Total Rewards Specialist

Steffes•Fargo, ND

About The Position

The Total Rewards Specialist leads the strategy, design, administration, and continuous improvement of Steffes' total rewards programs, including compensation, benefits, leave administration, job architecture, sales incentives, workforce analytics, and employee experience initiatives. This role partners across the organization to deliver competitive, data-driven programs that attract, retain, engage, and reward employees while supporting business strategy.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, Finance, Analytics, or related field.
Minimum of three years of progressive experience in compensation, benefits, and total rewards; 5 or more years preferred.
Experience conducting compensation analysis and market benchmarking.
Strong analytical, reporting, and data interpretation skills.
Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel and HRIS reporting tools.
An acceptable combination of education and experience
This position requires walking, sitting, or standing to a significant degree
Must have the ability to lift 50 pounds from floor to waist, carry 50 pounds, and push and/or pull up to 20 pounds
Must have the ability to climb ladders and/or stairs
Stooping, crouching, kneeling, and bending
Handling, feeling, and gripping would be required for some activities
This role may be subject to internal and external environmental conditions.
Learn new tasks, remember processes, maintain focus, complete tasks independently, make timely decisions in the context of a workflow.

Responsibilities

Support the development and execution of the organization's benefits strategy.
Manage relationships with benefit brokers, consultants, carriers, and third-party vendors.
Lead annual benefit renewals, benchmarking, and plan evaluations.
Analyze benefits utilization, participation, and cost trends to identify opportunities for improvement.
Partner with vendors to enhance employee education, communication, and enrollment experiences.
Ensure compliance with applicable benefit regulations and reporting requirements.
Develop, administer, and continuously improve the organization's compensation philosophy, strategy, and programs.
Conduct market pricing and benchmarking to ensure competitive and equitable pay practices.
Manage salary structures, pay grades, pay ranges, and compensation guidelines.
Lead annual compensation review processes, including merit increases, promotional increases, market adjustments, and incentive programs.
Analyze internal pay equity and provide recommendations to address compensation-related concerns.
Partner with leaders and HR Business Partners to support compensation decisions and workforce planning initiatives.
Ensure compliance with applicable federal, state, and local compensation regulations.
Design, administer, and evaluate sales incentive and commission plans.
Partner Sales leadership to ensure incentive programs align with business objectives.
Monitor incentive plan effectiveness and recommend improvements based on business outcomes and market trends.
Calculate, validate, and communicate incentive payments as required.
Serve as the subject matter expert for all company leave programs, including Family and Medical Leave (FMLA), state and local leave laws, Paid Parental Leave, personal leaves of absence, military leave, jury duty, bereavement leave, and other company-sponsored leave programs.
Administer leave programs in compliance with federal, state, and local regulations while ensuring a positive employee experience.
Partner with internal stakeholders to coordinate leave administration and case management.
Review leave requests, determine eligibility, and ensure required documentation is obtained and maintained.
Coordinate leave and disability benefits, including Short-Term Disability (STD), Long-Term Disability (LTD), and applicable wage replacement programs.
Partner with HR Generalists and leaders to facilitate return-to-work planning, reasonable accommodations, and interactive process discussions in collaboration with ADA requirements.
Develop and maintain leave policies, procedures, forms, and employee communications.
Analyze leave utilization, trends, compliance metrics, and program effectiveness, providing recommendations for continuous improvement.
Ensure accurate leave tracking and HRIS configuration while partnering with Payroll to ensure proper pay administration during leave events.
Monitor legislative changes impacting leave administration and recommend policy or process updates as needed.
Provide guidance and training to leaders and employees regarding leave programs, eligibility, and responsibilities.
Administer employee engagement survey processes and support action planning efforts.
Lead recognition and appreciation programs designed to reinforce organizational culture and values.
Coordinate employee wellbeing initiatives that support physical, emotional, financial, and social wellbeing.
Serve as the primary HR owner of CARE Team programs and initiatives.
Develop and administer employee discount programs.
Analyze employee feedback and engagement data to identify opportunities to improve the employee experience.
Partner with HR, Communications, and leaders to implement employee experience initiatives that support organizational goals.
Serve as the owner of the organization's job architecture framework.
In collaboration with HR Generalists, develop and maintain job descriptions, job families, and job levels.
Evaluate jobs and assign appropriate salary grades and classification levels.
Establish governance processes for job creation, modification, and organizational design changes.
Develop and maintain workforce, compensation, benefits, and total rewards reporting and dashboards.
Analyze workforce trends related to turnover, retention, engagement, absenteeism, demographics, compensation, and benefits utilization.
Provide actionable insights and recommendations to leaders through data analysis and reporting.
Support budgeting, forecasting, and strategic workforce planning efforts.
Measure and communicate the effectiveness of total rewards programs through meaningful metrics and KPIs.