Sr. Specialist, Operations - Benefits- United States & Puerto Rico - Hyrid

Job Description

Overview

As part of the Compensation & Benefits Operations team, you play a key role in the exceptional delivery of our Company's Total Rewards program to employees and their families.

The Compensation and Benefits Senior Specialist is responsible for administering operations initiatives related to our Company's United States Pension plan & Puerto Rico Retirement and Health & Welfare benefit plans with a variety of stakeholders. This role requires strong organizational, analytical and communication skills, empathy, and attention to detail. This role will lead various processes in multiple benefit programs, including our Company's Puerto Rico 401(k), pension, Active and Retiree medical plans, as well as administering United States Benefit plans for Union and Non-Union employees.

Responsibilities

Benefit Plan Lead

• Lead ongoing administration and special projects for United States and Puerto Rico Pension, 401(k), and Health and Welfare plans (e.g. annual enrollment planning and execution, facilitating quarterly Puerto Rico benefits committee approvals, financial oversight, reporting, plan audit(s) validation, regulatory filings, benefits education/outreach)
• Primary responsible party for daily activities related to Puerto Rico Health & Wellness plan administration
• Partner with team members in Centers of Expertise (COEs), Payroll, Legal, Finance, Labor Relations, and the HRBP community regarding various HR inquiries, projects, and Mergers & Acquisitions activity/site closures for Puerto Rico and supporting US
• Manage processes with vendors including participant United States scalations, audit, and actuarial governance, departmental budget tracking, year-end compliance handling, payroll testing.
• Guide transitioning executives and employees in their understanding of key compensation & benefits programs at critical moments in their career lifecycle
• Review and research employee and retiree issues to ensure a seamless participant experience
• Partner with outside vendors and lead the resolution of issues that escalate through the Human Resources Support Center, and further partner with benefit providers to resolve escalations
• Provide sensitive, empathetic, timely benefits support to employees and families through challenging life circumstances (e.g. retirement, long-term disability, death)
• Deep knowledge of United States and Puerto Rico benefits programs (Pension, 401(k), Retiree Medical, Health & Welfare), ERISA and other United States benefits regulations
• Organized, effective communicator with the ability to respond to difficult situations and maintain confidentiality
• Strong judgment, analytical, and problem-solving skills
• Ability to work with plan actuaries and strong understanding of plan financials
• Proven ability to manage multiple priorities and work independently

Education & Experience

• Minimum of a Bachelor's degree, or currently in pursuit of degree completion, or equivalent relevant work experience.
• Minimum of 6 years' experience in benefits administration and support or related experience (with Master's degree, minimum experience is 4 years).
• Bilingual (English and Spanish) required

#MSJR

Required Skills:
Accountability, Adaptability, Administration Management, Analytical Thinking, Benefits Administration, Benefits Planning, Change Management, Compliance Reviews, Financial Review, HR Analytics, HR Automation, HR Documentation, HR Process Design, Human Resource Management, Human Resources Processes, Process Improvements, Project Management

Preferred Skills:

Current Employees apply HERE

Current Contingent Workers apply HERE

US and Puerto Rico Residents Only:

Our company is committed to inclusion, ensuring that candidates can engage in a hiring process that exhibits their true capabilities. Please click here if you need an accommodation during the application or hiring process.

As an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer, we provide equal opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibit discrimination on the basis of race, color, age, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, protected veteran status, disability status, or other applicable legally protected characteristics. As a federal contractor, we comply with all affirmative action requirements for protected veterans and individuals with disabilities. For more information about personal rights under the U.S. Equal Opportunity Employment laws, visit:

EEOC Know Your Rights

EEOC GINA Supplement

We are proud to be a company that embraces the value of bringing together, talented, and committed people with diverse experiences, perspectives, skills and backgrounds. The fastest way to breakthrough innovation is when people with diverse ideas, broad experiences, backgrounds, and skills come together in an inclusive environment. We encourage our colleagues to respectfully challenge one another's thinking and approach problems collectively.

Learn more about your rights, including under California, Colorado and other US State Acts

U.S. Hybrid Work Model

Effective September 5, 2023, employees in office-based positions in the U.S. will be working a Hybrid work consisting of three total days on-site per week, Monday - Thursday, although the specific days may vary by site or organization, with Friday designated as a remote-working day, unless business critical tasks require an on-site presence.This Hybrid work model does not apply to, and daily in-person attendance is required for, field-based positions; facility-based, manufacturing-based, or research-based positions where the work to be performed is located at a Company site; positions covered by a collective-bargaining agreement (unless the agreement provides for hybrid work); or any other position for which the Company has determined the job requirements cannot be reasonably met working remotely. Please note, this Hybrid work model guidance also does not apply to roles that have been designated as remote".

The salary range for this role is
$104,200.00 - $163,900.00

This is the lowest to highest salary we in good faith believe we would pay for this role at the time of this posting. An employee's position within the salary range will be based on several factors including, but not limited to relevant education, qualifications, certifications, experience, skills, geographic location, government requirements, and business or organizational needs.

The successful candidate will be eligible for annual bonus and long-term incentive, if applicable.

We offer a comprehensive package of benefits. Available benefits include medical, dental, vision healthcare and other insurance benefits (for employee and family), retirement benefits, including 401(k), paid holidays, vacation, and compassionate and sick days. More information about benefits is available at https://jobs.merck.com/us/en/compensation-and-benefits .

You can apply for this role through https://jobs.merck.com/us/en (or via the Workday Jobs Hub if you are a current employee). The application deadline for this position is stated on this posting.

San Francisco Residents Only: We will consider qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records for employment in compliance with the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance

Los Angeles Residents Only: We will consider for employment all qualified applicants, including those with criminal histories, in a manner consistent with the requirements of applicable state and local laws, including the City of Los Angeles' Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring Ordinance

Search Firm Representatives Please Read Carefully
Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, NJ, USA, also known as Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC, Rahway, NJ, USA, does not accept unsolicited assistance from search firms for employment opportunities. All CVs / resumes submitted by search firms to any employee at our company without a valid written search agreement in place for this position will be deemed the sole property of our company. No fee will be paid in the event a candidate is hired by our company as a result of an agency referral where no pre-existing agreement is in place. Where agency agreements are in place, introductions are position specific. Please, no phone calls or emails.

Employee Status:
Regular

Relocation:
No relocation

VISA Sponsorship:
No

Travel Requirements:
10%

Flexible Work Arrangements:
Hybrid

Shift:
Not Indicated

Valid Driving License:
No

Hazardous Material(s):
N/A

Job Posting End Date:
12/15/2025
*A job posting is effective until 11:59:59PM on the day BEFORE the listed job posting end date. Please ensure you apply to a job posting no later than the day BEFORE the job posting end date.

Requisition ID:R375104