People Services & Culture

Manager / Senior Manager, Benefits

Office Location: Pasadena, CA

Arrowhead Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq:  ARWR) is a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company that develops medicines that treat intractable diseases by silencing the genes that cause them. Using a broad portfolio of RNA chemistries and efficient modes of delivery, Arrowhead therapies trigger the RNA interference mechanism to induce rapid, deep, and durable knockdown of target genes. RNA interference, or RNAi, is a mechanism present in living cells that inhibits the expression of a specific gene, thereby affecting the production of a specific protein. Arrowhead’s RNAi-based therapeutics leverage this natural pathway of gene silencing.

Arrowhead is focused on developing innovative drugs for diseases with a genetic basis, typically characterized by the overproduction of one or more proteins that are involved with disease. The depth and versatility of our RNAi technologies enables us to potentially address conditions in virtually any therapeutic area and pursue disease targets that are not otherwise addressable by small molecules and biologics. Arrowhead is leading the field in bringing the promise of RNAi to address diseases outside of the liver, and our clinical pipeline includes disease targets in the liver and lung with a promising pipeline of preclinical candidates.

Arrowhead’s corporate headquarters is in Pasadena, CA with research and development teams in Madison, WI & San Diego, CA, and a state of the art manufacturing facility in Verona, WI.  Our employees are nimble, science-driven innovators who are collaborating to bring new therapies to patients in need. 

The Position

Arrowhead Pharmaceuticals is seeking a dynamic Manager / Senior Manager, Benefits to join our People Services & Culture team and play a key role in shaping the employee experience across our growing organization. Based at our Corporate Headquarters in Pasadena, this individual will lead and enhance our benefits programs for employees in our Pasadena, CA,  San Diego, CA, Madison, WI, Verona, WI and our U.S. field teams, ensuring our offerings are competitive, compliant, and aligned with our culture and business strategy.

This role combines strategic program design with hands-on operational leadership, overseeing health, 401(k) and equity administration, leave management, vendor partnerships, and regulatory compliance. The ideal candidate is both analytical and people-focused, thrives in a fast-paced environment, and is passionate about delivering benefits programs that attract, support, and retain top talent.

This is a full-time, onsite position at Arrowhead’s Corporate Headquarters in Pasadena, CA.

Responsibilities

  • Manage benefit enrollments and processing, COBRA, terminations, changes, beneficiaries, disability (leave of absence), accident and death claims (worker’s comp) and compliance testing
  • Key player in the management of the company’s 401K plans
  • Key player in the administration process for the company’s equity plan
  • Design, recommend and implement new benefits programs. Examine possible plan designs and benefits cost changes
  • Serve as primary contact for plan vendors and third-party administrators
  • Serve as primary contact for employees with leave of absence and benefits questions and/or issues
  • Coordinate transfer of data to external contacts for services, premiums and plan administration
  • Evaluate and revise internal processes to reduce costs and increase efficiency
  • Document and maintain administrative procedures for assigned benefits processes
  • Ensure compliance with applicable government regulations. Ensure timeliness and accuracy of required reporting and fees
  • Oversee maintenance of employee benefits files, maintain group benefits database and update employee payroll records

Requirements

  • Bachelor’s degree in human resource management or related field, and three to five years of related benefits or employee benefits administration experience
  • Computer proficiency and technical aptitude with the ability to use Microsoft products, including PowerPoint; experience with ADP and benefits databases
  • Experience using ADP
  • Project and team management/leadership skills and experience
  • Proven ability to work effectively in a team environment with associates
  • Effective planning and priority setting. Ability to manage several complex projects simultaneously while working under pressure to meet deadlines
  • Strong analytical skills and a thorough knowledge of plan designs
  • Ability to understand, evaluate and make judgment on proposals (RFPs)
  • Knowledge of benefits contract language
  • Knowledge of all pertinent federal and state regulations, filing and compliance requirements, both adopted and pending, affecting employee benefits programs, including the ACA, ERISA, COBRA, FMLA, ADA, Section 125, workers’ compensation, Medicare, OBRA, and Social Security and DOL requirements
  • Excellent communication and organization skills

Preferred

  • SHRM-CP or SHRM-SCP and CEBS professional
California pay range
$130,000$165,000 USD

Arrowhead provides competitive salaries and an excellent benefit package.   

All applicants must have authorization to work in the US for a company.   

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