Benefits Specialist, Asia Pacific
Petaling Jaya - Malaysia
Job Summary
Job Description
We are looking for a Benefits Specialist Asia Pacific to join our regional HR Shared Services team based in Kuala Lumpur supporting endtoend benefits administration across multiple APAC markets.
You will work closely with internal HR partners payroll and HR systems teams as well as external vendors such as insurers brokers and thirdparty administrators (TPAs).You will need to ensure that programmes are administered accurately compliantly and with a strong focus on employee experience.
This is a handson role ideal for a benefits professional who enjoys operational ownership regional exposure and continuous improvement in a structured shared services environment.
What You Will Do
Benefits Administration & Employee Support
Administer employee benefits programmes including medical insurance life and disability insurance wellness programmes allowances retirementrelated benefits and other market-specific benefit offerings as applicable
Manage benefits enrollment for new hires and dependents beneficiary updates and employee lifecycle changes in line with local regulations and company policies.
Handle employee enquiries related to benefits coverage enrollment and claims providing timely and employeecentric support.
Support onboarding activities and prepare clear employee communications related to benefits processes and timelines.
Assist in organising health and wellness activities to support employee wellbeing initiatives.
Vendor & Operations Management
Coordinate with insurers brokers TPAs and other benefits vendors to monitor service delivery resolve issues and ensure agreed service levels are met.
Work closely with HR Operations Payroll Compensation & Benefits and HR Systems teams to ensure accurate data flow and smooth endtoend processes.
Perform regular benefits audits reconciliations and operational checks to maintain data accuracy and strong internal controls.
Compliance Governance & Documentation
Ensure benefits administration and claims processing comply with internal policies procedures and applicable regulatory requirements.
Support audits and reporting requirements related to benefits and medical management.
Develop and maintain process documentation workflows and standard operating procedures to support consistency and audit readiness.
Handle employee data with a high level of confidentiality professionalism and integrity.
Regional Projects & Continuous Improvement
Support regional benefits initiatives such as system implementations vendor transitions centralization and process improvement efforts.
Participate in project activities including data validation user acceptance testing (UAT) cutover support and postgolive stabilization.
Identify recurring operational issues and recommend practical improvements to enhance service quality efficiency and employee experience.
Provide support for additional HR Operations or benefitsrelated projects as required.
What We Are Looking For
Bachelors degree in Human Resources Business Administration Psychology or a related discipline.
35 years of experience in employee benefits administration ideally within a multinational or shared services environment.
Good understanding of benefits operations insurance administration and compliance requirements.
Experience working with benefits vendors such as insurers brokers or TPAs.
Exposure to HRIS payroll or benefits systems; experience with UAT and reconciliations is an advantage.
Intermediate Excel skills including VLOOKUP/XLOOKUP and PivotTables.
Good command of written and spoken English; Bahasa Malaysia or additional languages are an advantage.
Hybrid working arrangement with a mix of work from home and office days.
Key Skills & Attributes
Strong service mindset with a focus on employee experience.
High attention to detail accuracy and followthrough.
Ability to handle sensitive and confidential information with discretion.
Strong communication and interpersonal skills with the ability to work effectively with regional and local stakeholders.
Able to work independently in a fastpaced regional environment.
#LI-DNI
Required Skills:
Adaptability Adaptability Benefit Enrollments Brokerage Trading Business Administration Confidentiality Data Analysis Employee Data Management Employee Development HR Analytics HR Shared Services HR Systems Implementation Human Resource Information Systems (HRIS) Human Resource Tools Insurance Administration Neuropsychology Operational Acceptance Testing (OAT) Payroll Tax Compliance Process Improvements Project Management Service Improvement Shared Services Social Psychology User Acceptance Testing (UAT) Vendor Management 1 morePreferred Skills:
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Search Firm Representatives Please Read Carefully
Merck & Co. Inc. Rahway NJ USA also known as Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC Rahway NJ USA does not accept unsolicited assistance from search firms for employment opportunities. All CVs / resumes submitted by search firms to any employee at our company without a valid written search agreement in place for this position will be deemed the sole property of our company. No fee will be paid in the event a candidate is hired by our company as a result of an agency referral where no pre-existing agreement is in place. Where agency agreements are in place introductions are position specific. Please no phone calls or emails.
Employee Status:
RegularRelocation:
VISA Sponsorship:
Travel Requirements:
Flexible Work Arrangements:
HybridShift:
Valid Driving License:
Hazardous Material(s):
Job Posting End Date:
06/30/2026*A job posting is effective until 11:59:59PM on the day BEFOREthe listed job posting end date. Please ensure you apply to a job posting no later than the day BEFORE the job posting end date.
Required Experience:
IC
About Company
Merck & Co., Inc., Kenilworth, New Jersey, USA is known as “Merck” in the United States, Canada & Puerto Rico. We are known as “MSD” in Europe, Middle East, Africa, Latin America & Asia Pacific. We are a global biopharmaceutical leader with a diverse portfolio of prescription medicine ... View more