Director, Total Rewards

Overview

The Director, Total Rewards provides strategic leadership and oversight for DCH Health System's total rewards programs, including compensation, employee benefits, retirement programs, wellness and other employee reward programs. This position is responsible for the development, implementation, administration, evaluation, and continuous improvement of comprehensive total rewards strategies that attract, retain, engage, and motivate employees while supporting the organization's financial, operational, and workforce objectives.

The Director serves as a strategic advisor to executive leadership, Human Resources leadership, and organizational leaders on compensation and benefits matters. The position ensures that total rewards programs are competitive, equitable, cost-effective, compliant, and aligned with DCH Health System's mission, vision, values, and strategic priorities.

The Director oversees the design and administration of compensation structures, job evaluation and classification, market pricing, pay equity, salary administration, incentive and premium pay programs, employee benefits, retirement plans, and related programs. The Director also leads vendor and third-party administrator relationships, evaluates market trends and emerging practices, develops cost projections and recommendations, and ensures compliance with applicable federal and state laws and regulations.

This position requires strong business acumen, analytical expertise, sound judgment, exceptional communication skills, and the ability to translate complex compensation and benefits information into clear, actionable recommendations for leadership and employees.

Responsibilities

Strategic Total Rewards Leadership

Develop, implement, and continuously evaluate a comprehensive Total Rewards strategy that supports DCH Health System's organizational objectives, workforce strategy, employee value proposition, recruitment, retention, engagement, and financial goals.

Serve as the subject matter expert and strategic advisor to executive leadership, HR leadership, and organizational leaders on compensation, benefits, pay equity, retirement programs, and other total rewards matters.

Monitor external market trends, industry practices, workforce trends, legislative developments, and emerging total rewards practices to ensure DCH's programs remain competitive, relevant, equitable, and sustainable.

Establish and maintain effective governance, policies, procedures, and processes for compensation and benefits programs, ensuring consistency, transparency, compliance, and appropriate internal controls.

Compensation

Design, develop, implement, and administer compensation programs, including base pay structures, salary ranges, market pricing, job classification, job evaluation, merit increases, promotional increases, market adjustments, differentials, premiums, incentives, and other special pay programs.

Conduct regular market analyses, salary surveys, and benchmarking studies to assess the competitiveness of DCH compensation programs and make recommendations regarding market positioning and pay practices.

Evaluate job descriptions and conduct job evaluations and job audits to determine appropriate job classification, internal equity, market competitiveness, and compensation placement.

Lead the development and maintenance of compensation structures and salary ranges for clinical and non-clinical positions, ensuring appropriate alignment between internal equity and external market competitiveness.

Analyze compensation data to identify pay equity concerns, compression, market gaps, inconsistencies, and other compensation issues. Develop recommendations and corrective strategies as appropriate.

Develop structure redesign proposals, cost impact analyses, and alternative compensation scenarios for review by HR and executive leadership.

Establish and oversee processes for annual compensation planning, including merit increases, market adjustments, promotional increases, and other compensation actions.

Partner with Talent Acquisition and HR leadership to develop competitive and internally equitable compensation recommendations for new hires, promotions, transfers, retention situations, and other employment actions.

Provide guidance and consultation regarding complex wage and salary matters and serve as a key resource for leaders and employees regarding compensation policies and practices.

Develop and deliver compensation education and best-practice training to leaders, managers, HR professionals, and other appropriate stakeholders.

Benefits and Retirement

Direct and oversee the day-to-day administration and strategic management of DCH Health System's employee benefit programs, including group medical, dental, vision, short- and long-term disability, workers' compensation, life insurance, travel and accident plans, flexible spending accounts, retirement plans, and other employee benefit programs.

Research benefit plans, vendors, funding approaches, and emerging market practices to identify opportunities that provide competitive employee value while supporting organizational financial objectives.

Design, recommend, and implement new or modified benefit programs, plan designs, funding strategies, and administrative processes.

Negotiate with benefit vendors, carriers, consultants, brokers, and third-party administrators regarding plan options, services, performance, contracts, and rates.

Serve as the primary strategic contact for benefit vendors, consultants, carriers, third-party administrators, and other external partners.

Oversee the administration of benefit programs and processes, including enrollments, eligibility, qualifying life events, COBRA, terminations, beneficiary changes, disability, accident and death claims, retirement plan transactions, rollovers, QDROs, QMCSOs, distributions, loans, hardship withdrawals, and compliance testing.

Oversee employee benefit records, benefit databases, HRIS information, and related payroll records to ensure data integrity, confidentiality, accuracy, and timely processing.

Oversee the collection, validation, reconciliation, and processing of monthly benefit billing, premiums, administrative fees, and related payment documentation.

Analyze benefit utilization, claims experience, plan performance, costs, services, coverage, employee needs, and competitive trends to identify opportunities for improvement.

Coordinate and oversee benefit plan audits and actuarial assessments. Prepare, collect, validate, and organize data required for actuarial analysis and other financial or compliance reviews.

Develop short- and long-range cost projections and statistical analyses associated with benefit plan changes, new programs, funding strategies, and other total rewards initiatives.

Develop and implement benefits cost-containment strategies, including alternative funding, plan design, vendor, and administrative approaches.

Compliance, Risk Management, and Governance

Ensure compensation and benefits programs comply with applicable federal and state laws, regulations, reporting requirements, and regulatory guidance.

Maintain current knowledge of applicable requirements, including ACA, ERISA, COBRA, FMLA, ADA, Section 125, workers' compensation, Medicare, Social Security, Department of Labor requirements, pay equity requirements, and other applicable compensation and benefits regulations.

Ensure the timely and accurate completion of required filings, reporting, notices, fees, audits, compliance testing, and regulatory requirements.

Develop and maintain appropriate documentation and administrative procedures for compensation and benefits processes.

Conduct periodic audits of compensation and benefits processes, records, transactions, and controls to ensure accuracy, consistency, compliance, and operational effectiveness.

Identify potential compliance, financial, operational, and employee-relations risks associated with total rewards programs and develop appropriate mitigation strategies.

Data, Analytics, and Technology

Analyze compensation and benefits data to evaluate program effectiveness, cost, utilization, competitiveness, equity, and employee impact.

Develop dashboards, reports, presentations, and other analytical tools to communicate total rewards trends, costs, risks, and recommendations to leadership.

Oversee the accuracy and integrity of compensation and benefits information maintained within HRIS, payroll, benefits administration, and related systems.

Partner with HRIS, Payroll, Finance, Information Technology, and other stakeholders to optimize technology, reporting, data integration, and processes supporting total rewards administration.

Evaluate and implement process improvements and technology solutions that increase efficiency, reduce administrative burden, improve employee experience, and strengthen data accuracy and controls.

Leadership and Employee Experience

Lead, supervise, develop, coach, and evaluate total rewards staff to ensure effective service delivery, professional development, accountability, and achievement of department objectives.

Promote a high level of customer service by ensuring employees and leaders receive timely, accurate, professional, and understandable information regarding compensation and benefits programs.

Develop communication strategies and educational resources that help employees understand the value of their total rewards and make informed decisions regarding compensation and benefit programs.

Collaborate with Talent Acquisition, HR Business Partners, HR leadership, Finance, Payroll, and organizational leaders to ensure compensation and benefits programs support recruitment, retention, employee engagement, and workforce strategies.

Maintain professional affiliations and participate in professional activities appropriate to the scope of responsibility. Stay current on industry trends, emerging practices, regulatory changes, and professional standards.

Promote DCH Health System's culture of service and quality excellence through teamwork, respectful communication, maintenance of a professional environment, partnership with those we serve, and anticipation of patient/customer needs.

Adhere to and serve as a role model for compliance with DCH Health System's policies, procedures, mission, vision, values, and standards.

Manage the Total Rewards budget and resources effectively, including monitoring expenditures, forecasting costs, reconciling budgeted funds, and developing budget recommendations.

DCH Standards: 

• Maintains performance, patient and employee satisfaction and financial standards as outlined in the performance evaluation.
• Performs compliance requirements as outlined in the Employee Handbook
• Must adhere to the DCH Mission, Vision, and Values including creating positive relationships with patients/families, coworkers, colleagues and with self.
• Performs essential job functions in a manner that ensures the safety of patients, visitors and employees.
• Identifies and reduces unsafe practices that may result in harm to patients, visitors and employees.
• Recognizes and takes appropriate action to reduce risks and hazards to promote safety for patients, visitors and employees.
• Requires use of electronic mail, time and attendance software, learning management software and intranet.
• Must adhere to all DCH Health System policies and procedures.
• All other duties as assigned.

Qualifications

Required:

• Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, Finance, Accounting, or a related field required.
• A minimum of seven years of progressively responsible professional experience in compensation, benefits, total rewards, or a related HR discipline, including significant experience with both compensation and employee benefits.

Other Skills:

• Demonstrated experience developing, implementing, administering, and evaluating comprehensive compensation and benefits programs.
• Experience in a leadership role with responsibility for supervising, coaching, developing, and evaluating staff.
• Experience with compensation structures, job evaluation, market pricing, salary surveys, pay equity, benefits plan design, vendor management, and total rewards strategy.
• Experience developing cost projections, financial analyses, budgets, and business cases related to compensation and benefits programs.
• Strong knowledge of federal and state laws and regulations affecting compensation and employee benefits, including ACA, ERISA, COBRA, FMLA, ADA, Section 125, workers' compensation, Medicare, Social Security, Department of Labor requirements, and applicable pay equity requirements.
• Strong knowledge of compensation principles, benefits plan design, market data, benchmarking methodologies, and total rewards best practices.
• Ability to evaluate and negotiate vendor proposals, RFPs, contracts, plan designs, rates, and service agreements.

Must be able to read, write legibly, speak, and comprehend English.

Working Conditions

Work Context

Requires frequent face-to-face and telephone contact with others at all organizational levels, internal and external applicants and other customers.  Work is fast paced and unpredictable in a customer service environment.  Deals with external customers and may require occasionally dealing with conflict and/or an angry person.  Requires constant use of email. Works as part of a team. Requires individual outcomes as well as team-based outcomes.

Work is primarily performed in a clean, indoor and temperature-controlled environment with no unusual physical effort. May require performing tasks in moderately close proximity to others. Cognitive abilities required include deductive reasoning, information ordering, oral comprehension, oral expression, problem sensitivity, written comprehension, and written expression.

This position will involve analyzing data and information, having the ability to work independently or in a team environment, preparing written letters and memos, critical thinking and using good judgment in decision making.

Physical Factors

• Primarily sedentary work. Exerting up to 10 pounds of force occasionally and/or negligible amount of force frequently or constantly to lift, carry, push, pull or otherwise move objects. Involves sitting the majority of the time. Walking and standing are required occasionally throughout the work day. Manual and finger dexterity required. May require the ability to stoop, kneel and/or crouch on occasion.
• Local and/or long-distance travel may be required.
• Must be able to perform the duties with or without reasonable accommodation.
• Hearing and vision must be normal or corrected to within normal range.
• Physical presence onsite is essential.