Manager, Total Rewards

About the position

The Total Rewards Manager is responsible for leading the strategy, execution, and administration of the company's benefits and payroll programs across the US and Canada, while also supporting compensation and rewards initiatives. This role is instrumental with ensuring total rewards offerings are competitive, equitable, and aligned with company goals to attract, retain and engage top talent. The Total Rewards Manager stays ahead of market trends, evaluates program effectiveness, and partners with leadership to deliver a meaningful employee experience. In addition, this position plays a critical role in maintaining regulatory compliance and ensuring the efficient operation of our HRIS system (HRIS) for all benefits and payroll functions.

Responsibilities

• Oversee the administration of employee benefits programs - including health, wellness, retirement, and leave - throughout the employee life cycle, ensuring offerings remain competitive, cost-effective and aligned with company goals.
• Collaborate with vendors and consultants to evaluate, enhance, and implement benefits solutions.
• Lead the annual open enrollment process and effectively communicate benefit changes to employees, field HR teams, and vendor partners.
• Partner with outsourced leave management provider and field HR teams to ensure compliance with applicable US and Canadian federal and state/provincial leave policies.
• Develop and deliver benefits education tools and resources to support employee understanding and engagement.
• Ensure full compliance with all relevant regulations across the US and Canada.
• Manage and oversee end-to-end payroll processes to ensure timely, accurate and compliant payroll distribution across the US and Canada.
• Ensure adherence to federal, state/provincial, and local tax laws and other payroll-related regulations.
• Prepare, review, and/or audit year-end filings, including tax documents and reports, to ensure accuracy and compliance with all regulatory requirements.
• Manage benefits and payroll data within the HRIS system (Dayforce) to ensure accuracy, consistency, and data integrity.
• Conduct regular audits to maintain compliance with internal policies and external regulations.
• Develop and maintain reports and dashboards to monitor performance, effectiveness, and total cost of such programs.
• Oversee and manage vendor file feeds, ensuring timely and accurate data transmission and resolving issues as needed.
• Support the design and administration of employee recognition programs that foster employee engagement, reinforce company values, and drive retention efforts.
• Assist leadership with the implementation of meaningful reward and recognition initiatives that align with the company's culture.
• Serve as a key resource by providing back-up support to the Vice President, Total Rewards on compensation programs and initiatives.
• Ensure all benefits and payroll programs comply with applicable federal, state/provincial, and local laws and regulations.
• Continuously monitor legislative and regulatory changes, assess their impact on existing programs, and recommend necessary updates to maintain compliance.
• Collaborate with internal teams and external auditors to support audits, compliance reviews and reporting requirements.
• Collaborate with HR leadership and other departments to ensure benefits and payroll strategies align with Company goals.
• Provide expert guidance and support to managers and employees on benefits and payroll-related inquiries, ensuring clarity and understanding across the company.
• Stay informed with industry trends and best practices in total rewards and payroll to ensure the company remains competitive and continues to offer attractive programs.
• Manage relationships with external vendors related to benefits, payroll, and employee recognition programs, ensuring smooth operations, effective service delivery and continuous improvement of offerings and processes.

Requirements

• Bachelor's Degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, Finance, or a related field (Preferred) or relevant certifications (e.g., Certified Compensation Professional (CCP), Certified Employee Benefits Specialist (CEBS), Certified Payroll Professional (CPP). (Preferred)
• 4-6 years in compensation, benefits, and payroll management, with at least 2 years in managerial role. (Preferred)
• 4-6 years in designing, implementing and managing benefits and payroll programs within a corporate environment. (Preferred)
• 4-6 years proven ability to work with HRIS systems and data management. (Preferred)
• 4-6 years with regulatory compliance in compensation, benefits, leave and payroll programs. (Preferred)

Nice-to-haves

• Bi-lingual (preferred)
• Expertise in managing employee benefits programs, including health, retirement, and wellness benefits. (High proficiency)
• Advanced knowledge of payroll processing, compliance with tax laws, and payroll-related regulations. (High proficiency)
• Knowledge of federal and state regulations affecting compensation, benefits, and payroll, including FLSA, ERISA, ACA, ADA, and IRS regulations. (High proficiency)
• Ability to analyze compensation, benefits, and payroll data and identify trends, discrepancies, and areas for improvement. (High proficiency)
• Ability to manage sensitive and confidential information with a high degree of accuracy and attention to detail. (High proficiency)
• Ability to work effectively with leadership, HR teams, and employees across different departments to align rewards strategies with business needs. (High proficiency)
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite, especially Excel for data analysis and reporting. (High proficiency)
• Experience managing vendor relationships and negotiating contracts for compensation, benefits, and payroll services. (Medium proficiency)
• Communication skills to effectively present compensation, benefits, payroll, and reward programs to employees and leadership. (Medium proficiency)
• Ability to manage multiple total rewards projects and initiatives effectively, ensuring timely execution. (Medium proficiency)
• Ability to manage HRIS data for compensation, benefits, and payroll programs, and generate reports. (Medium proficiency)