Benefits Specialist Human Resources

MICHAEL SANFORD

Edgewater NJ *****

205-***-**** ***********@*****.*** https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaellsanford/

Director of Benefits

Experience leader of the day-to-day operations of global retirement, health, and pension programs for the US Canada, and LATAM. Leverage technology, products, and services in private and public retirement plans and employee benefits to achieve employee engagement, financial wellness, and fiduciary responsibility. A Subject matter expert on fiduciary, ERISA, DOL, and IRS regulations for defined benefit (DB) and defined contribution (DC) pension funds, including portfolio management, risk management, investment operations, and controls. Collaborate seamlessly with Legal and Investment advisors on the management of portfolios, compliance, and services for retirement, health, pension programs, and investments.

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR OF HUMAN RESOURCES, Washington, DC- National Education Association- May 2022

Senior Manager

Support NEA’s strategic objective to focus the energy and resources of its three million members toward the promotion of public education by providing management, direction, and coordination for all aspects of Human Resources programs, policies, and services. Developing, managing, administering, and evaluating a broad range of human resources programs, Total Rewards, and compensation. The work includes managing various human resources programs, Human Resources Management Systems, payroll, and employee benefits.

Managed a professional and associate staff of nine, providing advice, counsel, and support to NEA HR Business Managers and staff; interacting with staff labor organizations; ensuring compliance with legal and regulatory requirements, personnel policies, and collective bargaining agreements; participating in NEA and department transformation efforts, strategic planning, and budget development.

Plan Compliance Management - Ensure US & ERISA health, pension, and retirement benefits plans, policies, and procedures are fully compliant with state and federal regulations; oversees audits and preparation of filings required by government agencies, including Form 5500 and 11-K.

Program Design & Adaptation - identify benefits, design improvements, issues, and/or process breakdowns, make recommendations, and work with internal & external partners to enhance the design.

Project Management – the lead role in planning, organizing, and managing tasks and resources to accomplish a well-defined objective. Manage and provide project deliverables, optimize the contribution of the people involved, and assess the impact of project decisions on quality, productivity, schedules, cost, performance, etc.

Consulting - utilizes skills to influence stakeholders, develop and maintain working relationships, and deliver results and/or expertise in a professional manner.

MANAGER OF RETIREMENT, AMERICAS, New York, NY- Refinitiv US LLC (Acquired by LSEG) 2011 – April 2022

Manager

Conducted day-to-day management and administration of Investment for 401(k) and Pension plans for 7,000 employees and $2 Billion in assets for US Canada and LATAM. Ensured strategic direction, design, and administration of retirement programs, with a primary focus on Defined Contribution plan oversight. Managed external vendor relationships and partners with internal key stakeholders on issues of diverse scope where analysis of situation or data requires evaluation and research of a variety of factors, including an understanding of the current benefit and business trends.

Assured security and integrity of financial, operational accuracy, and compliance of benefits data.

Defined and executed Investment Policy Statement for fiduciary responsibility for oversight, operations, and controls.

Design benefits programs throughout the Americas, first focusing on the US and Canada, proposing, and leading new policy, and evolving existing programs in all benefits areas (healthcare, wellness, community engagement).

Implemented the expansion of financial wellness programs, managed accounts, brokerage accounts, webinars, and communication campaigns for employees to prepare employees for a successful retirement.

Analyzed performance of key service providers to ensure all outsourced services are performed timely and accurately in accordance with Plan document and Trust agreement, ERISA, DOL, IRS, Fiduciary, and 5500/Audit regulations and Nondiscrimination testing for retirement programs.

Monitored all data feeds to and from the service provider and lead all control total balancing, and error handling corrections related to each feed for payroll and funding contributions to retirement plan programs.

Chairman of the Fiduciary Committee in identifying investment options in connection with the "broad range" requirement of ERISA 404(c) and written communications.

Ensured all communications to HR, Total Rewards, Stakeholders, and Participants on plan changes and legislative updates for the 401(k) plan were delivered timely in accordance with DOL and IRS.

Ensured application program interface for payroll, record-keeping system, Workday, and participant’s account file feeds systems modernization function correctly for demographic changes and funding.

Organized Workday to execute employee demographic file feed for new hires, terminations, payroll, and funding.

Project Manager for 5 retirement and benefit plan conversions, M&A, harmonization, and divestitures for Thomson Reuters, Refinitiv, and London Stock Exchange Group.

Plan and directs the design, implementation, communication, and administration of employee benefit programs and the integration of benefit programs following mergers and acquisitions.

Evaluate current benefit programs to determine the competitive position and consult with the businesses to develop and implement new programs, initiatives, and strategies.

Evaluated current benefit programs to determine the competitive position and consulted with service providers to develop and implement new programs, initiatives, and strategies.

Developed communications to Stakeholders of market developments and aligned them with the Company philosophy and HR strategy.

ENT RESOURCES, INC, Alexandria, VA (Acquired by The Payroll Company) 2008 - 2010

Senior Vice President of Multiple Employer Program

Formulated and implemented the administration of benefit programs for the American Academy of Otolaryngology Medical Association. Led network-wide benefits, review, development, and integration for Hospitals and Universities.

Designed and implemented the "Academy Benefits Partners Integrated Retirement" for 350,000 employees and $9 billion in assets for administration and management.

FISERV INVESTMENT SUPPORT SERVICES, Denver, CO (Acquired by TD Ameritrade)

Vice President of Retirement

PLAN SERVE, Birmingham, AL (Acquired by SunGard)

National Director of Retirement Plan Services

EDUCATION

BA BS, Political Science, and BS in Social Science Behavior, University of Alabama, Birmingham, AL

CAREER EDUCATION

2020 Cares and Secure Act

401(k) and 403(b) plans plan document design.

Roth 401k Programs

Qualified Plan Administrator QPA1

CERTIFICATIONS

The American Society of Pension Professionals and Actuaries - (QPA 1) Qualified Plan Administrator FINRA/NASD Series 6 and 63 License (lapsed)

Certified Employee Benefits Specialist Program, Wharton School of Business: Retirement Plans

AWARDS

2020-Finalist for Plan Sponsor of the Year- Plan Sponsor Magazine

2022- Best in Class 401(k) Plan Award-Plan Sponsor Magazine

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