Director, Total Rewards

Spelman College Portal•Atlanta, GA

8d•Onsite

About The Position

The Director of Total Rewards will provide leadership for a comprehensive and mission-aligned total rewards strategy that aligns with the College’s mission, strategic plan, and HR goals, serving faculty, staff, and administrators. Reporting to the Vice President for Human Resources and Culture, the Director of Total Rewards oversees the strategic direction, planning, implementation, management and communication of compensation, benefits, retirement, wellbeing, leave management and compensation, and recognition programs. The director will offer deep expertise in compensation strategy and governance frameworks, ensuring programs are competitive, equitable, fiscally responsible, and aligned with institutional priorities, workforce needs, and regulatory requirements. The position will play a central role in advancing Spelman’s commitment to fairness, transparency, and inclusion by developing compensation philosophies, structures, and practices that support organizational effectiveness and long-term sustainability. The director brings a collaborative perspective, a commitment to excellence in employee experience and a forward-thinking approach to technology integration that supports the needs of all employees. Serve as a critical partner to the Human Resources and Culture leadership team, shaping how Spelman attracts, retains, and rewards talent in a complex, values-driven higher education environment.

Requirements

A bachelor’s degree in human resources, Business Administration or a related field is typically required
Minimum 7–10+ years of progressive experience in human resources, specifically with a heavy emphasis on total rewards (benefits and compensation leadership).

Nice To Haves

A master’s degree or HR certifications (e.g., CEBS , SHRM - SCP , SPHR ) are highly preferred.
Certified Compensation Professional ( CCP ), Certified Benefits Professional ( CBP ), Certified Employee Benefit Specialist ( CEBS ), Professional Human Resources Professional ( PHR ) or similar certifications.
Experience in higher education or complex organizations.

Responsibilities

Design, implement, and evolve compensation frameworks, including job architecture, market benchmarking, salary structures, incentive programs, and pay equity analysis
Using data, benchmarking, and analytics, guide complex compensation decisions, advise senior leaders, and translate strategy into actionable, scalable programs across the College.
Partner closely with senior leaders to align compensation strategy with institutional goals, workforce planning, and budgetary priorities.
Serve as a trusted advisor to campus stakeholders on complex compensation and total rewards matters
Develop and execute the College’s total compensation strategy, including compensation philosophy, governance, salary administration, and pay practices aligned with institutional priorities.
Lead the design, implementation, and maintenance of compensation frameworks, including job architecture, career levels, salary structures, market pricing methodologies, and position classification.
Oversee market benchmarking, salary survey participation, and compensation analytics to ensure competitive, equitable, and fiscally responsible pay programs.
Direct the job evaluation and position classification process, ensuring consistent application of compensation policies and governance standards.
Lead pay equity analyses, compensation audits, and market assessments to identify trends, evaluate competitiveness, and support equitable pay decisions.
Serve as the College’s subject matter expert on compensation, advising executive leadership on complex compensation matters, workforce planning, organizational design, and strategic compensation initiatives.
Develop executive reports, compensation dashboards, and workforce analytics to support institutional planning, budgeting, and decision-making.
Partner with Finance, Talent Acquisition, Employee Relations, Organizational Development, and HR leadership to implement compensation programs that support recruitment, retention, and organizational effectiveness.
In partnership with the VP for Human Resources and Culture, develop and implement a forward-looking benefits strategy that supports the academic mission, institutional goals, and the needs of the College’s employee population.
Oversee all aspects of faculty and staff benefits programs, including health, retirement, wellness, tuition, leave management, time-off policies, and workers compensation.
Manage broker, consultant, legal counsel, and vendor relationships as well as contracts, invoices, and statements of work to ensure service excellence and compliance.
Lead the full-cycle, company-wide open enrollment process, including planning, employee education, vendor coordination, health fair and execution.
Ensure delivery of optimal employee experience for benefits related processes and events (e.g. Open enrollment, life events, onboarding, etc.) to ensure employee understanding of benefits plan offerings, policies, and key dates.
Partner with HR Leadership Team in promoting wellness initiatives and innovative programs that anticipate employee needs and optimizing the employee experience.
Maintain expert knowledge of group medical/dental plan policies and practices to optimize benefits offerings for employees and ensure compliance with benefits-related regulations and college policies; stay informed on industry trends and legislative changes.
Design and execute employee wellbeing initiatives that support physical, mental, and financial wellness such as Employee Assistance Programs ( EAP ), wellness challenges, financial planning resources, and health screenings.
Oversee the administration of 403(b) remittances, ensuring compliance, accuracy, and seamless coordination with ERISA , IRS regulations, and internal policies for 403(b)/457(b) contributions. Lead initiatives to educate employees on 403(b) options, contribution strategies, and retirement planning.
Manages annual Form 5500 filings, audits and retirement plans. Support internal audits, by maintaining compliance documentation, and prepare reports for key stakeholders and maintain detailed records of remittances, enrollments, and contribution adjustments.
Partner with Payroll to ensure seamless processing of contributions and compliance with financial regulation; ensure accurate deduction and timely transmission of employee contributions to the retirement plan provider.
Oversee the college’s leave management programs to ensure compliance with federal, state, and local laws and stay current on industry trends and best practices in leave management, applying insights to improve efficiency and effectiveness.
Conduct regular audits of leave processes and vendor practices to minimize risk and ensure full compliance with federal and state-specific laws and regulations including but not limited to with FMLA , CFRA , ADA , ACA , PFL , SDI and Workers’ Compensation.
Facilitate effective communication between employees, people leaders, and internal stakeholders to ensure a positive employee experience throughout the leave process.
Manage benefits administration using the college’s Human Capital Management System to ensure accurate record-keeping and seamless employee support.
Provide data analytics and ad hoc reports detailing people measures and metrics, including employee benefits, leaves of absence, workplace injury, and related trends.
Utilize HR data and analytics to identify trends, assess situations, and recommend actionable solutions.
Maintain compliance with federal and state laws and regulations that impact the employer- employee relationship in relation to employee benefits and leave administration.
Identifies risks and issues with benefits and compliance, escalating and triaging appropriately.
Lead complex, cross-functional projects by understanding stakeholder requirements and building consensus with creative and collaborative solutions.
Act as the primary point of contact for escalations and complex coordination issues, resolving them promptly and effectively.
Partner closely with HR centers of expertise including talent acquisition, employee relations, and organization development to ensure seamless execution of HR initiatives and programs to implement best HR practices and support process improvement.
Collaborates with HR Leadership Team in formulating HR policies, ensuring compliance, and safeguarding sensitive personnel information.
Other duties as assigned.