Our associates celebrate lives. We celebrate our associates.

The Benefits Director plays a critical leadership role in positioning SCI as an employer of choice by designing and executing a forward-looking, data-driven benefits strategy. This role provides strategic direction, operational excellence, and team leadership across health & welfare and retirement programs, ensuring an integrated, high-impact total rewards offering that supports associate well-being, financial security, and organizational performance.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership & Vision

• Define and lead the enterprise benefits strategy, aligning health, wellness, and retirement programs with organizational goals and workforce needs
• Drive continuous innovation in plan design to optimize cost, improve outcomes, and enhance the associate experience
• Establish a long-term roadmap for benefits programs, incorporating market trends, benchmarking insights, and emerging solutions
• Ensure alignment and integration across retirement and health & welfare strategies, governance, and policies

Team Leadership & Development

• Build, lead, and develop a high-performing, collaborative benefits team
• Provide clear direction, coaching, mentoring, and professional development opportunities
• Foster a culture of accountability, continuous improvement, and innovation

Process Improvement & Operational Excellence

• Champion process optimization and automation across benefits design, administration, and delivery
• Establish and monitor performance metrics to evaluate program effectiveness and operational success
• Partner with HRIS to translate business needs into technical requirements for benefits and absence management systems

Health & Welfare Strategy

• Lead the development and management of medical, dental, vision, and prescription drug programs
• Implement holistic health and wellness solutions that improve associate outcomes and manage costs
• Utilize actuarial insights and financial modeling to inform decision-making and optimize plan design

Retirement & Financial Well-being

• Develop and execute retirement and savings strategies that support associates across all career stages
• Enhance associate engagement through education, communication, and advisory tools
• Ensure offerings include diversified investment options and automated features that drive participation and outcomes
• Maintain deep understanding of retirement solutions to continuously evolve program effectiveness

Financial Management & Governance

• Lead annual benefits budgeting, funding analysis, and financial forecasting
• Evaluate cost-saving opportunities through data-driven modeling and scenario analysis
• Ensure compliance with all applicable legislation and regulatory requirements (including ERISA)

Vendor & Stakeholder Management

• Lead vendor strategy, including selection, negotiation, and performance management
• Manage service agreements and partnerships to maximize value and service delivery
• Conduct regular market reviews and benchmarking to ensure competitiveness
• Collaborate with internal stakeholders and leadership to align priorities and drive outcomes

Data, Insights & Communication

• Leverage data and analytics to inform strategy, measure ROI, and guide decision-making
• Lead benchmarking efforts and translate insights into actionable strategy enhancements
• Develop and execute comprehensive communication strategies to drive associate engagement and understanding
• Gather and incorporate associate and leadership feedback to continuously refine programs

Qualifications

Education

• Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or related field

Certifications

• CEBS certification preferred

Experience

• Minimum 8+ years of progressive experience in benefits strategy, design, and administration
• Deep expertise across health & welfare and retirement plans, including funding, pricing, and implementation
• Strong background in financial modeling, cost analysis, and benefits benchmarking
• Experience in healthcare consulting, brokerage, or actuarial environments preferred
• Proven track record of leading teams and driving organizational change

Core Competencies

• Strategic Thinking: Ability to translate business objectives into impactful benefits strategies
• Leadership & Talent Development: Builds strong teams and develops future leaders
• Process Improvement: Identifies inefficiencies and drives scalable, automated solutions
• Analytical Rigor: Uses data to inform decisions and measure outcomes
• Business Acumen: Understands cost structures, ROI, and financial implications of benefits programs
• Communication & Influence: Effectively engages stakeholders at all levels
• Execution Excellence: Delivers results with a focus on quality, efficiency, and impact

Postal Code: 77019

Category (Portal Searching): Human Resources

Job Location: US-TX - Houston