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Collette is seeking a strategic and service-oriented Sr. Manager, Benefits & Wellness to join our People & Culture team.
This role will lead the design, administration, and continuous improvement of benefits, leave, retirement, wellness, and employee support programs. This role will help ensure Collette employees across the United States and international locations have access to competitive, compliant, and easy-to-understand programs that support their health, financial well-being, and overall employee experience.
About Collette: Let Us Show You the World
There has never been a better time to be in the travel industry. See the world, connect with others, and experience the immersive benefits of one of today’s most exciting industries when you join the Collette team! As the longest-running tour operator in North America, our family-owned business leads the industry in innovation and expertise.
Collette’s passionate team works hard to fulfill travel dreams and is always looking for talent that will help shape the company’s future. Being part of the Collette team means having a willingness to grow, a desire to learn and ask questions, and a zest for seeing the world. From giving back to local communities to creating incredible experiences for a world of travelers and being part of a values-oriented team that cares for one another, Collette is all about people. So, what are you waiting for? Your journey starts here.
Job Summary:
The Sr. Manager, Benefits & Wellness will lead the strategy, operations, and employee experience for Collette’s health and welfare, retirement, leave, disability, voluntary benefits, wellness, and Employee Assistance Program offerings. The role will balance thoughtful program design with strong day-to-day administration, ensuring programs are competitive, financially responsible, compliant, and practical for a global workforce.
Reporting to our SVP, People & Culture, this role will partner closely with People & Culture, Finance, Legal, Payroll, IT, business leaders, brokers, carriers, and external vendors. The Sr. Manager will oversee annual renewals and open enrollment, manage vendor performance and escalated employee issues, strengthen benefits governance, and use data and market insights to recommend improvements for Collette’s evolving workforce.
A key focus of this role will be simplifying the employee and manager experience through clear communications, reliable processes, aligned systems, self-service resources, and responsive support. This person will also build scalable practices that support Collette’s growth, global operations, and commitment to caring for one another.
Primary Functions
Benefits Strategy & Administration: Lead the design, implementation, and administration of medical, dental, vision, life, disability, retirement, voluntary, and related benefit programs. Ensure programs align with Collette’s business needs, employee experience goals, and total rewards strategy.
- Global Benefits Support: Coordinate benefits administration and program changes across Collette’s international locations in partnership with regional leaders, brokers, advisors, and vendors. Help ensure local practices reflect statutory requirements, market needs, and consistent employee support.
- Annual Renewals & Plan Design: Lead the annual benefits renewal process with Collette’s broker of record. Evaluate benchmarking, utilization, claims, demographic, cost, and market data; develop scenarios; and present clear plan design and funding recommendations to People & Culture and executive leadership.
- Open Enrollment & Benefits Communications:Â Own open enrollment from planning through implementation, including system readiness, eligibility validation, vendor coordination, employee education, multilingual communications as needed, issue resolution, and post-enrollment review. Maintain clear year-round resources that help employees understand and use their benefits.
- Vendor, Broker & Carrier Management:Â Manage relationships with brokers, carriers, third-party administrators, and wellness partners. Lead requests for proposal, contract and renewal coordination, service reviews, performance monitoring, issue escalation, and accountability to agreed service standards.
- Retirement Plan Oversight:Â Oversee retirement plan administration, vendor performance, compliance support, audits, employee education, and initiatives that strengthen participation and financial well-being.
- Leave, Disability & Workers’ Compensation: Oversee leave and disability administration, including FMLA, ADA accommodations, workers’ compensation, statutory leaves, and coordination with third-party administrators. Ensure employees and managers receive timely, consistent, and compassionate guidance.
- Wellness & Employee Assistance Programs:Â Develop and manage an inclusive wellness strategy that may include Employee Assistance Program services, preventive care, mindfulness, financial well-being, health education, screenings, and engagement campaigns. Use participation and feedback data to improve program relevance and impact.
- Compliance & Governance:Â Monitor applicable benefits regulations and partner with Legal, Finance, Payroll, and external advisors to support compliance with ACA, ERISA, COBRA, HIPAA, plan documentation, required notices, audits, and other federal, state, and local requirements.
- HRIS, Data & Process Alignment:Â Partner with HRIS, Payroll, and vendors to maintain accurate eligibility, enrollment, deduction, and demographic data. Support interfaces, testing, reconciliation, data validation, and system changes so benefit processes and employee records remain aligned.
- Financial Management & Analysis:Â Oversee benefit budgets, invoices, billing reconciliation, cost projections, claims and utilization trends, and scenario modeling. Translate complex information into clear insights, options, recommendations, and executive updates.
- Employee Service & Escalation Support:Â Establish responsive, employee-friendly practices for benefits questions and escalations. Identify recurring issues, improve first-contact resolution, and create self-service tools, FAQs, standard operating procedures, and clear support channels.
- Growth, Integration & Change Management:Â Support benefits due diligence, harmonization, and employee education for acquisitions, integrations, new locations, or major program changes. Build thoughtful change plans that prepare employees, managers, and internal partners for transitions.
- Team Leadership:Â Lead, coach, and develop benefits team members, establish clear priorities and service expectations, and create an environment of accountability, collaboration, learning, and continuous improvement.
- Cross-Functional Partnership: Work closely across People & Culture and with Finance, Legal, Payroll, IT, Communications, and business leaders to ensure benefits and wellness programs are practical, compliant, inclusive, and aligned with Collette’s values and workforce needs.
- Continuous Improvement:Â Reengineer workflows, reduce manual work, strengthen vendor governance, and expand automation and self-service where appropriate. Use employee feedback, service data, and program outcomes to improve efficiency and the benefits experience.
About You (Knowledge & Skills)
- Experience:Â 10+ years of progressive Human Resources or Total Rewards experience, including significant responsibility for benefits strategy and administration and experience leading complex programs, teams, or operations.
- Benefits Expertise: Broad knowledge of health and welfare, retirement, life and disability, voluntary benefits, leave management, workers’ compensation, wellness, and Employee Assistance Programs.
- Global Perspective:Â Experience supporting benefits across multiple countries or regions and the ability to partner effectively with local leaders, advisors, and vendors. Experience with programs in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, or other Collette locations is a plus.
- Compliance Knowledge: Working knowledge of ACA, ERISA, COBRA, HIPAA, FMLA, ADA, workers’ compensation, and related benefits requirements. Ability to identify when legal, broker, or specialist guidance is needed.
- Vendor & Renewal Leadership:Â Demonstrated experience managing brokers, carriers, third-party administrators, renewals, requests for proposal, contract discussions, service performance, and escalated issues.
- Financial & Analytical Skills:Â Strong ability to analyze claims, utilization, costs, demographics, benchmarking, and plan scenarios and translate findings into practical recommendations for leaders.
- HRIS & Technology:Â Hands-on experience with benefits administration platforms and HRIS tools, including eligibility, enrollment, interfaces, testing, reconciliation, data validation, and employee self-service. Experience with UKG Pro, Oracle Fusion HCM, Oracle EBS, or similar systems is helpful.
- Process & Change Leadership:Â Proven ability to redesign workflows, document standard operating procedures, implement automation, and lead communications, education, and adoption for new programs or processes.
- Project Management:Â Strong project management skills with the ability to manage annual cycles, timelines, budgets, dependencies, risks, vendors, and cross-functional deliverables across multiple priorities.
- Communication & Service Mindset:Â Clear, practical, and empathetic written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to explain complex benefits information to employees, managers, and senior leaders. Bilingual English and Spanish communication skills are a plus.
- Collaboration & Influence:Â Strong relationship-building skills and the ability to work effectively with People & Culture, Finance, Legal, Payroll, IT, Communications, business leaders, and external partners in a fast-paced, service-oriented organization.
- Leadership:Â Experience coaching and developing team members, setting priorities and service expectations, and building a collaborative, accountable team environment.
- Judgment & Confidentiality:Â Strong judgment, discretion, professionalism, and commitment to protecting sensitive company, employee, health, and financial information.
Compensation & Benefits
We believe in taking care of our team—inside and outside of work.
The pay range for this position is $100,000 - $130,000.
What We Offer:
- Health & Wellness: Medical, Dental, and Vision coverage—plus a Peloton One Membership to keep you moving
- Time Off:Â Generous PTO, paid holidays, and your birthday!
- Volunteer Time:Â Paid hours to give back to causes you care about
- Financial Security:Â 401(k) with company match
- Family Support:Â Paid parental leave, paid bereavement leave and access to our Employee Assistance Program
- Career Growth:Â Tuition reimbursement to help you level up your skills
- Exclusive travel discounts, incentives and more!
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