Director, Total Rewards and HR Operations

Job Description Summary

Bentley University has retained Willmott & Associates to lead the search efforts for this position. Interested applicants should apply directly at https://willmott.com/job/director-total-rewards-and-hr-operations-waltham-ma-hybrid-hb5809/ .

Reporting to the Vice President/CHRO, the Director of Total Rewards and HR Operations will oversee the University’s total rewards strategy and framework which include all benefits, compensation, and HR systems. The role will be responsible for ensuring that all total rewards programs and strategies are best in class, market competitive, and strategically aligned with the University’s mission, values, positive culture principles, and overarching goals and objectives. Having a robust and attractive total rewards program is paramount in ensuring a positive and rewarding employee experience. The ideal candidate will have deep benefits experience that includes leading a benefits function as well as experience with compensation and HR systems. This role manages the staff in the benefits, compensation, and HR systems/operations functions. The director will work collaboratively and effectively with all members of the HR team, and with cross-functional teams and key stakeholders across the University. The role also serves as a member of the HR leadership team.

Essential Functions

Total Rewards Programs

• Responsible for leading and managing the University’s benefit and compensation strategies, ensuring market competitiveness, and alignment with the University’s overall strategic goals and objectives, as well as supporting our ability to attract and retain a fully engaged and effective workforce.
• Works with the Senior Benefits Specialist on the administration of all employee benefits programs, including health insurance, retirement plans, leaves of absence, wellness initiatives, convenience benefits, and other employee benefits and perks.
• Works with the compensation team to ensure that regular and ongoing market and other evaluation initiatives are conducted as appropriate, including staff and faculty benchmark/market data evaluated against our compensation philosophies. Ensures successful completion of all compensation-related work, including gender and racial pay equity studies, annual survey participation, annual merit programs and board presentations, as well as all training and development programs around compensation programs and initiatives.
• Manages and leads governance committees including the Retirement Plan Investment Committee and the Benefits Governance Committee to ensure that we are delivering best-in-class benefits in an efficient, effective, and cost-conscious way. Makes benefit recommendations to the Committees and plans/leads the implementation process of new programs.
• Ensures compliance with all federal, state, and local compensation and benefits regulations, including but not limited to; FLSA, ACA, ERISA, FMLA, MAPFML, Mass Pay Transparency, Secure Act, etc.
• Ensures the University’s leave management and ADA programs and processes are appropriately compliant; provide an informative and seamless process for all appropriate parties.
• In conjunction with compensation and academic leadership, meet with the Faculty and Salary Benefits Committee on compensation and benefits initiatives specific to the faculty.
• Collaborates with the VP of Human Resources to prepare, analyze, and present recommendations in moving new programs to approval and implementation.
• Works closely and collaboratively with Finance, Payroll, and the office of the General Counsel.
• Manages relationships with brokers, vendors, consultants, and other service providers.  Evaluates vendor performance, provides improvement feedback, and makes changes as necessary.
• Works with compensation, the president, the Compensation and Benefits Committee of the Board, and the University’s executive compensation partner on the University’s executive compensation program and philosophy.
• Works with the HR leadership team in the preparation of all board materials, including being present for board committee meetings.

HR Systems/Operations

• Manages the HR Systems/Operations team to ensure that all operational strategies and functions are aligned with the University’s goals and objectives.
• Works with the team to streamline and improve all HR business processes and workflows to enhance efficiency and effectiveness of the Workday HRIS system and workflows.
• Ensures that the system is fully optimized in generating data, dashboards and reports for managers and business partners in direct support of data-driven decision making and self-service efficiency.
• Effectively partner with IT and external vendors to maintain and enhance functionality of HR Sys