Total Rewards Manager (m/w/d)

Job Description

The Total Rewards Manager supports the strategic and operational delivery of Ulteig's Total Rewards and Wellbeing programs, with a primary focus on compensation. Reporting to the Director of Total Rewards and HR Operations, this role leads a team and partners with HR and business leaders to administer and evolve benefit and compensation programs, ensure market competitiveness and internal equity, support attraction and retention of talent, and help deliver a strong, positive employee experience across the United States, Canada, and Costa Rica.

What You'll Do

Compensation (Primary Focus)

• Lead the design, implementation, and administration of competitive, performance-based compensation programs, including base pay, incentive plans, and bonuses.
• Partner with department leaders and HR Business Partners to deliver compensation initiatives and rewards programs, providing analysis and recommendations to align pay programs with evolving team structures, business models, market dynamics, and performance objectives
• Develop and maintain a data-driven compensation framework that aligns with Ulteig's Total Rewards philosophy, supports talent acquisition and retention, and ensures market competitiveness
• Provide guidance and analysis on compensation topics, including internal equity, pay transparency, market competitiveness, and regulatory compliance, escalating complex matters as needed
• Lead the administration of compensation programs (e.g., merit budgets, grade structure, and position classifications) and oversee the ongoing maintenance of job descriptions
• Own the competitive benchmarking survey process and help ensure pay practices align with company goals and market trends
• Lead compensation cycles, including annual merit increases, incentive payouts, and promotion planning, ensuring consistent, fair, and timely execution across the company
• Support executive compensation processes, including short- and long-term incentive programs, in partnership with senior leadership and external advisors
• Partner with the finance team to support annual budgeting and quarterly incentive expense forecasting
• Lead annual compensation policy and equity reviews, partnering with HR Business Partners to identify and help address opportunity areas

Business & Team Leadership

• Lead and develop the Total Rewards team, including coaching, prioritization, delegation, and day-to-day direction to ensure high-quality service delivery
• Develop and execute communication plans-particularly for compensation programs and annual cycles-to promote understanding, consistency, engagement, and a positive employee experience across the organization
• Create and deliver tools, training, and guidance for leaders and managers on compensation and total rewards topics (e.g., pay decisions, job levels, incentive plans, and program utilization)
• Build team engagement and capability through regular 1:1's, team meetings, recognition, development plans, and learning opportunities
• Manage performance for direct reports through goal setting, feedback, development conversations, and participation in check-ins and annual reviews
• Support planning and management of the Total Rewards budget, including tracking, analysis, and forecasting, in partnership with the Director of Total Rewards and HR Operations

Benefits and Wellbeing

• Manage and support the design and delivery of Ulteig's employee benefits programs across multiple countries, ensuring alignment with the company's Total Rewards philosophy, workforce needs, and financial objectives. This includes health, welfare, retirement, and voluntary benefits
• Evaluate plan competitiveness, monitor market trends and employee preferences, and provide recommendations that enhance employee experience, support ease of use, and balance cost-effectiveness and compliance
• Manage and coordinate elements of the Ulteig Wellbeing program, supporting integration with the broader benefits strategy and alignment with organizational health, engagement, and productivity goals
• Manage relationships with benefits brokers and vendors, including ongoing performance management and support for RFPs, vendor changes, and implementations.
• Manage benefits operations and administration including plan renewals, open enrollment, eligibility, and various plan changes
• Partner with the finance team to support annual budgeting and benefits expense forecasting
• Develop and deliver effective communication strategies to inform and engage employees in Ulteig's benefits programs.
• Monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of current benefit offerings, providing recommendations on plan enhancements, innovations, or cost-containment opportunities that align with business goals
• Act as a liaison between the company and third-party benefit administrators

Other Key Activities

• Support merger and acquisition activities, contributing to due diligence, total rewards and compliance assessments, and compensation and benefits recommendations to support successful integration
• Stay abreast of changes and ensure compliance with local, state/provincial, and federal laws related to benefits, compensation, and wellbeing, including coordination of required reporting and filings
• Identify and implement opportunities to improve processes and systems, leveraging best practices and technology.
• Perform other duties as assigned

What We Expect from You

• Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or a related field OR equivalent experience; CCP preferred
• Minimum of 5 years of progressive experience in compensation (total rewards experience a plus)
• Prior people leadership experience (e.g., leading or managing a team, coaching and developing others, and performance management)
• Deep understanding of compensation best practices, market pricing, pay equity, and relevant regulations (e.g., FLSA, pay transparency), with working knowledge of benefits compliance frameworks (e.g., ACA, ERISA)
• Proven track record of designing and administering compensation structures and programs (e.g., salary ranges/grades, job leveling, incentives) aligned with business goals
• Experience managing annual compensation cycles
• Strong analytical and quantitative skills; high level of proficiency in Excel and compensation tools
• Ability to interpret complex data, develop insights, and make data-driven recommendations
• Strong communication and stakeholder management skills-able to partner with leaders, HR Business Partners, and cross-functional teams
• Strong project management skills and the ability to lead cross-functional initiatives
• Ability to organize and prioritize own workload and team workload
• Prior experience with compensation tools and survey platforms such as HRSoft, Mercer, Radford, Culpepper, etc
• Familiarity with HRIS platforms (e.g., UKG) and data reporting tools
• Experience creating and delivering clear employee communications related to total rewards
• Experience with benefits renewals, open enrollment, and vendor relationships is a plus
• Experience supporting multi-country or multi-state total rewards programs preferred
• Must have permanent authorization to work in the US
• Demonstrates openness to innovation by embracing and applying evolving technology and AI tools to enhance workflows, solve problems, and drive continuous improvement

As you consider applying for a position at Ulteig, we encourage you to think outside the box - because we do! You might not meet 100% of the skills listed in a description, but we are committed to hiring people with exceptional talent, ability and potential, and then creating an environment where they can become the best versions of themselves. We don't want to miss out on the possibility of speaking with the next outstanding Ulteig team member, so please apply if you think this role is a great match for your unique skills and strengths. And, yes, relevant military experience is absolutely considered for transitioning service members.

What You Can Expect from Ulteig

Ulteig is a purpose driven organization that has built a culture focused on people - both our clients and our employees -for over 80 years. Working at Ulteig is more than a job, opening opportunities to make an impact by creating and solving for a sustainable future. We recognize our success relies heavily on the dedication and focus of our workforce; this is why we make investing in our employees a top priority. We prioritize flexibility and staying connected to meet your needs and help you achieve your goals. We value your unique perspective, respect your individuality and celebrate your contributions. At Ulteig, we take our own success and the success of our clients personally.

We offer our team members:

• Flexible Workplace
• Employee Ownership
• Competitive Pay
• Comprehensive Benefits Package
• Collaborative Environment
• Innovative Culture

Our vision is to be the most trusted partners transforming our world's critical infrastructure. Ulteig connects people and resources to develop compelling, integrated solutions across multiple Lifeline Sectors??, including Power, Renewables, Transportation and Water. Ulteig is a trusted partner in engineering North America's essential infrastructure and leverages its expertise with a wide range of public and private clients.

At Ulteig, we care deeply about our team, listening to their needs and ensuring they have the tools necessary to be productive whether they choose to work remotely, hybrid or in office. Regardless of where you work, you are empowered to build a workday that best suits your strengths. We strive to ensure a balance and separation between home and work life. We support a flexible working schedule so employees are able to focus on what's important to them.

If you would like to be a part of a company that empowers their employees, apply today!

Ulteig is a Drug Free Workplace

ACHIEVE | GROW | COLLABORATE

Target Base Compensation Range for this role is $134,300 - $181,800

Factors that may be used to determine your actual salary include your job specific skills, education, training, job location, number of years of experience related to this role and comparison to other employees already in this role

This position will be posted for a minimum of 3 days and will continue to be posted for an average of 60 days until a qualified applicant is selected or the position has been cancelled.

Notice to Recruiters and Staffing Agencies: to protect the interests of all parties, Ulteig Engineers, Inc., will not accept unsolicited resumes from any source other than directly from a candidate or an approved vendor that has a written and signed agreement in place with Ulteig. Please do not contact or forward resumes to our company employees or locations. Any unsolicited resumes will be considered Ulteig property. Ulteig is not responsible for any charges or fees related to unsolicited resumes.