Senior Director, Total Rewards

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Job Summary:
 

The Sr. Director, Total Rewards is a critical leadership role responsible for the strategic direction and operational oversight of the WGU’s Compensation and Benefits programs. This role plays a pivotal part in ensuring that both functions are aligned to create a cohesive and compelling Total Rewards strategy that supports employee attraction, retention, and engagement. The Sr. Director will work closely with the VP of Total Rewards, the Director of Compensation, and the Benefits team to integrate strategies and ensure seamless execution of compensation and benefits initiatives.

The Sr. Director will oversee the continued operational and strategic success of the Compensation team, while also providing elevated leadership and strategic direction for the Benefits function, ensuring both functions are optimized to meet the organization's goals. Additionally, the role will ensure that compensation and benefits programs are competitive, compliant, and aligned with the WGU’s overall talent and business strategies. This role requires a visionary leader who can synthesize complex programs into a unified, impactful Total Rewards offering.

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Essential Functions and Responsibilities:

• Develop and drive the organization's overarching Total Rewards strategy, ensuring the effective integration of Compensation and Benefits programs to attract, retain, and motivate a high-performing workforce.
• Collaborate closely with the VP of Total Rewards and key stakeholders across P&T and senior leadership to ensure that Total Rewards aligns with the organization’s overall strategic goals and culture.
• Continuously monitor market trends and best practices to ensure the organization remains competitive, innovative, and aligned with employee needs and business priorities.
• Ensure all Total Rewards programs and strategies are designed and implemented in alignment with WGU's Leadership Principles and Cultural Beliefs, promoting a culture of innovation, accountability, and inclusivity. Act as a champion for embedding these principles into the compensation and benefits practices to enhance employee engagement and reinforce WGU’s unique organizational culture.
• Provide strategic oversight and leadership to the Benefits function, elevating its impact by ensuring benefits programs are competitive, cost-effective, and aligned with both employee wellness and organizational objectives.
• Design and lead innovative benefits strategies that cater to the diverse needs of the workforce, including health and wellness programs, retirement plans, and other ancillary benefits.
• Oversee the company’s leaves, accommodations, and disability programs, ensuring compliance with federal, state, and local regulations. Lead strategic initiatives to optimize these programs, focusing on employee support and operational efficiency, while partnering with internal stakeholders to ensure these offerings are integrated seamlessly into the overall benefits package.
• Ensure seamless administration of all benefits programs and manage relationships with key vendors, driving continuous improvement and cost optimization.
• Partner with the current Director of Compensation, to ensure continued excellence in managing salary structures, incentive plans, pay equity analysis, and market competitiveness.
• Facilitate collaboration between the Compensation and Benefits teams, ensuring synergy in total rewards planning, especially during annual budgeting, compensation reviews, and workforce planning cycles.
• Lead efforts to align Compensation programs with broader Benefits initiatives to create a cohesive and compelling Total Rewards value proposition for employees.
• Collaborate with the Director of People Technology to enhance operational efficiency in the delivery of Total Rewards programs, leveraging HRIS systems and data analytics for decision-making and reporting.
• Ensure that all processes and tools used by the Compensation and Benefits teams are integrated, efficient, and scalable, driving consistency and operational