Director of Total Rewards

Department: Human Resources

Employment Type: Full Time

Location: Chelsea, MI

Reporting To: Michelle Baldwin Henderson

Description

The Director of Total Rewards serves as the strategic leader responsible for designing, implementing, and overseeing the organization's total rewards philosophy and programs. This includes team member benefits, retirement plans, leave administration, wellness initiatives, team member advocacy, and related compliance functions.

This role is uniquely positioned at the intersection of organizational strategy and human care. The Director of Total Rewards leads a team dedicated to helping team members navigate some of life's most significant moments, including health challenges, family responsibilities, retirement planning, and personal well-being. As a result, success in this role requires exceptional emotional intelligence, empathy, compassion, and the ability to lead through service.

The Director partners closely with the CHRO, Finance, IT, and organizational leaders to ensure total rewards, payroll, and HRIS processes support team member attraction, retention, engagement, well-being, operational efficiency, data integrity, and organizational sustainability while fostering a culture where team members feel valued, supported, and connected to the mission.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Total Rewards Leadership

• Develop and execute a comprehensive Total Rewards strategy aligned with organizational goals and workforce needs.
• Evaluate labor market trends, benchmarking data, and team member feedback to ensure competitive and sustainable programs.
• Advise executive leadership regarding benefits design, retirement strategies, wellness initiatives, and workforce trends.
• Identify innovative approaches that enhance team member well-being and engagement while balancing financial stewardship.
• Establish metrics and reporting to evaluate program effectiveness and team member experience outcomes.

Benefits Administration

• Provide strategic oversight of all team member benefit programs, including medical, dental, vision, life, disability, voluntary benefits, FSAs, HSAs, retirement, and wellness programs.
• Lead annual benefits strategy, renewals, open enrollment, and team member education initiatives.
• Bring experience with unique, creative, and cost-effective benefit design approaches that enhance team member value while supporting organizational sustainability.
• Oversee vendor relationships, broker partnerships, and third-party administrators.
• Evaluate utilization data, claims experience, and emerging trends to drive informed decision-making.
• Ensure high-quality benefit services and exceptional team member support.

Retirement Plan Administration

• Oversee all retirement savings and financial wellness programs, including 403(b) plans.
• Ensure compliance with ERISA, IRS, Department of Labor, and related regulatory requirements.
• Provide leadership for retirement plan governance, audits, disclosures, and fiduciary processes.
• Partner with investment advisors, recordkeepers, auditors, and legal counsel.
• Promote retirement readiness through education and financial wellness initiatives.

Leave Administration and Workplace Support

• Oversee all leave and accommodation programs, including FMLA, ADA, workers' compensation, disability programs, paid leave, and state-specific leave requirements.
• Ensure compliant, consistent, and compassionate administration of leave programs.
• Partner with leaders and HR staff to resolve complex leave and accommodation situations.
• Monitor trends and identify opportunities to improve team member experience and operational effectiveness.
• Ensure team members navigating health concerns, family needs, or workplace challenges receive timely support and guidance.

Wellness and Well-Being

• Lead the organization's wellness strategy and programming.
• Develop initiatives that support physical, emotional, financial, social, and spiritual well-being.
• Partner with organizational leaders to create a culture that prioritizes team member health and resilience.
• Measure program participation and outcomes to drive continuous improvement.

Payroll and HRIS Oversight

• Provide strategic oversight of payroll operations to ensure accurate, timely, compliant, and service-oriented payroll delivery.
• Partner with Finance and HR leadership to strengthen payroll controls, reporting, reconciliation, audits, and process improvement.
• Oversee HRIS strategy, governance, data integrity, system optimization, and utilization of HR technology to support total rewards, payroll, workforce analytics, and team member experience.
• Collaborate with IT, Finance, vendors, and HR partners to evaluate system enhancements, integrations, security, and workflow improvements.
• Use HRIS and payroll data to develop actionable insights, dashboards, and reports that inform workforce planning, compliance, and total rewards decisions.

Team Member Advocacy & Team Member Experience

• Provide strategic oversight of the Team Member Advocacy function.
• Ensure team members receive compassionate support when navigating benefits, leaves, workplace concerns, and organizational resources.
• Establish service standards focused on responsiveness, care, respect, and problem resolution.
• Collaborate with HR partners and leaders to identify systemic barriers impacting team member experience related total rewards.
• Lead initiatives that strengthen engagement, belonging, retention, and overall workplace satisfaction.
• Champion policies and programs that support the organization's commitment to caring for its people.

Leadership and Team Development

• Lead, coach, develop, and inspire the Benefits Manager, Leave & Wellness Specialist, Team Member Advocate, and payroll-related team members.
• Foster a collaborative, service-oriented culture focused on trust, accountability, compassion, and excellence.
• Develop future leaders through mentoring, coaching, and succession planning.
• Establish clear expectations, performance goals, and measures of success.
• Promote innovation, continuous improvement, and team member-centered problem solving.

Compliance and Risk Management

• Ensure compliance with all federal, state, and local laws governing benefits, leaves, retirement plans, payroll, wage and hour practices, privacy, HR data, and employment practices.
• Maintain policies, processes, and controls that minimize organizational risk.
• Oversee audits, reporting requirements, regulatory filings, plan documentation, payroll controls, and HRIS data governance.
• Stay current on emerging legislation and regulatory updates affecting total rewards programs.

Financial Stewardship

• Develop and manage benefit and total rewards budgets.
• Partner with Finance to oversee forecasting, cost management, payroll accuracy, labor reporting, and program sustainability.
• Analyze return on investment and program effectiveness.
• Balance fiscal responsibility with team member value and organizational mission.

Skills, Knowledge and Expertise

Required

• Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, Finance, Healthcare Administration, or related field.
• Minimum of 8 years of progressive experience in benefits, leave administration, retirement programs, payroll, HRIS, total rewards, or human resources leadership.
  Minimum of 3 years leading and developing professional-level team members.
• Experience managing complex benefits and retirement programs.
• Experience with team member leave administration, accommodations, payroll processes, HRIS functionality, data reporting, and regulatory compliance.

Preferred

• Master's degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, Organizational Leadership, or related field.
• Healthcare, senior living, nonprofit, or multi-site employer experience.
• CEBS, SHRM-SCP, SPHR, or other related certifications.
• Experience with innovative health plan strategies, including Reference Based Pricing models, is a plus.
• Experience leading payroll operations, HRIS optimization, system implementations, integrations, or workforce analytics is strongly preferred.

Critical Leadership Competencies

Emotional Intelligence

Demonstrates exceptional self-awareness, empathy, active listening, and interpersonal effectiveness. Responds thoughtfully to difficult situations while maintaining professionalism, trust, and compassion.

Compassionate Leadership

Approaches team member concerns with kindness, dignity, respect, and genuine care. Creates an environment where team members feel heard, supported, and valued.

Relationship Building

Develops strong partnerships across all levels of the organization and builds credibility through trust, transparency, and follow-through.

Courageous Communication

Addresses difficult issues directly, respectfully, and constructively while balancing organizational needs with team member well-being.

Strategic Thinking

Connects people programs to organizational goals and effectively translates strategy into action.