Manager, Total Rewards & HR Operations

WHO WE ARE
Nando’s PERi‑PERi USA is a growing restaurant group seeking a full‑time Manager, Total Rewards & HR Operations to join our Restaurant Support team. We are known for our flame‑grilled chicken, our South African roots, and our passion for putting people at the center of everything we do.

 

NANDO’S VISION
We want to be the most loved restaurant brand in America—sharing the spirit of Nando’s PERi‑PERi with everyone who chooses to access it. We will redesign and build a business that thrives as it fully answers its consumers’ needs—and endures over time by putting people at the heart of what we do. We will lead with our values and act with care, compassion, and kindness. By doing this, we will Change Lives Together, every day and everywhere.

 

THE ROLE

The Manager, Total Rewards & HR Operations is responsible for the administration, governance, and continuous improvement of Nando's U.S. Total Rewards, Leave Administration, HRIS, and employee benefits programs. This role partners closely with People Team leadership, brokers, vendors, and business stakeholders to deliver a compliant, efficient, and employee-centered experience across benefits, compensation administration, leave management, HR systems, and related operational processes.

The position serves as the primary point of coordination for benefits administration, leave and accommodation programs, HR system configuration, vendor management, compliance monitoring, reporting, and Total Rewards operational support. The Manager provides recommendations and analysis to support business decisions while ensuring programs operate effectively and align with organizational objectives.

 

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

 

Benefits Administration and Employee Wellbeing

• Manage the day-to-day administration of employee benefit programs, including medical, dental, vision, life insurance, disability, retirement, wellness, and voluntary benefits.
• Partner with brokers, carriers, and vendors to coordinate annual renewals, open enrollment activities, employee communications, and ongoing program administration.
• Analyze participation, utilization, and cost trends and provide recommendations to improve employee experience and program effectiveness.
• Support benefits strategy development through data analysis, benchmarking, and recommendations to leadership

Total Rewards Administration

• Support compensation administration, market pricing, salary benchmarking, incentive administration, and compensation analyses.
• Prepare data and recommendations to support pay decisions, organizational changes, and compensation planning activities.
• Ensure compensation programs are administered consistently and in alignment with applicable regulations and internal guidelines.

Leave, Disability & Accommodations

• Oversee the administration of leave and disability programs, including FMLA, ADA, state and local leave programs, paid family leave programs, and accommodation requests.
• Manage vendor relationships supporting leave administration and identify opportunities for automation, outsourcing, and process improvement.
• Coordinate complex employee situations, escalations, accommodations, and exception management.
• Ensure accurate documentation, communication, and compliance with federal, state, and local regulations.

HRIS & HR Operations

• Manage HR system configuration, maintenance, testing, workflow administration, security access, and data integrity.
• Oversee HRIS processes including benefit events, leave workflows, organizational structure maintenance, eligibility rules, ACA-related setup, and employment status changes.
• Partner with HRBPs, Talent Acquisition, Payroll, and IT to ensure system effectiveness and process alignment.
• Provide back-up capability and support to Payroll Sr. Manager
• Lead troubleshooting efforts and coordinate resolution of system-related issues with external vendors.

Vendor Management & Governance

• Manage relationships with benefits providers, brokers, leave administrators, and HR technology partners.
• Conduct regular business reviews, performance monitoring, compliance reviews, and service evaluations.
• Escalate issues, monitor contractual obligations, and ensure vendors deliver agreed-upon services and performance standards.

Compliance & Risk Management

• Monitor regulatory changes affecting benefits, compensation, HR records, leave administration, and employee programs.
• Coordinate required notices, filings, audits, reporting, and compli