Director Benefits, Americas

The Director, Benefits, Americas within Global HR Services at Honeywell, is a strategic leadership role responsible for the implementation and operational execution of employee benefits programs across the Americas regions, with a significant focus on healthcare, retirement programs, 401(k) administration, and mergers and acquisitions (M&A) integrations and spin-offs. Reporting to the Sr. Director Global Benefits, this position ensures the seamless rollout and management of benefits programs (e.g., health, wellness, retirement, equity) designed by the Center of Excellence (CoE). The role requires close partnership with IT for system implementation and integration with third-party operating suppliers, as well as expertise in managing benefits transitions during M&A integrations and spin-offs. Collaboration with the CoE, IT, regional HR teams, finance, legal, and vendors is essential to deliver compliant, efficient, and employee-centric benefits programs within the HR Services framework. 

Key Responsibilities

• Americas Benefits Implementation: Lead the execution of CoE-designed benefits programs, including health, dental, vision, wellness, and equity plans, with a strong emphasis on healthcare, insurance and retirement programs (e.g., pensions, 401(k) plans), ensuring consistent delivery across Americas regions, particularly in Honeywell's diverse operational landscape. 
• Benefits Programs Administration: Oversee the operational management of all benefits programs including healthcare, insurance, retirement programs, including 401(k) plan administration, participant enrollment, contribution processing, compliance with IRS and DOL regulations in the US (and relevant legislation outside the US), and coordination with plan fiduciaries and third-party administrators (e.g., Fidelity, Conduent, other). 
• M&A Integrations and Divestitures: Manage benefits transitions during mergers, acquisitions, and divestitures, ensuring seamless integration or separation of benefits programs. Coordinate with the CoE, IT, Legal, Payroll and third-party vendors to align plans, transfer participant data, and maintain compliance with regulatory requirements (e.g., ERISA, IRS rules). Address employee concerns and ensure continuity of benefits during organizational changes. 
• IT Partnership for System Implementation: Collaborate with IT to implement and maintain HRIS and benefits administration systems changes (e.g., Oracle, Service Now). Oversee system configuration, testing, and deployment to support CoE designs and operational needs, including data migrations during M&A activities. 
• Third-Party Supplier Integration: Manage integrations with third-party suppliers (e.g., retirement plan administrators, insurance carriers, wellness platforms), working with IT to ensure seamless data flows, system compatibility, and operational efficiency, especially during M&A integrations and divestitures. 
• CoE Collaboration: Partner with the Benefits CoE to implement their strategic designs, providing operational feedback to refine future designs for benefits, retirement, and M&A-related programs to meet employee and business needs. Manage the renewal and remarketing changes implementation once annual changes and plan renewals are complete. Manage annual enrollment processes. 
• Compliance and Governance: Ensure compliance with global and local regulations (e.g., U.S. ERISA, IRS 401(k) rules, regional labor laws), with a focus on retirement plan audits, fiduciary oversight, and M&A-related compliance (e.g., plan terminations or transfers). Coordinate with IT for secure data systems and with legal for compliance. 
• Vendor Management: Oversee relationships with third-party vendors, negotiate contracts to align with CoE designs, IT requirements, and cost efficiency goals. Manage day to day vendor performance to ensure adherence to SLAs and KPIs. 
• Employee Experience and Communication: Manage benefits and 401(k) enrollment, employee education, and communication, using IT-supported platforms (e.g., employee portals) to enhance accessibility and engagement, especially during M&A transitions to address employee concerns and ensure clarity. 
• Analytics and Process Optimization: Use data analytics to monitor program utilization, system performance, and employee feedback. Work with IT to optimize system integrations, and streamline processes. 
• Cross-Functional Leadership: Collaborate with regional HR Services teams, payroll, finance, IT, and the CoE to integrate benefits, retirement, and M&A-related implementation with broader HR processes. Support governance meetings with implementation, system, and operational insights.
• Team Leadership: Lead the Americas benefits team within HR Services, fostering collaboration with IT, third-party vendors, and the CoE to drive operational excellence

• Education: Bachelor’s degree in HR, Business Administration, Information Systems, or a related field; Master’s or MBA preferred. Certifications like Certified Compensation Professional (CCP), Global Remuneration Professional (GRP), SHRM-SCP, or Certified Employee Benefits Specialist (CEBS) are highly relevant. 
• Experience: 7+ years in benefits implementation or total rewards operations. Specific expertise in retirement/401(k) administration, M&A integrations/spin-offs, and IT system implementation (e.g., HRIS, 401(k) platforms) is critical, ideally within HR Services or shared services models. Experience with third-party supplier integrations is essential. 
• Core Competencies: 
  • Expertise in implementing benefits and retirement/401(k) programs, including compliance with IRS/DOL regulations and M&A-related transitions.
  • Strong technical acumen to partner with IT on HRIS configuration, data integration, and system troubleshooting for benefits, retirement platforms, and M&A activities.
  • Exceptional collaboration skills to work with the CoE, IT, third-party vendors, and the VP of HR Services. 
  • Analytical skills to evaluate program performance, 401(k) participation rates, M&A outcomes, and operational efficiency. 
  • Cultural adaptability to manage diverse workforces and regulatory environments. 
  • Project management expertise to lead complex, IT-driven implementation projects, particularly for retirement systems and M&A integrations/spin-offs. 
• Technical Skills: Advanced proficiency in HRIS platforms (e.g., Oracle, Workday, SAP SuccessFactors), retirement/401(k) administration systems (e.g., Fidelity NetBenefits, Empower), and integration tools (e.g., APIs, middleware). Knowledge of compliance frameworks (e.g., ERISA, IRS 401(k) rules, GDPR) and data security standards, especially for M&A data migrations, is essential. 
• Location and Work Style: The role is based in Charlotte, NC, leveraging the city's corporate infrastructure and Honeywell's collaborative culture. Hybrid 3+ days per week in the office,  with potential travel (10-20%) to coordinate with global HR Services teams, IT, CoE, or third-party vendors, visiting hubs. 
• Charlotte Context: This role aligns with Honeywell's strategic initiatives in Charlotte, focusing on implementing CoE-designed benefits programs, leveraging IT partnerships for system integrations, managing retirement/401(k) administration, and handling M&A integrations/spin-offs. The Director will utilize Charlotte’s corporate infrastructure for Americas delivery, ensuring alignment with Honeywell’s commitment to employee-centric benefits.