Total Rewards Manager

Total Rewards Manager Department: Human Resources (CT) Employment Type: Full Time

Location:
Chester, CT Reporting To: Jen Anderson Compensation: $140,000
- $160,000 / year Description Whelen Engineering is formalizing Total Rewards as a dedicated HR capability. The Manager, Total Rewards will serve as Whelen's primary compensation and benefits subject matter leader, with responsibility for administering and continuously improving compensation, job architecture, salary structures, benefits, recognition, and related Total Rewards programs. Whelen has recently implemented a job architecture, Career Pathways framework, and salary bands. A near-term priority for this role will be to operationalize and govern these tools so they are used consistently in offers, promotions, career movement, market pricing, merit planning, and other pay decisions. This is a hands‑on functional leadership role. The Manager will work closely with HR Business Partners, who remain the primary advisors to business leaders, and will provide the tools, market data, guidance, and specialized support needed for consistent Total Rewards decisions. The role reports to the VP of Human Resources, serves on the HR Leadership Team, and partners closely with Finance and HRIS & HR Operations. Duties and Responsibilities Compensation & Job Architecture Own day-to-day administration and governance of Whelen's compensation programs, job architecture, Career Pathways, and salary structures. Maintain job families, levels, titles, and salary bands; evaluate new or changing roles and ensure consistent job mapping and market positioning. Conduct market pricing and benchmarking, maintain compensation survey sources, and recommend periodic updates to salary structures and pay practices. Maintain practical compensation guidelines and decision tools for offers, promotions, internal moves, retention adjustments, and other pay actions. Use the job architecture and salary bands as the foundation for consistent pay and career decisions across the organization. Compensation Planning & Administration Lead the annual merit and salary planning cycle in partnership with Finance, HR Business Partners, and HRIS & HR Operations, including budgeting, manager guidance, execution, and reporting. Provide HR Business Partners with market data, pay guidance, and recommendations for individual compensation decisions while preserving the HRBP as the primary business-facing advisor. Administer and improve variable pay and other compensation programs, supporting design changes as business needs evolve. Monitor internal equity, range positioning, pay compression, market competitiveness, and other compensation trends and recommend appropriate actions. Benefits & Vendor Management Oversee benefits program management in partnership with Whelen's broker, vendors, and internal stakeholders. Oversee renewals, plan changes, vendor performance, employee communications, and resolution of significant service issues. Monitor cost, utilization, service, and employee experience metrics and identify practical opportunities to improve program value and delivery. Recognition & Total Rewards Communication Support the administration and continuous improvement of Whelen's employee recognition programs. Partner with Employee Engagement and Communications Lead to create clear tools and communications that help employees and managers understand compensation philosophy, salary bands, Career Pathways, benefits, and the broader value of Total Rewards. Equip HR Business Partners with resources and guidance for effective manager and employee conversations about pay and rewards. Systems, Analytics & Governance Partner with the Manager, HRIS & HR Operations to maintain job, compensation, merit, and related Total Rewards processes in Workday, including data quality, configuration requirements, testing, and reporting. Maintain policies, process documentation, controls, and governance needed for consistent, compliant, and defensible Total Rewards decisions. Produce clear compensation and benefits analyses for HR leadership, Finance, HR Business Partners, and other stakeholders. Partnership & Leadership Build a strong operating partnership with HR Business Partners, who remain the primary relationship owners for business leaders and a critical delivery channel for Total Rewards programs. Partner with Talent Management to ensure job architecture, Career Pathways, and compensation programs support career development, internal mobility, succession, and talent priorities. Partner with Finance, HRIS & HR Operations, and external advisors on workforce cost modeling, program administration, compliance, and process improvement. Serve as a core member of the HR Leadership Team and contribute Total Rewards expertise to broader HR priorities. Education and Experience Required 6+ years of progressive HR experience, including at least three ye