Senior Specialist, Benefits (MENA & APAC)

Company Description

We’re Checkout.com. You might not know our name, but companies like eBay, Spotify, Klarna, Uber, and Sony do, because we’re behind many of the digital experiences you use every day.

We are where the world checks out, enabling over 10 billion transactions yearly for more than one billion global shoppers.

Whether you want to book a holiday, order food, renew a subscription, or check out online, there’s a good chance our tech powers the payments behind the scenes. Our platform helps the most ambitious businesses deliver effortless digital experiences, at scale.

If you want to do career-defining work, you’ve come to the right place. We move fast, think globally, and believe great teams are built by hiring exceptional people with conviction, curiosity, and the desire to make an impact.

With 20 offices across six continents and London as our HQ, we’re shaping the future of fintech – and we’re just getting started.

Job Description

As we continue our rapid growth, we're seeking a proactive Benefits Expert to take ownership of designing, implementing, and enhancing our benefits programs alongside the Global Benefits Manager (strong focus on the APAC and MENA but may expand over time). You'll drive the end-to-end benefits strategy and operations, collaborating closely with Checkout leadership, People Onboarding, and external vendors, as well as employees, to build best-in-class benefits offerings while ensuring seamless delivery.

If you excel at balancing strategic thinking with hands-on execution, leveraging data-driven insights, and tackling challenges in a dynamic environment, we'd love to discuss how you can contribute to our journey!

What You’ll Be Doing

• Lead Benefits Administration: You'll own and execute the day-to-day operations of our regional benefits programs in the APAC and MENA Region. This includes managing enrollments, ensuring seamless payroll integrations, handling compliance, and resolving employee inquiries with a strong focus on exceptional service.

• Manage Vendors and Systems: Serve as the primary point of contact for external benefits providers and partners. You'll negotiate contracts with our procurement team, oversee invoices, and manage our benefits systems, including AON and other platforms, to ensure they're efficient and accurate.

• Drive Strategic Planning and Benchmarking: Go beyond day-to-day tasks by actively shaping our benefits strategy. You'll research market trends, use data to analyze plan utilization, and recommend improvements to ensure our offerings are competitive and employee-centric.

• Manage Renewals and Implementations: Take full ownership of benefits renewals and new program implementations throughout the year. This involves everything from surveying employees to creating and delivering engaging communications and presentations that help our people understand the full value of their benefits.

• Solve Problems and Handle Escalations: Act as the go-to expert for all benefits-related issues. You'll troubleshoot system errors, resolve complex employee escalations, and streamline processes to ensure a seamless benefits experience for everyone.

• Collaborate Cross-Functionally: Partner closely with internal teams like Payroll, People Onboarding, Finance, Accounting and Procurement to ensure the smooth and compliant execution of all benefits programs. You'll serve as the subject matter expert and a key advisor to your colleagues.

• Take Full Ownership: This is a role for a true self-starter. You'll be expected to work with a high degree of autonomy ensuring both operational excellence and long-term strategic enhancements.

Qualifications

• Extensive experience managing end-to-end benefits programs, with a deep understanding of benefits strategy, design, and administration in the MENA and APAC Region.

• In-depth understanding of key health, welfare, and retirement benefits administration functions, including vendor coordination, handling employee changes, processing qualifying life events and appeals, and managing annual enrollment.

• Vendor and Systems Management: Proven ability to manage vendors, negotiate contracts, and oversee benefits systems and platforms. You should be comfortable navigating complex administrative processes.

• Strategic & Analytical Skills: Experience using data to analyze trends, benchmark against the market, and recommend strategic improvements to benefits offerings.

• Project Leadership: A hands-on, proactive approach to managing projects and solving problems autonomously. You should be comfortable leading benefit renewals and new implementations from start to finish with minimal guidance.

• Excellent communication, both written and verbal, and presentation skills, with the ability to clearly articulate complex benefits information to employees and leadership while consistently demonstrating empathy, patience, and compassion.

• Excellent interpersonal skills, with the ability to connect with employees and management.

• Advanced Google sheet/Excel skills, ability to implement automations and streamline processes

• Ability to thrive in a fast-paced work environment.

• Experience using Workday and/or an alternative benefits platform, including launching Open Enrollment, updating benefit plans, and running reports.

Additional Information

Bring all of you to work

We create the conditions for high performers to thrive, through real ownership, fewer blockers, and work that makes a difference from day one.

Here, you’ll move fast, take on meaningful challenges, and be recognized for the impact you deliver. It’s a place where ambition gets met with opportunity, and where your growth is in your hands.

We work as one team, and we back each other to succeed. So whatever your background or identity, if you’re ready to grow and make a difference, you’ll be right at home here.

It’s important we set you up for success and make our process as accessible as possible. So let us know in your application, or tell your recruiter directly, if you need anything to make your experience or working environment more comfortable.

Life at Checkout.com

We understand that work is just one part of your life. Our hybrid working model offers flexibility, with three days per week in the office to support collaboration and connection.

Curious about what it’s like to be part of our team? Visit our Careers Page to learn more about our culture, open roles, and what drives us.

For a closer look at daily life at Checkout.com, follow us on LinkedIn and Instagram