Director, Benefits

Metropolis Metropolis · Vertical AI · New York, NY +1 · People

This role is for a Director of Benefits at Metropolis, a company focused on AI for the physical world. The Director will set strategy and manage all company-wide benefit programs for over 20,000 employees. Key responsibilities include managing plan funding, claims experience, financial risk, and leveraging AI and automation to streamline HR operations. The role requires strong leadership, financial acumen, and expertise in benefits compliance.

What you'd actually do

  1. Set a company-wide benefits strategy with near- and long-term goals that keeps Metropolis competitive, designing new plans and modifying existing ones based on current and future trends
  2. Identify opportunities to leverage AI and automation to streamline benefits, leave, and PTO processes while reducing manual work
  3. Own the annual Open Enrollment strategy and ensure benefits communications are accurate, clear, and compelling
  4. Oversee the strategy, administration, and compliant tracking of all leave and PTO programs across the 20,000+ population, including return-to-work coordination
  5. Manage leave vendor and TPA relationships while integrating leave and PTO data across HRIS, payroll, and benefit systems

Skills

Required

  • 10+ years in benefits administration, including strategy, open enrollment, compliance, and financial/accounting responsibility
  • Experience managing self-insured or self-funded health and welfare plans, including funding, stop-loss, and claims or reserve analysis
  • Strategic yet hands-on leadership style, staying comfortable in the weeds and willing to do the work alongside the team
  • Experience overseeing leave, absence, and PTO programs like FMLA, ADA, state, and company leaves at scale
  • Track record of leveraging AI and automation to streamline and scale HR and benefits processes
  • Proven leadership experience directing and developing a team, ideally through other managers
  • Extensive expertise in ERISA, HIPAA, COBRA, FMLA, ADA, ACA, and applicable state and federal benefits and leave law
  • Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, high-growth, tech-forward environment with shifting priorities and a builder's bias for action
  • Strong financial acumen, experience administering plans in an HRIS, advanced reporting and Excel skills, and excellent communication abilities
  • Familiarity with HRIS systems like Workday

What the JD emphasized

  • AI and automation