improvement and time management skills




• Excellent presentation, interpersonal & communication/people skills, ability to confidently interact with all levels of employees including senior management.




• Strong financial and quantitative skills, ability to use data analysis to proactively derive insights and support fact-based decision making.




• Ability to function well in a fast-paced environment.




• Knowledge of HIPAA, ERISA, and other laws impacting health and welfare benefit administration.




• Experience with US leave administration to include strong knowledge of U.S. Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) and COBRA compliance.




• Ability to partner and influence across HR and with business leaders; and to build relationships, collaborate and influence outcomes.




• Understands and embraces technology and has demonstrated experience delivering benefit programs and participant communications using various digital platforms.




• Proven experience in vendor management, contract negotiations, and cost management

Additional Skills & Preferences:

• Master’s degree and/or benefits certification




• Experience with Workday HRIS




• M&A related Benefit integration/assimilation experience

Elanco is an EEO/Affirmative Action Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of age, race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, national origin, protected veteran status, disability or any other legally protected status