How to apply for Benefits and Wellbeing Manager

About Woodard & Curran

Woodard & Curran is an employee-owned engineering, science, and operations firm dedicated to clean water, a safe environment, healthy communities, and happy people. What sets them apart is their commitment to solving complex water and environmental challenges with creativity and tenacity, all while fostering an inclusive, collaborative culture that supports professional growth and flexibility. Working here means contributing to meaningful projects that make a lasting impact on clients, communities, and the planet.

About the role

As the Benefits and Wellbeing Manager, you will design, implement, and manage comprehensive benefits and wellbeing programs that support the health, happiness, and financial security of Woodard & Curran's employee-owners. This role is pivotal in maintaining the company's culture of care, ensuring that benefits align with the firm's values and attract top talent in a competitive market. You'll have the opportunity to innovate in wellbeing initiatives that reflect the company's commitment to sustainable solutions and happy people.

A typical day

A typical day might involve meeting with benefits vendors to negotiate rates, analyzing utilization data to inform program improvements, and collaborating with HR and leadership on a new wellbeing initiative. You could also spend time communicating with employees about benefits changes, ensuring compliance with regulations, and researching innovative wellbeing trends to keep the company competitive. The role is dynamic, balancing strategic planning with hands-on administration.

Who Woodard & Curran is looking for

• Extensive experience in benefits administration, including health, retirement, and wellness programs, preferably in an employee-owned or professional services firm.
• Strong knowledge of benefits compliance (ERISA, ACA, HIPAA) and experience managing vendor relationships and benefits technology platforms.
• Proven ability to develop and execute wellbeing strategies that address physical, mental, and financial health, with a focus on measurable outcomes.
• Excellent communication and collaboration skills to work effectively with HR, leadership, and employees across a remote, geographically dispersed workforce.

Tips for this application

• Highlight any experience you have with employee-owned companies (ESOPs) or professional services firms, as Woodard & Curran is employee-owned and values this perspective.
• Emphasize your ability to manage benefits for a remote workforce, as this role is remote and the company has employees across various locations.
• Showcase specific examples of wellbeing programs you've implemented that improved employee engagement or health outcomes, quantifying results where possible.
• Demonstrate your understanding of the unique challenges in the water/environmental engineering sector, such as attracting talent to niche roles and supporting a mission-driven workforce.
• Tailor your resume to include keywords from the job description, such as 'employee-owned,' 'wellbeing,' 'benefits strategy,' and 'compliance,' to pass ATS screenings.

What to cover in your cover letter

["Your passion for creating benefits and wellbeing programs that align with a company's mission and values, particularly in a sustainability-focused firm.", "Specific experience managing benefits for a remote or dispersed workforce, including how you've addressed unique challenges and maintained high satisfaction.", 'Your approach to balancing cost-effectiveness with competitive benefits, ensuring both employee satisfaction and fiscal responsibility.', "How you stay current with benefits trends and compliance changes, and how you've successfully implemented innovative wellbeing initiatives."]

Research before applying

• Learn about Woodard & Curran's employee ownership model (ESOP) and how it influences company culture and benefits philosophy.
• Understand their core values and mission around clean water and environmental solutions, and how benefits can support a mission-driven workforce.
• Research the company's recent projects and news to understand their growth trajectory and any recent acquisitions or changes that might impact benefits strategy.
• Explore common benefits and wellbeing challenges in the engineering and environmental consulting industry, such as attracting talent to niche roles and supporting field employees.

Likely interview topics

Based on the job description, expect questions about:

• How would you design a wellbeing program that supports a remote workforce and aligns with Woodard & Curran's culture of collaboration and flexibility?
• Describe your experience with benefits compliance and how you ensure programs meet legal requirements while remaining competitive.
• Can you share an example of a benefits or wellbeing initiative you led that had a measurable positive impact on employee engagement or retention?
• How would you approach vendor management and benefits technology to streamline administration and improve employee experience?
• What strategies would you use to communicate benefits effectively to a diverse, geographically dispersed employee population?

Common mistakes to avoid

• Focusing only on traditional benefits administration without addressing the strategic and wellbeing aspects of the role, as the title emphasizes both benefits and wellbeing.
• Neglecting to mention remote work experience, as this role is remote and requires managing benefits for a dispersed workforce.
• Using generic language about benefits without tailoring to Woodard & Curran's specific culture, such as their employee ownership and sustainability mission.