The Sr. Manager, Compensation & Benefits serves as the primary compensation lead for Merz Therapeutics North America, with responsibility for market pricing, pay analysis, salary structures, annual compensation cycles, incentive programs, job architecture, and compensation governance. The role partners closely with Global Compensation, HR, Payroll, Talent Acquisition, Finance, and business leaders to support competitive, equitable, and consistent pay practices. The position also provides oversight and hands-on management of U.S. and Canadian employee benefit programs, including vendor relationships, annual enrollment, compliance, leave administration, retirement programs, and employee benefits support.
Essential Duties and ResponsibilitiesCompensation- Serve as the primary North American liaison to Global Compensation and translate global frameworks, policies, and programs into practical regional processes and guidance.
- Conduct market pricing and job evaluations using external survey data, internal comparisons, job scope, and organizational context.
- Maintain and recommend updates to salary structures, ranges, career bands, job architecture, and compensation guidelines for North America.
- Prepare compensation analyses and recommendations for new hires, promotions, transfers, retention actions, and other off-cycle adjustments in partnership with HR and Talent Acquisition.
- Lead the compensation planning portion of the annual merit and short-term incentive cycles, including data preparation, modeling, system administration, calibration support, reporting, and final audits.
- Analyze internal equity, market competitiveness, pay positioning, and compensation trends, and present clear, actionable findings to HR and business leaders.
- Participate in compensation surveys and maintain reliable market data from Willis Towers Watson, Radford, and other approved sources.
- Support the design, administration, and evaluation of incentive compensation and recognition programs, including AwardCo and service anniversary programs.
- Develop compensation reporting, dashboards, tools, and executive-ready materials that support informed and consistent decision-making.
- Create and maintain compensation policies, procedures, documentation, and manager guidance to support governance and consistent application.
- Partner with Payroll, Finance, HRIS, and Global Compensation to ensure compensation data, calculations, system configurations, and employee records are accurate.
- May be a part of helping to lead or be a team member on global compensation projects to alignment compensation practices.
Benefits Administration- Lead the administration and continuous improvement of U.S. and Canadian health, welfare, retirement, and wellness programs, including a self-funded medical plan.
- Manage broker, third-party administrator, and benefits vendor relationships, including service delivery, renewals, issue resolution, performance expectations, and program implementation.
- Lead annual benefits open enrollment, including plan review, system readiness, employee communications, enrollment support, vendor coordination, and post-enrollment audits.
- Provide clear, responsive support for employee benefits questions and escalated issues while maintaining confidentiality and a high standard of customer service.
- Oversee leave administration, including FMLA, ADA, personal leave, and applicable state requirements, in coordination with third-party administrators, Payroll, HR, and managers.
- Ensure benefit plans and processes comply with applicable requirements, including ERISA and ACA obligations, and coordinate required reporting, notices, audits, and plan documentation with internal and external partners.
- Oversee retirement, executive benefit, workers compensation, tuition reimbursement, and benefits-related policy administration, including partnership with Payroll and participation on the Merz 401(k) retirement committee.
- Monitor benefits invoices, eligibility, enrollment changes, and vendor data to support accurate coverage and appropriate financial controls.
- Develop and deliver benefits communications and new-hire benefits overviews, and periodically review materials for accuracy and employee understanding.
- Lead the processing of the immigration process for North America
- Partner and help lead any global projects with benefit alignment for Merz.
Communication and Partnership- Draft, review, and distribute clear, timely communications regarding compensation and benefits programs, annual cycles, policy updates, and employee actions.
- Provide practical guidance to HR partners and business leaders on compensation and benefits matters, balancing business needs, employee experience, internal consistency, and program requirements.
- Manage sensitive employee and compensation information with the highest degree of discretion and confidentiality.
- Perform other duties as assigned.
Education and Certifications- Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Business, Finance, or a related discipline required.
- CCP, CEBS, PHR, SPHR, SHRM-CP, or SHRM-SCP certification preferred.
Professional Experience- Eight or more years of progressive HR or Total Rewards experience required.
- Five or more years of direct compensation experience, including market pricing, job evaluation, salary structures, annual merit planning, incentive compensation, and pay analysis required.
- Demonstrated hands-on experience supporting U.S. employee benefits, including self-funded medical plans, annual enrollment, vendor management, leave administration, and benefits compliance required.
- Experience partnering with global compensation teams or operating within a global compensation framework strongly preferred.
- Experience with compensation planning technology, HRIS platforms, and market-pricing surveys preferred.
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities- Advanced compensation analysis and market-pricing skills, with the ability to translate data into sound recommendations.
- Advanced Microsoft Excel skills and strong capability in compensation modeling, reporting, data validation, and analytics.
- Strong working knowledge of U.S. compensation and benefits practices and applicable federal and state requirements.
- Demonstrated ability to organize, plan, and execute complex compensation cycles and employee benefit programs.
- Ability to partner effectively with business leaders, HR colleagues, external vendors, and global stakeholders.
- Strong verbal and written communication skills, sound judgment, excellent attention to detail, and a high degree of confidentiality.
- Excellent organizational, project management, decision-making, and problem-solving skills.
- Working knowledge of payroll practices required. Experience with UKG, SAP, Pave, Willis Towers Watson, and Radford preferred.
Travel RequirementsSome global and domestic travel may be required, but less than 5% of the time.
Physical Requirements- Work is performed in a hybrid environment, which includes both a professional office setting and a remote or home-based workspace. Office work involves standard lighting, temperature, and noise levels.
- No physical requirements beyond those typically associated with office work.
- No specialized equipment is required to support the physical demands of this position.
- No potential safety risks beyond those typically associated with office work.
