Sr. Total Rewards Manager

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Serve as the enterprise owner of Total Rewards strategy and governance, establishing standardized frameworks, policies, controls, and service models for all operating companies.
• Lead, develop, and mentor Shared Services Total Rewards staff, setting performance expectations aligned with COE service delivery, accuracy, responsiveness, and continuous improvement.
• Define roles and responsibilities between Shared Services and operating companies to ensure clarity, accountability, and effective execution at scale.
• Partner with regional HR teams to resolve complex employee benefit cases.
• Own the enterprise design and administration of all health & welfare, retirement, disability, life, voluntary, and leave programs serving a multi-state, multi-OpCo population.
• Lead annual open enrollment across all operating companies, including carrier strategy, systems configuration, vendor coordination, and communications.
• Act as the primary enterprise owner of retirement programs, including 401(k) and deferred compensation plans.
• Partner with plan recordkeepers, advisors, trustees, and auditors.
• Oversee plan governance, investments, audits, nondiscrimination testing, participant communications, and ongoing ERISA and IRS compliance.
• Manage enterprise vendor relationships including brokers, carriers, TPAs, recordkeepers, retirement advisors, and equity vendors.
• Lead enterprise negotiations, RFPs, renewals, performance reviews, and escalations, ensuring service levels and financial outcomes align with organizational standards.
• Partner with vendors to support integration of new operating companies and ensure consistent service delivery post close.
• Monitor federal, state, and local regulatory changes impacting benefits and compensation in a multi-state environment and ensure timely enterprise implementation.
• Own enterprise regulatory and governance activities including ACA reporting, audits, Form 5500 filings, participant notices, and regulatory inquiries.
• Establish and maintain standardized documentation, operating procedures, and internal controls to mitigate risk and ensure audit readiness.
• Lead enterprise compensation cycles, job architecture, job leveling, salary structures, and market benchmarking to promote consistent and equitable pay practices across OpCos.
• Serve as a strategic partner to HR regional teams, business leaders, and Talent Acquisition to evaluate role scope, recommend competitive offers, and support workforce planning.
• Support equity and incentive administration governance, ensuring confidentiality, accuracy, and compliance across all OpCos.
• Serve as the Total Rewards functional lead for HCM and benefits administration platforms in a Shared Services environment.
• Partner with HRIS, IT, Payroll, and vendors to define enterprise requirements, workflows, controls, testing, and deployment.
• Drive automation, standardization, and reporting enhancements to enable scalable service delivery and decision ready insights.
• Partner closely with M&A team on due diligence, risk assessment, and integration planning related to benefits and compensation.
• Ensure continuity of coverage, compliance, and a seamless employee experience post-close.
• Assist with developing scalable integration playbooks and transition strategies aligned with the Shared Services operating model.
• Collaborate closely with Finance and Payroll to ensure accurate funding, reconciliation, accounting, and forecasting of benefit premiums, retirement contributions, and total rewards liabilities.
• Support budgeting, cost modeling, and financial analysis related to enterprise total rewards programs.
• Collaborate closely with HRBPs, Finance, Accounting, Legal, and business leaders to ensure benefit and compensation processes align with organizational policies and business needs.

Key Competencies

• Provides strategic and operational leadership across employee benefits, retirement, and compensation programs.
• Deep knowledge of health & welfare benefits and retirement plan administration, with strong ERISA and compliance expertise.
• Customer focused mindset with the ability to translate complex benefits information into clear, actionable guidance.
• Collaborative partner who builds effective relationships across HR, Finance, Payroll, Legal, and vendors.
• Exceptional attention to detail with a strong commitment to data integrity, confidentiality, and service delivery.
• Manages time and priorities efficiently in fast-paced, deadline-driven environments.
• Communicates clearly and effectively through strong written, verbal, and interpersonal skills.
• Demonstrates empathy, integrity, and professionalism when handling sensitive employee information.
• Drives and supports organizational change with adaptability and commitment.
• Scales benefit processes effectively within growing and complex business environments.
• Maintains composure and sound judgment in high-pressure situations.
• Uses Microsoft Excel and the full Microsoft Office Suite with strong proficiency.

Education/Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Human Resources, Accounting, or related field; equivalent professional experience also considered.
• Minimum 8+ years of progressive benefits and leadership experience in a multi-state, multi-unit environment.
• Certified Benefits Professional (CBP) or similar designation preferred.
• Demonstrated experience managing & supporting health & welfare benefits and retirement plans in multi-state, multi-unit operations.
• M&A benefits & compensation integration expertise preferred.
• Experience with major HCM/benefit administration platforms (e.g., Workday, ADP, UKG, Oracle, Dayforce, or similar).