PEMA Employee Benefits Consultant - Remote (CST or EST)

Overview

This role supports the Private Equity & M&A (PEMA) practice in delivering employee benefits due diligence, analytics, and strategic advisory services to private equity firms, portfolio companies, and transaction teams.

The position focuses on analyzing employee benefits programs in the context of acquisitions, divestitures, integrations, and broader portfolio optimization initiatives. Success in this role requires strong analytical ability, high attention to detail, and a commercially minded approach to the intersection of employee benefits, M&A, and private equity.

Responsibilities

M&A / Benefits Due Diligence

• Support employee benefits due diligence for private equity acquisitions, including pre-confirmatory and full confirmatory diligence.
• Analyze medical, pharmacy, dental, vision, life, disability, retirement, and other employee benefit programs.
• Review plan documents, renewal information, claims data, census data, contribution structures, premiums, stop-loss coverage, contracts, and other relevant plan materials.
• Identify key financial, operational, contractual, compliance, and integration considerations.
• Assist with developing clear diligence findings and executive-level summaries for transaction teams and clients.
• Support diligence across fully insured, self-funded, level-funded, ICHRA, ESOP, and other benefit structures.

Quantitative & Analytical Work

• Build financial models and analyses related to employee benefits costs and potential savings opportunities.
• Analyze claims, utilization, premiums, PEPM/PEPY costs, employer and employee contributions, and plan design.
• Conduct benefits benchmarking and comparative analyses using relevant market and portfolio-company data.
• Evaluate stop-loss terms, funding arrangements, PBM economics, and other major cost drivers.
• Identify opportunities for plan design optimization, vendor consolidation, purchasing leverage, and portfolio-level strategies.
• Translate detailed data into concise, actionable financial and strategic conclusions.

Private Equity Portfolio Support

• Support portfolio-wide benefits assessments and benchmarking initiatives.
• Assist with identifying trends, KPIs, and opportunities across portfolio companies.
• Support post-close initiatives, including benefits harmonization, broker and vendor strategy, cost optimization, and integration planning.

Client & Transaction Support

• Prepare client-ready presentations, diligence reports, data summaries, and executive-level materials.
• Participate in client calls and internal transaction meetings.
• Work with senior leaders to develop recommendations and communicate findings to clients.
• Coordinate with investment bankers, legal advisors, HR leaders, CFOs, PE operating partners, and other transaction stakeholders.
• Manage multiple transactions and workstreams simultaneously while meeting aggressive transaction timelines.
• Independently manage defined components of diligence engagements.

AI & Technology Enablement

• Leverage AI tools and emerging technologies to improve the efficiency, quality, and scalability of employee benefits diligence and consulting work.
• Use AI to support research, data analysis, document review, benchmarking, summarization, and identification of trends, risks, and opportunities.
• Stay current on emerging AI capabilities and identify practical applications to enhance analytical and client-service capabilities.

Practice Development

• Assist with research on market trends, benefits strategies, and emerging issues affecting private equity portfolio companies.
• Support business development efforts through preparation of prospect materials, market research, and client presentations.
• Help improve and scale the PEMA team’s diligence processes and analytical capabilities.

Requirements

• Strong analytical and quantitative skills with demonstrated ability to work with complex datasets.
• Advanced Excel skills, including financial modeling, pivot tables, lookups, data analysis, and data visualization.
• Strong PowerPoint and presentation skills.
• Ability to understand and analyze financial and contractual information.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Strong attention to detail with ability to identify inconsistencies, risks, and opportunities in data.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and work effectively in a fast-paced, transaction-driven environment.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience supporting employee benefits M&A or due diligence.
• Experience working with private equity firms or portfolio companies.
• Knowledge of medical plan funding arrangements, including fully insured and self-funded plans.
• Familiarity with stop-loss, PBM contracts, claims analysis, ACA compliance, and benefits benchmarking.
• Experience working with benefits data and financial models.
• Consulting or client-service experience.
• Familiarity with CRM, deal management, or data platforms such as Salesforce, DealCloud, Monday.com, or similar systems.
• Demonstrated interest or experience in applying AI and emerging technologies to professional services, analytics, or consulting workflows.

Education, Training & Experience

• Bachelor’s degree required; degree in finance, economics, business, mathematics, actuarial science, HR, or a related field preferred.
• 2–5 years of experience in employee benefits consulting, benefits brokerage, actuarial/analytics, HR consulting, M&A advisory, or a related field.

Compensation & Benefits

• Typical base pay range (nationwide): $110,000 to $120,000 per year.
• Base pay depends on skills, education, qualifications, professional experience, and location.
• Some roles may be eligible for variable compensation, commission, and/or an annual bonus based on individual performance and/or company performance.
• Eligible employees receive health, wellbeing, retirement, and other financial benefits, paid time off, and overtime pay for non-exempt employees.
• Robust learning and development programs.
• Reimbursement of job-related expenses per company policy.
• May include employee perks and discounts.

Location

Nationwide (role described as a typical base pay range for this role nationwide).