Position SummaryThe Total Rewards Manager is responsible for leading the organization's payroll, benefits, and compensation planning functions to ensure programs are competitive, compliant, efficient, and aligned with business objectives. This role provides strategic and operational leadership across total rewards programs supporting both corporate employees and hourly team members in a retail environment.
Key ResponsibilitiesTotal Rewards Strategy- Develop and execute a comprehensive total rewards strategy that supports business priorities, employee retention, workforce engagement, and operational effectiveness.
- Evaluate market trends, employee needs, business growth plans, and regulatory requirements to recommend enhancements to compensation, benefits, wellness, and payroll programs.
- Partner with HR leadership, Finance, Operations, and business leaders to ensure total rewards programs are scalable, cost-effective, compliant, and aligned with organizational goals.
Benefits and Wellness Programs- Lead the strategic planning, administration, and ongoing evaluation of employee benefits programs, including health and welfare plans, retirement programs, leave-related benefits, voluntary benefits, and wellness initiatives.
- Design and implement a benefits strategy that promotes employee well-being, supports a positive employee experience, and balances quality, affordability, compliance, and business cost considerations.
- Manage annual benefits planning and open enrollment, including vendor evaluation, plan design recommendations, employee communications, system configuration, and post-enrollment analysis.
- Oversee wellness program strategy, engagement initiatives, vendor partnerships, reporting, and measurable outcomes that support employee health, productivity, and retention.
Compensation Planning- Lead compensation planning for exempt and non-exempt employees, with specific focus on pay practices in a retail, multi-site, or hourly workforce environment.
- Oversee market pricing, salary structures, hourly wage analysis, incentive programs, merit planning, pay equity considerations, and compensation recommendations.
- Partner with HR Business Partners, Operations, Finance, and leadership to ensure compensation programs support recruitment, retention, internal equity, budget discipline, and compliance with applicable wage and hour requirements.
- Provide guidance on compensation decisions for promotions, transfers, new hires, adjustments, and organizational changes.
Payroll Leadership and Compliance- Provide leadership and oversight to the payroll function to ensure accurate, timely, and compliant payroll processing for exempt and non-exempt employees.
- Maintain strong working knowledge of payroll compliance requirements, including wage and hour regulations, tax requirements, garnishments, deductions, final pay, paid leave, and recordkeeping obligations.
- Establish payroll controls, audit processes, reporting routines, and issue-resolution procedures to reduce risk and improve accuracy and efficiency.
- Collaborate with Finance, Accounting, HR, Operations, and external vendors to support payroll-related reporting, reconciliations, audits, and process improvements.
Team Leadership- Lead, coach, and develop team members responsible for payroll, benefits, and compensation.
- Set clear priorities, service expectations, performance goals, and accountability measures for the total rewards team.
- Build strong cross-functional partnerships and promote a service-oriented, compliance-minded, and continuous-improvement culture.
Required Qualifications- Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, Finance, Accounting, or a related field; equivalent experience may be considered.
- 10 + years of progressive experience in total rewards, benefits, compensation, payroll, HR operations, or related HR leadership roles.
- Demonstrated experience managing or providing leadership oversight for payroll, benefits, and compensation programs.
- Strong knowledge of benefits and payroll compliance requirements, with the ability to interpret regulations, assess risk, and implement compliant processes.
- Experience supporting both exempt and non-exempt employee populations, preferably in retail, multi-site, multi-state, or similar high-volume environment.
- Strong analytical skills with experience using data to evaluate program effectiveness, develop recommendations, and support leadership decisions.
- Excellent communication, vendor management, project management, and cross-functional partnership skills.
Preferred Qualifications- Experience designing or enhancing wellness programs and measuring employee engagement, participation, and program impact.
- Professional certification such as SHRM-CP, SHRM-SCP, PHR, SPHR, CEBS, CCP, CBP, CPP, or similar certification.
- Experience with compensation benchmarking tools, payroll systems, benefits and administration platforms.
- Experience supporting acquisition integration, organizational growth, or large-scale HR transformation initiatives.
Key Competencies- Strategic thinking and business alignment
- Strong compliance mindset and attention to detail
- Analytical decision-making and financial acumen
- Employee experience and wellness orientation
- Operational excellence and process improvement
- Leadership, coaching, and team development
- Vendor management and cross-functional collaboration
