Director, Total Rewards

OVERVIEW

A thriving mission-driven multimedia organization NPR produces award-winning news information and music programming in partnership with hundreds of independent public radio stations across the nation. The NPR audience values information creativity curiosity and social responsibility and our employees do too. We are innovators and leaders in diverse fields from journalism and digital media to IT and development. Every day our employees and member stations touch the lives of millions worldwide.

Across our organization were building a workplace where collaboration is essential diverse voices are heard and inclusion is the key to our success. We are committed to doing the right thing in our journalism and in every role at NPR.This means that integrity adherence to our ethical standards and compliance with legal obligations are fundamental responsibilities for every employee at NPR.

Intro to Position

The Director of Total Rewards leads modernizes and directs the operational foundations of benefits and compensation programs at NPR responsible for developing and driving a total rewards strategy that supports a culture of high performance to attract reward and retain top talent. Reporting to the SVP People and working collaboratively across the People Team Finance and broader NPR leadership this is a pivotal role requiring a unique balance of high-level strategic design and high-touch operational execution and understanding.

The Director of Total Rewards will bring deep expertise in compensation and benefits administration and strong knowledge of retirement plans and will serve as a key partner to the HRIS/People Systems team to ensure that systems data eligibility rules benefits deductions reporting and related processes accurately support total rewards programs. This role requires strong technical knowledge keen attention to detail and the ability to identify audit and help improve legacy processes and systems issues.

The ideal candidate will bring a strong understanding of compensation and benefits operations retirement plan administration and HR systems. They must be comfortable driving change strengthening controls improving processes and working cross-functionally with HRIS Payroll Finance Legal external vendors auditors and senior organizational leadership.

Responsibilities

Benefits

• Benefits Strategy & Innovation: Lead the overall benefits strategy incorporating a data-driven approach to recommendations and implementation of changes and improvements to our programs to maintain competitive advantage and meet the needs of the organization
• Benefits & Retirement Program Administration: Provide strategic direction and oversight for all of the organizations comprehensive benefits offerings leave programs and retirement plans ensuring compliance testing plan document accuracy and successful audits.
• Vendor & Broker Management: Oversee relationship management with health and benefit providers third-party benefits advisors and brokers. Direct the administration of benefit enrollment processes and leave programs.
• Administration Issue Resolution: Proactively identify troubleshoot and resolve complex benefits and retirement plan administration issues successfully correcting legacy errors resolving vendor data discrepancies closing process controls gaps and resolving systems configuration concerns.

Compensation

• Compensation Framework & Analytics: Develop and drive a unified compensation strategy aligned with broader HR objectives utilizing robust data-driven analytics and modeling to evaluate market conditions manage pay equity frameworks and guide evidence-based salary decisions.
• Annual Cycles & Budget Ownership: Direct the annual compensation planning process and own overall fiscal responsibilities for total rewards budgets partnering closely with Finance to manage compensation and benefits resources cost-effectively.
• Project Execution & Communications: Personally lead complex compensation and benefits projects from initial concept through design modeling and successful organization-wide implementation. Partner closely with the SVP of People HR Business Partners and additional stakeholders to ensure that total rewards programs are seamlessly integrated into broader HR and organizational strategies; author transparent communication materials and deliver structured training for leadership and staff on NPRs total rewards philosophy.
• Ensure compliance with legal requirements and governance related to compensation and benefits programs

Systems Audits & Compliance

• HRIS Partnership: Serve as a close partner to the People Systems team to ensure total rewards programs are accurately configured administered reported and maintained within UKG; collaborate directly on system configuration eligibility rules and code setup to identify inaccuracies and improve data controls.
• Data Auditing & Internal Controls: Develop standard operating procedures (SOPs) data validation routines and process audit trails to proactively identify and resolve legacy total rewards-related processes.
• Total Rewards Compliance Leadership: Lead benefits and compensation compliance activities across the organization ensuring compliance with any relevant federal state and local laws including total reward regulations (e.g. ACA Form 5500 and ERISA reporting).
• Data Integrity & Reporting: Ensure total rewards data and reporting are accurate timely and useful for leadership decision making employee communications and audit inquiries.

Team Leadership & Development

• People Management: Direct mentor and coach the internal benefits and compensation team establishing a culture of accountability high accuracy professional growth and proactive customer service.

The above duties and responsibilities are not an exhaustive list of required responsibilities duties and skills. Other duties may be assigned and this job description can be modified at any time.

Minimum Qualifications

• Professional Leadership & Strategy: 10 years in benefits and compensation with at least 4 years in a leadership role showcasing deep expertise in the development of strategy and the administration of total rewards programs.
• Advanced HRIS Expertise: Proven experience managing configuring or optimizing enterprise-grade HRIS platforms with specific advanced expertise utilizing UKG (Ultimate Kronos Group) modules
• Team Leadership & Development: Demonstrated ability to lead and develop a high-performing team in a complex collaborative organization
• Benefits & Retirement Plan Administration: Strong knowledge of benefits administration retirement plan administration a strong understanding of state-mandated benefit programs and comprehensive knowledge of employer-sponsored retirement plans specifically 403(b) and 401(k) structures
• ERISA Fiduciary & Compliance Fluency: Robust knowledge of ERISA fiduciary responsibilities nondiscrimination testing plan audits Form 5500 reporting and retirement plan compliance; proven experience working directly with retirement plan recordkeepers trustees and investment advisors
• Analytical Auditing & Issue Resolution: Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with a proven ability to use data to drive decisions audit complex datasets and resolve data discrepancies process and control gaps and legacy system issues.
• Compensation Practice Mastery: Strong understanding of compensation practices including salary bands market pricing pay equity incentive programs and compensation governance
• Advisory Communication & Vendor Negotiation: Excellent interpersonal oral and written communication skills with the ability to provide strategic advice and counsel to senior leadership and negotiate effectively with insurance and benefit vendors

Preferred Qualifications

• Industry Certifications: Active professional designations such as CCP or CMS SPHR or SHRM-CP or CEBS preferred
• Collective Bargaining Experience: Experience developing and administering benefits and compensation programs in a unionized environment
• Retirement Plan Compliance Testing: Experience supporting retirement plan audits plan corrections compliance testing and plan governance

Key Competencies

• Exceptional attention to detail and commitment to accuracy
• Ability to understand how total rewards programs are operationalized through People Systems Payroll and vendor systems
• High degree of accountability ownership and follow-through
• Ability to build credibility with the People Team Finance Legal external vendors and senior leadership

Education Requirements

• Bachelors degree or equivalent in work experience

Work Location & Requirements

• Hybrid Permitted: This is a hybrid permitted role. The employee will be required to be in the Washington D.C. office at least 2 days a week. The employee must also reside in Washington D.C. / Maryland / Virginia.

Job Type

• This is a full-time exempt position.

Compensation

Salary Range: The anticipated U.S.-based salary range for this opportunity is $167000 - $184500 plus benefits. The range displayed reflects the minimum and maximum salaries NPR expects to provide for new hires for the position across all US locations.

NPR Benefits: NPR provides comprehensive benefits for employees and dependents. Regular full-time employees scheduled to work 30 hours or more per week are eligible to enroll in NPRs benefits options. Benefits include access to health and wellness paid time off and financial well-being. Plan options include medical dental vision life/ accidental death and dismemberment long-term disability short-term disability and voluntary retirement savings to all eligible NPR employees.

Does this sound like you If so we want to hear from you.

#LI-HYBRID

NPR is an Equal Opportunity Employer. NPR is committed to being an inclusive workplace that welcomes diverse and unique perspectives all working toward the same goal to create a more informed public. Qualified applicants receive consideration for employment without regard to race color ethnicity national origin ancestry age religion religious belief sex (including pregnancy childbirth and related medical conditions lactation and reproductive health decisions) sexual orientation gender gender identity or expression transgender status gender non-conforming status intersex status sexual stereotypes nationality citizenship status personal appearance marital status family status family responsibilities military status veteran status mental and physical disability medical condition genetic information genetic characteristics of yourself or a family member political views and affiliation unemployment status protective order status status as a victim of domestic violence sexual assault or stalking or any other basis prohibited under applicable law.

If you are a person with a disability needing assistancewith the application process please reach out to .

You may read NPRsto learn about how NPR may handle information you submit with any application.

Want more NPR Explore the stories behind the stories on our NPR Extra social with NPR Extraon Facebook and Instagram. Find more career opportunities at Experience:

Director