Associate Director, Benefits EMEA

Syneos Health® is a leading fully-integrated life sciences services organization built to accelerate customer success. We partner with innovators at every point across the drug development and commercialization continuum, helping them navigate complexity, anticipate change and accelerate progress.
 
Every day we perform better because of how we work together, as one team, each the best at what we do. We bring together talented experts across a broad spectrum of business critical corporate functions. Every role plays an essential part in enabling our customers to achieve their goals. Our teams are agile, collaborative, and committed to delivering—for each other, for our customers, and ultimately for the people who rely on the services we support.
Discover what your 25,000 future colleagues already know:
 
Why Syneos Health
• We are passionate about developing our people, through career development and progression; supportive and engaged line management; technical and therapeutic area training; peer recognition and total rewards program.
• We are committed to building an inclusive culture – where you can authentically be yourself. Central to this is our purpose – Driven to Deliver – which captures the passion of our colleagues to show up each day and shape solutions that have the ability to dramatically impact someone’s life. 
• We are continuously building the company we all want to work for and our customers want to work with. Why? Because we know that when we bring together smart colleagues from across the world, we can shape the future of healthcare, driving impact for customers and defining the pace of patient progress. 

Job Responsibilities

JOB SUMMARY

Accountable for the Benefits strategy, governance and execution of benefits programs across EMEA, aligning with global strategy while meeting local regulatory, market, and cost requirements.

Reports to the Global Head of Benefits and helps shape global benefits strategy as the EMEA lead within the Global Benefits Center of Excellence (CoE).

JOB RESPONSIBILITIES

• Accountable to and partners with the Global Head of Benefits to shape the global benefits strategy, bringing EMEA insights, market trends, and innovation opportunities
• Provides regional input on design decisions, investment priorities, continuous improvement and governance

• Ensures alignment between global strategy and EMEA execution
• Accountable for the design, implementation, and optimization of EMEA benefits programs, including health, risk, retirement, wellbeing, and voluntary benefits
• Balances global consistency with local requirements and employee needs
• Identifies harmonization and optimization opportunities across countries

• Ensures compliance with country-specific regulations and regional directives, including EU requirements
• Drive Works Council and employee representative engagement, including consultation, approvals, and documentation
• Establishes governance frameworks, including policies, Delegation of Authority, and plan governance
• Identifies and mitigates regulatory, financial, and operational risks

• Leads vendor strategy, selection, and performance management (brokers, insurers, TPAs)
• Oversees renewals, RFPs, and contract negotiations across EMEA

• Provides reporting and insights to Global Benefits leadership and Finance and leads EMEA execution of global programs, tools, and platforms

• Partners with Americas and APAC to drive consistency and share best practices
• Contributes to global governance, frameworks, and tools

• Serves as a key advisor to HRBPs, regional leadership, and business stakeholders
• Influences decisions on benefits strategy, investments, and trade-offs
• Supports development of clear, employee-friendly communications

• Sets priorities, drives execution, and builds benefits and analytics capability

QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS

• BA/BS degree, preferably in Human Resources, Business Administration, Finance, or related field
• 10+ years of progressive experience in global or regional benefits, with strong EMEA experience
• Demonstrated expertise in multi-country benefits program design and governance
• Strong understanding of EMEA regulatory and compliance landscape
• Experience working with Works Councils and employee representative bodies across EMEA markets
• Experience managing brokers, insurers, and third-party administrators

Preferred

• Experience operating within a global CoE model
• Experience supporting complex, matrixed, global organizations
• Experience supporting transformation, harmonization, or M&A initiatives

KEY CAPABILITIES

• Operates with a high level of initiative and urgency, taking ownership of outcomes w/out waiting for direction.  
• Stays curious, consistently seeking new tools and ways of working
• Strategic thinker with strong execution discipline
• Strong financial and analytical skills
• Demonstrated ability to influence senior stakeholders in a complex, matrixed environment
• Strong change management capabilities across multiple countries and stakeholders
• Thinks systematically – connecting strategy, operations and stakeholder dynamics
• Ability to balance global consistency with local market requirements
• Strong vendor and stakeholder management skills
• Effective program and project leadership

Disclaimer: This job description is not intended to cover every task or responsibility of the role. The Company may change or add duties as needed. Candidates may qualify through a combination of experience, skills, and education that is different from what is listed here, and the Company will determine what is considered equivalent. This job description does not create an employment contract. Some qualifications may be described briefly for simplicity. The Company is committed to following all applicable employment laws in each country where it operates, including laws related to equal opportunity and non-discrimination. The Company also complies with the Americans with Disabilities Act and will provide reasonable accommodations, when appropriate, to help employees or applicants perform the essential functions of the job.

Work Environment: This job operates in a professional office environment. This role routinely uses standard office equipment such as computers and phones.  The noise level in the work environment is low. This is a largely sedentary role.

Get to know Syneos Health

Over the past 5 years, we have worked with 94% of all Novel FDA Approved Drugs, 95% of EMA Authorized Products and over 200 Studies across 73,000 Sites and 675,000+ Trial patients.

No matter what your role is, you’ll take the initiative and challenge the status quo with us in a highly competitive and ever-changing environment. Learn more about Syneos Health.
 

http://www.syneoshealth.com

Additional Information

Tasks, duties, and responsibilities as listed in this job description are not exhaustive.  The Company, at its sole discretion and with no prior notice, may assign other tasks, duties, and job responsibilities. Equivalent experience, skills, and/or education will also be considered so qualifications of incumbents may differ from those listed in the Job Description. The Company, at its sole discretion, will determine what constitutes as equivalent to the qualifications described above.   Further, nothing contained herein should be construed to create an employment contract.  Occasionally, required skills/experiences for jobs are expressed in brief terms. Any language contained herein is intended to fully comply with all obligations imposed by the legislation of each country in which it operates, including the implementation of the EU Equality Directive, in relation to the recruitment and employment of its employees.  The Company is committed to compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, including the provision of reasonable accommodations, when appropriate, to assist employees or applicants to perform the essential functions of the job.