Job Description

The opportunity

At KKR, we believe that diverse teams increase performance and produce better results. Teams consisting of employees with varied backgrounds and perspectives will help strengthen our Firm and our investment decisions. Therefore, in an effort to enhance the diversity of our organization, we are particularly focused on recruiting talent that will bring different experiences, capabilities, skills and viewpoints to our organization.

KKR is looking for a Benefits and Wellness Manager to help oversee and administer EMEA health and welfare benefits, retirement, leave, and wellness policies/programs. Based in Dublin and reporting to the Head of EMEA/APAC Benefits in London, this individual will be responsible for managing the day-to-day benefits operations across EMEA as well as assisting with the development and execution of the EMEA benefits and wellness strategy.

The Benefits and Wellness Manager will help manage key initiatives to enhance KKR’s EMEA benefits and wellness programs, achieve greater efficiencies in vendor service delivery, and optimize KKR employees’ understanding and utilization of benefits plans. This is a challenging role where you will use your analytical, vendor management, project management, communication and problem-solving skills to deliver competitive and market-aligned benefits across a complex regional environment.

Responsibilities

• Assist with managing EMEA benefits programs, acting as deputy to the Head of EMEA/APAC Benefits and taking ownership of operational delivery, vendor management and regional initiatives.
• Oversee annual benefits cycles including UK/Dublin pension auto-enrolment, UK LLP administration, and broader EMEA renewals, ensuring flawless execution and continuous process improvements.
• Serve as a subject matter expert on EMEA benefits, maintaining strong technical knowledge across health, risk, retirement, leave, and wellbeing programs, and advising on market and regulatory developments.
• Manage employee escalations and benefits mailbox queries, working with vendors, brokers and internal stakeholders to resolve complex issues in a timely manner.
• Assist with the execution of EMEA benefits strategies including benchmarking, survey participation, and implementation of innovative, market-leading solutions that align with KKR’s culture and values.
• Develop business cases and recommendations for benefit changes, including cost/impact analyses and presentations to senior leadership.
• Strengthen governance and operational excellence, streamlining processes and driving efficiencies across EMEA benefit programs, systems, reporting and controls.
• Partner with Finance and Payroll on budget management, forecasting, payroll coordination, and financial reporting to inform short and long-term planning.
• Oversee EMEA benefits communications, ensuring clear, engaging and tailored content across multiple channels (email, intranet, benefits guides, policy documents etc.).
• Provide oversight of leaves of absence administration across EMEA, ensuring compliance with statutory and firm requirements; advise the wider HC team on policy interpretation, support Workday administration, and act as a trusted escalation point for complex cases.
• Take ownership of co-developing and delivering the EMEA wellness strategy, proactively planning a calendar of locally relevant activities that reinforce and re-communicate benefits offerings. Lead vendor partnerships, collaborate closely with local Office Managers, and deliver high impact initiatives and events that enhance employee wellbeing and engagement while ensuring strong visibility with regional stakeholders.
• Act as a trusted partner and advisor to the Head of EMEA/APAC Benefits, serving as deputy on key projects and stepping in to represent the function with key stakeholders as needed.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Finance, HR, or equivalent practical experience.
• Significant experience with EMEA employee benefit plan development, implementation, administration and governance, including multi-country program management and regulatory compliance.
  • Proven track record of managing healthcare, risk, retirement and wellness programs across multiple jurisdictions.
  • Experience with international retirement plans including design, implementation, administration, and on-going governance.
• Strong understanding of cross-border payroll, taxation, and statutory requirements as they relate to employee benefits.
• Demonstrated ability to lead regional initiatives, engage senior stakeholders, and influence outcomes across diverse teams and geographies.
• Experience with HRIS systems (e.g. Workday) for benefits administration, reporting and data integrity.

Preferred Qualifications

• 7+ years of progressive HR/Total Rewards experience with at least 4-5 years focused specifically on employee benefits, including strategy development, plan design, administration and governance across EMEA.
• Deep technical expertise in healthcare, retirement/pension schemes, leave, risk and other employee benefit programs, including regulatory, compliance, payroll and tax implications across multiple EMEA jurisdictions.
• Proven track record in leading benefits operations and projects in a dynamic, fast-paced, and high-pressure environment.
• Strong leadership and influencing skills, with experience engaging senior business leaders, cross-functional teams, and external partners to drive alignment and implement solutions.
• Demonstrated ability to build and optimize operational processes, including governance frameworks, reporting and HRIS administration.
• Exceptional communication and interpersonal skills, able to translate complex benefits concepts for a diverse, regional audience and influence stakeholders at all levels.
• Proactive, self-motivated, and client-focused with the ability to manage competing priorities autonomously while maintaining high standards of service and accuracy.
• Excellent project and change management skills, with the ability to deliver initiatives on time and with meticulous attention to detail.
• Commercial acumen and strategic thinking, including benchmarking, market awareness and use of data to inform decision-making and influence business outcomes.
• Proven vendor management experience, including the ability to establish effective partnerships with brokers, carriers, consultants and service providers to ensure high quality delivery and value for the Firm.
• Experience driving employee engagement and communication strategies to maximize program awareness, understanding and impact.
• Familiarity with global/APAC benefits would be helpful, particularly to support team continuity and broader benefits collaboration.

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