Lead Compensation and Benefits Specialist

Senior Compensation and Benefits Analyst - Job Overview

Company Background:

LCEC is dedicated to delivering dependable and competitively priced electricity to over 242,000 customers across a five-county region in Southwest Florida. With a workforce of approximately 435 skilled professionals, we stand as one of the more than 900 electric distribution cooperatives throughout the United States. Our commitment to excellence has earned us local and state recognition as an industry leader, reflecting the significant contributions of our employees to the community and their achievements in various civic, environmental, and professional arenas.

Role Summary:

The Senior Compensation and Benefits Analyst is tasked with the formulation, development, and execution of a holistic Compensation and Benefits framework, encompassing policies, practices, and guidelines. This role also includes oversight of LCEC's job description repository, ensuring that all job descriptions reflect the most current responsibilities and qualifications. Furthermore, the analyst will ensure adherence to all regulatory requirements concerning compensation and benefits. A key aspect of this position involves designing and managing a comprehensive Wellness Program that emphasizes the physical, mental, and financial wellbeing of employees. This includes overseeing the onsite Wellness Center and the services provided to employees and their families.

Key Responsibilities:

• Serve as a strategic collaborator to create, implement, and manage a Total Rewards program aimed at attracting, engaging, and retaining talent to fulfill business goals.
• Conduct detailed analyses, review utilization and experience data, and identify trends to assess program effectiveness; provide timely and actionable recommendations for improvements.
• Engage in complex administrative, technical, and analytical tasks supporting compensation governance related to salaries, allowances, incentives, and both fixed and variable bonuses, as well as organizational benefits and welfare plans.
• Exercise professional judgment to ensure compliance with ERISA, FLSA, IRS, and other relevant regulations concerning Compensation and Benefits.
• Review pay practices to guarantee compliance with applicable federal and state wage and hour laws and internal pay policies.
• Perform internal and external job evaluations to ensure an appropriate job evaluation system is utilized, determining the relative importance of roles and assigning suitable job grades.
• Establish a sound salary structure and administration process that links compensation to performance outcomes.
• Manage annual compensation activities, including market pay adjustments, merit increases, and short-term incentive plans, ensuring internal equity.
• Conduct specialized tasks related to compensation administration, salary surveys, position audits, and collective bargaining agreements; support the collective bargaining process by updating contract language and providing necessary documentation.
• Oversee vendor management, contract evaluations, plan design, system coordination, communication, and competitive benchmarking.
• Act as a liaison with Pension and 401(k) Administrators, Trustees, Insurers, and other entities to ensure cost-effectiveness and efficient program administration.
• Prepare annual budgets for compensation and benefits plans, assess actual personnel costs, and propose budget adjustments as needed.
• Serve as an internal consultant for management, HR teams, and employees regarding compensation and benefits inquiries.
• Develop and manage the organization's wellness initiatives and strategies aimed at enhancing the physical, mental, and financial health of all employees.
• Supervise the Wellness Center regarding services, prescriptions, immunizations, and programs available to employees and their families.
• Promote and educate staff and families about wellness opportunities.
• Provide timely and accurate information to employees concerning compensation and benefits.
• Facilitate employee onboarding and training related to compensation and benefits programs.
• Manage open enrollment processes for annual benefits selections.
• Address employee inquiries and concerns regarding compensation and benefits; escalate complex issues to the appropriate benefit vendor.
• Prepare reports and presentations related to compensation and benefits; create communication materials and deliver presentations to the organization, including Board of Trustees and Executive Steering Committee members.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor's Degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or a related field (Required).
• Master's Degree in Human Resource Management or a related discipline (Preferred).

Experience:

• A minimum of seven (7) years of proven experience in job evaluation and best practices in compensation analysis, including oversight of all compensation management programs (Required).
• A minimum of seven (7) years of demonstrated experience in benefits design, administration, and compliance, with a solid understanding of self-funded insurance plans (Required).

Skills and Competencies:

• Strong analytical abilities; adept at analyzing statistical and financial data to provide data-driven recommendations (Required).
• High level of professional discretion and capability to handle confidential information (Required).
• Experience with Human Capital Management (HCM) Systems (Required).
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively within a team (Required).
• Proficient in Microsoft Office, with advanced skills in Excel (Required).
• Extensive vendor management experience (Required).
• Knowledge of wage and hour regulations and compensation principles (Required).
• Detail-oriented, highly organized, with proven project management skills (Required).
• Exceptional time management abilities; capable of meeting deadlines (Required).
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to engage and influence stakeholders (Required).
• Ability to build effective working relationships at all organizational levels (Required).
• Customer service-oriented with a collaborative approach (Required).
• Hands-on problem-solving skills (Required).
• Results-driven mindset (Required).
• Strong business acumen (Required).
• Familiarity with data analytics and modeling (Preferred).
• Prior experience in a Union environment (Preferred).
• Previous strategic-level work experience (Preferred).

Physical Requirements and Work Environment:

The physical demands and work environment characteristics described here must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of the role. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential job functions.

Physical Demands:

• Occasional standing and walking.
• Constant sitting.
• Rarely lifting, carrying, pushing, pulling, climbing, balancing, stooping, kneeling, crouching, crawling, reaching, handling, grasping, feeling.
• Constant talking and hearing.
• Frequent repetitive motions and coordination of eye/hand/foot.

Work Environment: Primarily an air-conditioned office setting, with rare exposure to extreme temperatures, humidity, or hazardous conditions.

Emergency Response Requirements: Participation in emergency response activities is a condition of employment. Employees are expected to fulfill their regular job duties or other assigned tasks during emergencies to maintain service to LCEC members. Compensation will be provided in accordance with company guidelines.

All candidates will undergo a background check and drug screening prior to receiving a job offer.