Director, Benefits
Freddie Mac, Mc Lean, VA, United States
Director Of Benefits
At Freddie Mac, our mission of Making Home Possible is what motivates us, and it's at the core of everything we do. Since our charter in 1970, we have made home possible for more than 90 million families across the country. Join an organization where your work contributes to a greater purpose. Position Overview:
We are seeking an experienced and strategic Director of Benefits to lead the design, evolution, and administration of Freddie Mac's benefits program. This leader will be responsible for developing the strategic direction for our benefits program steeped in comprehensive, competitive, cost-effective offerings aligned to Freddie Mac's business objectives. This leader will shape Freddie Mac's benefits strategy and lead a team committed to operational excellence, delivering seamless administration, full compliance, and a positive employee experience. The ideal candidate will possess a deep understanding of the evolving benefits landscape, a proven track record in strategic benefits planning, the ability to deliver operational excellence through strong team leadership, and exceptional skills in cross-functional collaboration. Responsibilities:
Benefits Strategy: Develop annual and long-term benefits vision and strategic roadmap, aligning with Freddie Mac's business objectives and long-term talent strategy. Oversee competitive benchmarking, market intelligence, and assessment of emerging benefits trends, technologies, and industry innovations to continue to position Freddie Mac as an ongoing employer of choice. Evaluate workforce demographics, health data, and overall benefit program utilization patterns to design benefit strategies that optimize health outcomes, retirement savings opportunities, employee experience, cost management, and competitive positioning. Develop recommendations for senior leadership on benefit investments, plan design, and transformational initiatives. Vendor Strategy & Partnerships: Lead vendor strategy and the selection of strategic partners (401(k), medical/dental/vision carriers, PBMs, etc.) that deliver measurable value at a competitive cost. Maintain collaborative partnerships with vendors to drive innovation, outcomes measurement, and excellence in service delivery and cost outcomes. Negotiate benefit contracts and service agreements that optimize financial terms, performance accountability, and strategic flexibility. Operational Excellence & Plan Administration Leadership: Lead team to deliver consistently excellent benefit plan administration. Manage significant benefits budget, updating cost forecasting, and financial performance; partner with Finance and actuarial consultants to optimize retiree medical funding approaches, model scenarios, and demonstrate value for investment. Champion continuous improvement in processes, systems, and service delivery. Oversee team managing annual enrollment strategy and execution with clear communication and high employee engagement. Benefit Plan Design & Governance: Guide the evolution of benefit plan design to balance value, choice, affordability, and fiscal responsibility. Maintain governance structures, policies, and decision-making frameworks that ensure consistent, equitable, legally compliant benefit delivery and mitigate risks through proactive oversight Ensure all plans comply with federal, state, and local regulations (ERISA, ACA, COBRA, HIPAA). Leadership: Lead a high-performing benefits team, coach team members to elevate their capabilities, take ownership of outcomes, and deliver results that exceed standards. Foster a culture of collaboration, innovation, accountability, continuous learning, and service quality. Be positioned to manage any future benefits transformations, ensuring stakeholder alignment, effective communication, and successful adoption across the company. Serve as a thought leader and trusted advisor to senior HR leadership, and cross-functional partners on overall benefits strategy and industry trends; represent Freddie Mac externally through participation in industry forums, coalitions, roundtables, and advisory councils. Qualifications:
Bachelor's degree in human resources, business administration, or a related field. Minimum of 15 years of continuous experience in employee benefits, with at least 7-10 years focused specifically on benefits strategy, design, and administration for a large, complex organization. Professional certification such as CEBS (Certified Employee Benefit Specialist) or similar. Keys To Success:
Demonstrated, extensive experience leading benefits strategy, design and execution. Extensive experience with vendor selection, contract negotiation, and performance management in the benefits space. Proven ability to balance strategic vision with operational executioncandidates must be comfortable setting strategy and ensuring their team delivers flawless execution. Strong track record of building and leading teams to achieve both strategic and operational excellence. In-depth knowledge of federal and state benefits legislation (e.g. ERISA, ACA, COBRA, HIPAA) and compliance requirements. Strong analytical and financial management skills. Excellent communication, presentation, negotiation, and interpersonal skills, with the ability to influence and collaborate effectively with all levels of the organization, specifically senior leadership (CHRO, CFO, President, CEO). Proven leadership, coaching, and project management skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities and lead cross-functional initiatives in a fast-paced environment. Experience with self-insured health plans, retiree medical actuarial valuation processes, and claims analytics.
At Freddie Mac, our mission of Making Home Possible is what motivates us, and it's at the core of everything we do. Since our charter in 1970, we have made home possible for more than 90 million families across the country. Join an organization where your work contributes to a greater purpose. Position Overview:
We are seeking an experienced and strategic Director of Benefits to lead the design, evolution, and administration of Freddie Mac's benefits program. This leader will be responsible for developing the strategic direction for our benefits program steeped in comprehensive, competitive, cost-effective offerings aligned to Freddie Mac's business objectives. This leader will shape Freddie Mac's benefits strategy and lead a team committed to operational excellence, delivering seamless administration, full compliance, and a positive employee experience. The ideal candidate will possess a deep understanding of the evolving benefits landscape, a proven track record in strategic benefits planning, the ability to deliver operational excellence through strong team leadership, and exceptional skills in cross-functional collaboration. Responsibilities:
Benefits Strategy: Develop annual and long-term benefits vision and strategic roadmap, aligning with Freddie Mac's business objectives and long-term talent strategy. Oversee competitive benchmarking, market intelligence, and assessment of emerging benefits trends, technologies, and industry innovations to continue to position Freddie Mac as an ongoing employer of choice. Evaluate workforce demographics, health data, and overall benefit program utilization patterns to design benefit strategies that optimize health outcomes, retirement savings opportunities, employee experience, cost management, and competitive positioning. Develop recommendations for senior leadership on benefit investments, plan design, and transformational initiatives. Vendor Strategy & Partnerships: Lead vendor strategy and the selection of strategic partners (401(k), medical/dental/vision carriers, PBMs, etc.) that deliver measurable value at a competitive cost. Maintain collaborative partnerships with vendors to drive innovation, outcomes measurement, and excellence in service delivery and cost outcomes. Negotiate benefit contracts and service agreements that optimize financial terms, performance accountability, and strategic flexibility. Operational Excellence & Plan Administration Leadership: Lead team to deliver consistently excellent benefit plan administration. Manage significant benefits budget, updating cost forecasting, and financial performance; partner with Finance and actuarial consultants to optimize retiree medical funding approaches, model scenarios, and demonstrate value for investment. Champion continuous improvement in processes, systems, and service delivery. Oversee team managing annual enrollment strategy and execution with clear communication and high employee engagement. Benefit Plan Design & Governance: Guide the evolution of benefit plan design to balance value, choice, affordability, and fiscal responsibility. Maintain governance structures, policies, and decision-making frameworks that ensure consistent, equitable, legally compliant benefit delivery and mitigate risks through proactive oversight Ensure all plans comply with federal, state, and local regulations (ERISA, ACA, COBRA, HIPAA). Leadership: Lead a high-performing benefits team, coach team members to elevate their capabilities, take ownership of outcomes, and deliver results that exceed standards. Foster a culture of collaboration, innovation, accountability, continuous learning, and service quality. Be positioned to manage any future benefits transformations, ensuring stakeholder alignment, effective communication, and successful adoption across the company. Serve as a thought leader and trusted advisor to senior HR leadership, and cross-functional partners on overall benefits strategy and industry trends; represent Freddie Mac externally through participation in industry forums, coalitions, roundtables, and advisory councils. Qualifications:
Bachelor's degree in human resources, business administration, or a related field. Minimum of 15 years of continuous experience in employee benefits, with at least 7-10 years focused specifically on benefits strategy, design, and administration for a large, complex organization. Professional certification such as CEBS (Certified Employee Benefit Specialist) or similar. Keys To Success:
Demonstrated, extensive experience leading benefits strategy, design and execution. Extensive experience with vendor selection, contract negotiation, and performance management in the benefits space. Proven ability to balance strategic vision with operational executioncandidates must be comfortable setting strategy and ensuring their team delivers flawless execution. Strong track record of building and leading teams to achieve both strategic and operational excellence. In-depth knowledge of federal and state benefits legislation (e.g. ERISA, ACA, COBRA, HIPAA) and compliance requirements. Strong analytical and financial management skills. Excellent communication, presentation, negotiation, and interpersonal skills, with the ability to influence and collaborate effectively with all levels of the organization, specifically senior leadership (CHRO, CFO, President, CEO). Proven leadership, coaching, and project management skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities and lead cross-functional initiatives in a fast-paced environment. Experience with self-insured health plans, retiree medical actuarial valuation processes, and claims analytics.