Ranjan Pal

Benefits and Payroll professional with 19 years of experience spanning US and EMEA Benefits Administration, APAC Payroll, HRIS, and HR Operations. Extensive hands-on experience managing the full US benefits life cycle - HSA, FSA, COBRA, 401(k), Life, AD&D, Open Enrolment, and Qualifying Life Events - for large multinational employers, coordinating with brokers (Mercer, Aon) and major carriers (Aetna, MetLife, Allianz, Aviva, and others). Complements this with 12+ years leading APAC payroll operations, statutory compliance, and audit readiness at BNY (Bank of New York).

Proven track record in vendor risk management, process improvement, and cross-functional stakeholder management, currently supporting benefits operations across North America, South America, Europe, and the Middle East at Alliance Bernstein.

Benefits Analyst (US & EMEA) at Alliance Bernstein India Pt. Ltd. (2023-09 – Present)

• Manage day-to-day benefits operations for Alliance Bernstein across North America and South America, with coordination extended to Europe and the Middle East.
• Administer Medical, Dental, and Vision plan enrolments for US and Canada employees; led the enrolment transition for the Europe and Middle East regions.
• Partner with benefits brokers Mercer and Aon to coordinate with insurance carriers including Aetna, Delta, CVS Pharmacy, Aviva, MetLife, Allianz, Swiss Life, Groupe Mutuel, Irish Life, Danica, Equitable, and Hinge Health, plus HealthEquity commuter benefits and Ohio Bureau of Workers' Injury Compensation.
• Administer third-party benefits programs including HSA, FSA, COBRA, 401(k), Life, AD&D, Critical Illness, and Accidental Death insurance.
• Process Qualifying Life Events (QLE) and manage Special and Open Enrolment cycles for all Alliance Bernstein employees.
• Serve as Product Manager for Vendor Risk Assessments, covering enterprise risk management, DEI, environmental/climate change, modern slavery, privacy and information safeguarding, cybersecurity, and legal/compliance risk.
• Manage the benefits query mailbox, ensuring all employee queries are resolved within defined SLA timeframes.
• Coordinate with the Accounts Payable team on vendor invoice processing and payment reconciliation.
• Process retro benefits deductions and refunds from a payroll standpoint, and prepare San Francisco Healthcare Security Ordinance (SFHCSO) reporting for applicable employees.
• Supported benefits data migration for the Bernstein Research (sell-side) joint venture with Societe Generale, and for the AB Carval acquisition.
• Led a payroll SOP and process-mapping project for Alliance Bernstein India employees to strengthen audit readiness.
• Completed AI Essentials for HR training, applying AI concepts to People team workflows.

Senior Payroll Administrator - APAC at BNY (Bank of New York) India Pt. Ltd. (2011-08 – 2023-08)

• Led the APAC payroll team, delivering accurate, on-time payroll, tax processing, and payroll reporting to internal customers and statutory agencies.
• Resolved HR service queries spanning Leave & Absence, Variable Compensation, Taxes, and Compensation within defined SLA timeframes.
• Ensured 100% statutory compliance and accurate monthly payroll processing across APAC.
• Processed Singapore and Hong Kong regular and off-cycle termination payments, including IR8A/IR8B/IR21/IR56B/E/F/G filings to IRAS and IRD.
• Managed equity compensation reporting, including ESOP, ESPP, RSU, and stock option exercises.
• Maintained payroll operations to audit-proof standards for internal and external audit requirements.
• Reviewed and improved payroll practices, driving harmonization and automation of policies and processes across the region.

Senior Process Associate - US Benefits at Tata Consultancy Services Ltd. (2008-10 – 2011-08)

Project: Dow Chemicals, USA

• Delivered US Benefits administration for Dow Chemicals, including benefit enrolments, terminations, and Cafeteria Plan elections covering Medical, Dental, and Life insurance.
• Resolved COBRA-related queries under the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act.
• Addressed Medicare-related inquiries across Parts A, B, C, and D.
• Processed benefits cases for new hires, active employees, retirees, and eligible dependents.
• Led the virtual transition of retiree benefits processing and managed Open Enrolment requests.
• Delivered cross-functional training for new hires on US benefits processes.

Employee Benefits Associate - EDM (Employee Data Management) at Hewitt Associates (India) Ltd. (2007-09 – 2008-09)

Project: Air Canada

• Managed employee benefits and Employee Data Management (EDM) for the Air Canada account, including updates to company- and employee-paid insurance.
• Processed beneficiary and coverage changes, and benefits updates triggered by promotions, transfers, and employment status changes.
• Processed Daily Duty Report, timesheets, attendance, shift time, overtime, and leave/absence codes for employees.

Associate & Data Analyst at Zicom Electronic Security Systems Ltd. (2006-04 – 2007-08)

Customer Interaction Executive at Reliance Info streams Pt. Ltd. (2004-09 – 2006-04)

Advanced Diploma in Payroll and Compliance – National Academy of Indian Payroll (NAIP) (2012)

Bachelor of Commerce in B. Com – SIES College, Mumbai University (2004)