Total Rewards Manager

The Total Rewards Manager is responsible for the administration, compliance, and operational oversight of the organization's total rewards programs, including benefits, retirement plans, compensation, payroll governance, leave administration, and related regulatory reporting. This role partners closely with the organization's benefits broker, retirement advisors, external consultants, and internal stakeholders to support total rewards strategies that attract, retain, and engage employees while ensuring compliance with all applicable federal, state, and plan requirements.

The Total Rewards Manager oversees employee benefits, retirement programs, compensation structures, payroll compliance and controls, leave administration, and regulatory reporting activities. Reporting to the Director, Talent Management Operations & Total Rewards, this position serves as the organization's subject matter expert on total rewards and payroll compliance matters and partners closely with the Senior Talent Management Operations Specialist to ensure effective operational execution, system administration, and reporting. This position does not have direct supervisory responsibility. The role provides subject matter expertise for the organization's total rewards, payroll governance, leave administration, and compliance programs and may lead projects and cross-functional initiatives.

This position is eligible for hybrid work (telecommuting), which includes working on-site at least 3 days a week at our office in Iowa City.

Benefits Administration

• Manage the administration of employee benefit programs including medical, dental, vision, life insurance, disability, wellness, voluntary benefits, and other employee benefit offerings.
• Serve as the primary internal contact for employee benefits inquiries and resolution of complex benefits issues.
• Coordinate annual open enrollment activities, plan communications, employee education, and vendor interactions.
• Interacts regularly with vendors to ensure service levels are being met.
• Partner with the Senior Talent Management Operations Specialist to ensure accurate benefit system configuration, eligibility administration, enrollment processing, and vendor data integrations.
• Review and reconcile benefit billing and eligibility reporting to ensure accuracy and compliance.
• Recommend program improvements based on employee feedback, utilization trends, and organizational needs.
  
  

Retirement Plan Administration

• Administer the organization's retirement plans and ensure compliance with plan documents and regulatory requirements.
• Coordinate with retirement plan advisors, recordkeepers, auditors, legal counsel, and finance as needed.
• Oversee employee enrollment, contribution changes, distributions, and other retirement plan transactions.
• Support fiduciary governance processes and retirement plan committee activities.
• Ensure accurate and timely completion of required retirement plan reporting, disclosures, audits, and communications.
• Monitor retirement plan participation, utilization, and employee engagement trends and recommend improvements to plan administration, employee communications, financial wellness education, and overall program effectiveness.
  
  

Compensation Management

• Administer the organization's compensation programs, salary structures, job classifications, and pay practices.
• Coordinate compensation benchmarking and market analysis activities utilizing third-party compensation consultants and resources.
• Conduct compensation analyses to support hiring, promotions, transfers, market adjustments, and organizational changes.
• Maintain compensation structures, salary ranges, and classification frameworks.
• Support annual compensation planning processes and compensation review activities.
• Ensure compliance with compensation-related laws, regulations, and organizational practices.
  
  

Payroll Governance, Compliance, and Oversight

• Provide oversight of payroll administration and maintain proficiency in independently executing payroll processes as needed to assist the Senior Talent Management Operations Specialist and ensure accurate and timely processing of employee wages, taxes, deductions, garnishments, and other payroll transactions.
• Establish and maintain payroll procedures, controls, approval processes, and documentation in partnership with the Senior Talent Management Operations Specialist.
• Monitor compliance with federal, state, and local payroll regulations, wage-and-hour requirements, and payroll tax obligations.
• Partner with Finance and the Senior Talent Management Operations Specialist on payroll audits, reporting, reconciliation, and issue resolution.
• Evaluate payroll processes and recommend improvements that enhance efficiency, accuracy, and regulatory compliance.
  
  

Leave Administration and Employee Accommodations

• Manage FMLA, ADA, and other leave administration processes to ensure compliance with organizational policies and applicable laws.
• Serve as the primary resource for complex leave and accommodation matters.
• Coordinate leave management activities with employees, leaders, internal stakeholders and when needed external vendors.
• Monitor leave-related compliance requirements and maintain appropriate documentation.
• Partner with the Senior Talent Management Operations Specialist to ensure accurate leave tracking, payroll entry, and system administration.
  
  

Regulatory Compliance and Reporting

• Ensure compliance with ERISA, COBRA, HIPAA, ACA, IRS regulations, Department of Labor requirements, and other applicable federal and state laws.
• Review and approve required governmental, regulatory, plan, and organizational reporting.
• Coordinate audits, compliance reviews, fiduciary activities, and required disclosures.
• Monitor legislative and regulatory changes affecting compensation, payroll, benefits, retirement plans, and leave administration.
• Develop and maintain policies, procedures, and documentation supporting compliance requirements.
• Provide guidance regarding compliance-related risks and required actions.
  
  

Records Management and Documentation

• Maintain accurate records related to benefits, retirement plans, compensation, payroll governance activities, leave administration, and compliance programs.
• Ensure required plan documents, notices, disclosures, and employee communications are current and properly maintained.
• Coordinate retention and storage of records consistent with regulatory requirements and organizational policies.
• Support internal and external audits by providing documentation, analysis, and reporting as requested.
• Review workforce and compliance reporting prepared by the Senior Talent Management Operations Specialist to ensure accuracy and completeness.
  
  

Education & Experience: Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, Finance, Accounting, or a related field required. Five to seven years of progressively responsible experience in benefits administration, compensation, payroll, or human resources. Experience administering employee benefits and retirement plans and managing payroll operations required.