Manager of Total Rewards

Position Overview

The Manager of Total Rewards provides strategic and operational leadership for the organization's compensation and employee benefit programs and leads the team responsible for delivering these programs across the organization.

This role is responsible for developing, administering, evaluating, and continuously improving total rewards programs that are competitive, equitable, financially sustainable, compliant, and aligned with the organization's Employer of Choice strategy.

The Manager serves as the organization's subject matter expert in compensation strategy, job architecture, market pricing, employee benefits, retirement plans, and related regulatory requirements. The position partners closely with Human Resources, Finance, Payroll, Legal, operational leaders, benefit consultants, vendors, and labor relations representatives to ensure that total rewards programs support recruitment, retention, employee engagement, workforce strategy, and organizational financial objectives.

This role requires the ability to balance strategic program design with hands-on administration in a complex healthcare environment that includes both bargaining-unit and non-bargaining employees. The Manager is expected to bring forward innovative and well-supported recommendations regarding compensation and benefit design while maintaining strong governance, regulatory compliance, internal equity, and fiscal stewardship.

Minimum Education

• Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Finance, Healthcare Administration, or a related field.

Minimum Work Experience

• 5–7 years of progressive Total Rewards experience, with significant direct experience in both compensation and employee benefits required.

• Demonstrated expertise in compensation philosophy, market pricing, salary structure design, job evaluation, internal equity analysis, and compensation administration required.

• Demonstrated experience administering complex health and welfare benefit programs and employer-sponsored retirement plans required.

• Experience with 403(b), 457, Section 125, ERISA-governed plans, Form 5500 filings, retirement-plan audits, and regulatory compliance strongly preferred.

• Experience working in a healthcare environment strongly preferred.

• Experience supporting compensation and benefit programs in a highly unionized or complex collective bargaining environment strongly preferred.

• Experience managing staff and leading complex cross-functional initiatives required.

• Experience with Workday or another enterprise HRIS strongly preferred.

Preferred Licenses/Certifications

• Professional certification such as Certified Compensation Professional (CCP), Certified Employee Benefit Specialist (CEBS), SHRM-SCP, SPHR, or a similar credential preferred.

Required Skills, Knowledge, and Abilities

• Deep knowledge of Total Rewards strategy and contemporary compensation and benefit practices.

• Advanced understanding of compensation philosophy, salary structures, market pricing, job evaluation, internal equity, pay compression, and compensation governance.

• Strong knowledge of compensation considerations in unionized environments and the interaction between collective bargaining agreements and broader organizational compensation structures.

• Comprehensive knowledge of health benefits, retirement plans, 403(b) and 457 plans, Section 125 plans, ERISA, ACA, COBRA, HIPAA, Form 5500 reporting, and related regulatory requirements.

• Understanding of fiduciary responsibilities and governance considerations associated with employer-sponsored benefit and retirement plans.

• Strong financial acumen and ability to evaluate compensation and benefit decisions from both workforce and organizational cost perspectives.

• Demonstrated ability to develop creative and innovative benefit and compensation recommendations while maintaining financial discipline and regulatory compliance.

Apply Today!

Ready to take the next step in your career? We'd love to hear from you!

Contact Megan to get started:

• Call or Text: 617-746-2768
• Email: 

  Megan@ka-recruiting.com

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