Total Rewards Manager

About the role

The Total Rewards Manager is responsible for leading the design, execution, and administration of the organization’s total rewards programs, including compensation, benefits, retirement, recognition, and related offerings. This role partners closely with HR leadership, Finance, Legal, and business leaders to ensure programs are competitive, compliant, scalable, and aligned with organizational and workforce strategies. Serving as a trusted advisor and subject-matter expert, the Total Rewards Manager delivers data-driven insights and recommendations, oversees vendor relationships, manages budgets, and drives continuous improvement across total rewards programs, including rewards considerations related to employee mobility, taxation, and immigration.

Responsibilities

• Develop and advance the organization’s total rewards strategy in alignment with business objectives.
• Establish and communicate compensation philosophy, governance, and pay practices.
• Lead job architecture, market pricing, and salary structure development across professional, field, and craft labor roles.
• Administer annual merit, incentive, and off-cycle compensation programs.
• Oversee health, welfare, retirement, wellness, and leave programs for union and non-union populations, including program analysis and recommendations.
• Serve as the primary point of contact for employee benefit and retirement inquiries.
• Lead benefits renewals, open enrollment, and vendor negotiations.
• Ensure compliance with applicable federal, state, and collective bargaining requirements, including ACA, ERISA, COBRA, FMLA, and prevailing wage laws.
• Audit benefit vendor billing and manage related financial controls.
• Maintain base compensation programs and job structures to ensure internal equity and market competitiveness.
• Conduct and analyze salary and compensation surveys.
• Evaluate job duties to ensure appropriate FLSA classifications.
• Monitor market trends to inform compensation planning and salary structure adjustments.
• Manage total rewards budgets, forecasting, and cost modeling.
• Collaborate cross-functionally with HRBPs, Finance, Legal, Payroll, Safety, and IT.
• Provide executive-level reporting, insights, and recommendations.
• Support employee mobility programs, including relocations, domestic and international assignments, and related rewards considerations.
• Partner with Finance, Legal, Payroll, and external advisors on tax and immigration-related considerations impacting compensation and benefits programs.
• Any and all other tasks assigned.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business, Finance, Economics, or related field required.
• Advanced degree or professional certification (CCP, CBP, CEBS) preferred.
• 7-10+ years of progressive experience in total rewards, compensation, or benefits.