Global Benefits Implementation Consultant

THE ROLE: We are hiring a senior Global Benefits Systems Implementation Consultant for our client's large multi-country benefits enrollment system implementation. You will be responsible for assigned multiple countries as part of a broader rollout, owning requirements through go-live and stabilization. This is a hands-on, embedded role, not a project management or oversight position and you must have global benefits experience. You will attend system vendor meetings and benefits broker meetings on behalf of the client, write functional design documents, lead user acceptance testing including test script creation, necessary training documentation such as FAQs, knowledge transfer after country system launches and stay accountable for your countries through launch. You are representing the client from end-to-end for this launch as a senior benefits system operations lead and “doer”. This is the caliber of consultant we hire and what Side Road Consultants is known for. A NOTE ON OUR HIRING PROCESSWe run a background check on every consultant, and we ask for 3 to 5 references that we actually pick up the phone and call. Engagement is contingent on both, consistent with applicable law. If that feels like a lot, we hear you. Here is the honest reason. AI has flooded our inbox with resumes for people who do not exist and experience that never happened. Sorting through it has been genuinely painful, and the people who lose out are the real practitioners who have actually done the work. So we check. Sorry to put you through it, and thank you for bearing with us.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES: Own your assigned countries end-to-end, from requirements gathering through launch and stabilization. Lead requirements gathering across assigned countries, covering statutory items, plan design, eligibility, and content. Attend benefits vendor and broker meetings as the client voice and represent client positions accurately. Work directly with the benefits enrollment system vendor on configuration questions, design decisions, and platform behavior. Drive design decisions and documentation throughout the implementation rather than routing them for someone else to make. Author country-specific functional design documents derived from the system vendor's design documentation. Lead user acceptance testing for your countries, including writing the test scripts, coordinating client testers, executing scenarios per benefit type, and driving issues to resolution. Create training and employee-facing documentation on the system such as FAQs and user guides. Assemble benefits content and keep content on country sites current via the system's content management tools. Coordinate country-by-country operational readiness through go-live, including cutover checks and post-launch stabilization. Identify process improvement and automation opportunities surfaced during the implementation. REQUIRED EXPERIENCE5+ years in benefits administration, benefits implementation, or benefits technology consulting. Direct hands-on experience with global or multi-country benefits programs. Hands-on experience implementing benefits enrollment systems, including requirements, testing, and go-live, rather than only administering a system already in production. Experience leading user acceptance testing, including writing test scripts and driving defect resolution. Vendor and broker management experience across medical, dental, life, disability, voluntary, and country-specific brokers. Comfort authoring functional design documents, training materials, and employee-facing communications such as FAQs. Ability to operate independently with minimal management overhead and to be the accountable owner for your countries. The flexibility to accommodate European working hours as the project requires.

NICE TO HAVE: Country-specific benefits expertise across global markets. Prior in-house Benefits Operations leader, Benefits Administration management or similar. Experience supporting Total Rewards harmonization for M&A or program migrations. Familiarity with payroll and benefits vendor integrations validation. Experience handling global benefits brokers. ENGAGEMENT DETAILS1099 / independent contractor. US-based, remote, with flexibility for European working hours. Would consider European-based contractors. Project-based engagement, multi-month duration with possibility of follow-on work. Reports to Side Road Consultants engagement lead. Compensation structure: hourly plus bonus. Side Road Consultants is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We make all engagement decisions based on qualifications, merit, and business need. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, or protected veteran status. We are committed to an inclusive workplace where everyone feels welcome. Ready to take the wheel? Apply now and let’s hit the Side Road together.