Compensation and Benefits Specialist

Key Responsibilities

• Process weekly payroll accurately and in a timely manner, ensuring compliance with company policies and payroll regulations.
• Generate and analyze payroll reports, including wage summaries, overtime reports, deductions, and year-end payroll data for management review and auditing purposes.
• Administer and maintain the company's compensation programs, including hourly wage scales, shift differentials, overtime structures, and salaried pay grades.
• Conduct regular market pricing and salary benchmarking surveys to ensure the company remains competitive in attracting and retaining production and administrative talent.
• Partner with HR team and Plant Managers to develop and recommend pay adjustments, merit increase guidelines, and incentive or bonus structures.
• Evaluate new and existing positions using job analysis and grading methodologies to ensure internal pay equity.
• Maintain and update compensation-related policies and procedures in accordance with FLSA, DOL, and applicable state wage and hour laws.
• Administer the company's full suite of employee benefits, including medical, dental, vision, life insurance, short- and long-term disability, 401(k), and workers' compensation.
• Serve as the primary liaison with benefits brokers, carriers, and third-party administrators to resolve coverage issues and negotiate plan terms.
• Lead the annual open enrollment process, including employee communications, system updates, and carrier coordination.
• Manage qualifying life event changes, COBRA administration, and leave of absence programs including FMLA and state-mandated leave.
• Monitor benefits utilization, claims trends, and plan costs, providing regular reports and recommendations to CFO and COOs.
• Ensure ACA compliance, including tracking, reporting, and 1094-C/1095-C filing requirements.
• Ensure all compensation and benefits programs comply with ERISA, ACA, FLSA, EEOC, and applicable state and local regulations.
• Prepare and present compensation and benefits data reports to senior management, including cost analysis, turnover impact, and program effectiveness.
• Support internal and external audits related to compensation practices and benefits plans.
• Maintain accurate employee records in the HRIS system for all compensation and benefits data.

Employee Support & Communication

• Serve as a knowledgeable resource for employees regarding pay, benefits enrollment, claims issues, and coverage questions.
• Develop and deliver clear employee communications on compensation policies and benefits programs, with sensitivity to a diverse, multilingual workforce.
• Conduct new hire orientations covering total compensation and benefits enrollment.
• Partner with Payroll to ensure seamless integration of benefits deductions, compensation changes, and leave pay.

Qualifications & Requirements

• Experience: 4–6 years of progressive experience in compensation and/or benefits administration; manufacturing or food processing experience strongly preferred.
• Regulatory Knowledge: Solid understanding of FLSA, ERISA, ACA, FMLA, COBRA, and relevant state labor laws.
• Technical Skills: Proficient Microsoft Excel skills (pivot tables, VLOOKUPs, data modeling); experience with benefits administration platforms and compensation benchmarking tools.