Position Summary

The Manager, Total Rewards is a senior leader responsible for the strategy, design, and execution of the company's non-sales compensation and rewards infrastructure — spanning payroll operations, benefits administration, compensation programs, and equity management. This role ensures that employees are paid accurately, competitively compensated, and clearly informed about the full value of their total rewards package.

This is a highly cross-functional role that partners closely with Finance, Legal, HR Business Partners, and Executive Leadership. They will lead a team of payroll professionals and are accountable for both operational excellence and long-term program strategy. The ideal candidate brings deep expertise across all four disciplines and the leadership presence to build high-performing teams, scale processes, and influence at the executive level.

Key Responsibilities

Payroll Operations

• Lead and manage a team of payroll professionals responsible for end-to-end payroll processing across all employee populations and jurisdictions — ensuring every payroll run is accurate, compliant, and on time.
• Oversee multi-state payroll tax compliance, including all filings and year-end reporting (W-2s, 1099s, etc.).
• Partner with Finance to align payroll data with general ledger entries and support monthly, quarterly, and annual close processes.
• Manage payroll systems and vendor relationships, driving system optimization and issue resolution.
• Establish and maintain payroll controls, audit processes, and documentation standards.

Compensation

• Design and administer competitive base pay and incentive compensation programs aligned with the company's compensation philosophy and market positioning.
• Lead annual compensation review cycles, including merit, bonus, and promotion processes, in partnership with HR Business Partners and Finance.
• Conduct regular market benchmarking and job evaluation to ensure compensation structures remain competitive and internally equitable.
• Develop and maintain job architecture, salary bands, and grade structures that scale with company growth.
• Advise People Business Partners and hiring Managers on offer construction, internal equity, and compensation decisions.
• Communicate compensation philosophy and program details clearly to Managers and employees.

Benefits Administration

• Lead the design, administration, and communication of the company's benefits programs, including medical, dental, vision, life insurance, disability, FSA/HSA, and 401(k).
• Own the annual open enrollment process from planning through execution, including employee communications, vendor coordination, and system updates.
• Continuously evaluate benefits programs against market benchmarks and utilization data, recommending enhancements to leadership.
• Ensure compliance with ACA, ERISA, COBRA, FMLA, and other applicable regulations.
• Serve as the escalation point for complex benefits inquiries and issue resolution.

Equity Program Management

• Oversee the administration of the company's equity programs, including stock options, in partnership with Legal and Finance.
• Manage equity plan data, participant records, and vesting schedules within the equity management platform (Shareworks).
• Coordinate with Legal on grant approvals, board resolutions, and Section 409A compliance.
• Partner with Finance on equity accounting and share pool management.
• Serve as the internal expert for employees on equity-related questions, including tax implications, exercise mechanics, and vesting timelines.
• Support equity refresh cycles, new hire grants, and any equity activity tied to M&A or fundraising events.

Leadership & Strategy

• Lead, develop, and grow a team spanning payroll, compensation, benefits, and equity — setting clear expectations, building capability, and fostering a culture of accuracy, service, and continuous improvement.
• Build scalable processes, controls, and documentation as the company grows.
• Establish a reporting cadence with Finance and leadership that provides visibility into payroll costs, benefits utilization, compensation spend, and equity pool health.
• Serve as a strategic thought partner to the VP, People, and Director, Compensation on total rewards strategy, workforce planning, and organizational design.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Finance, Accounting, Human Resources, Business Administration, or a related field.
• 10+ years of progressive experience in total rewards, with demonstrated expertise across payroll, compensation, benefits, and equity.
• At least 3 years of direct equity program management experience.
• Proven experience leading and developing a team.
• Hands-on experience with HRIS and payroll systems (UKG Workforce Management, preferred).
• Experience administering equity programs through a platform such as Carta, Shareworks, or Certent.
• Strong understanding of compensation design, market benchmarking methodologies, and job architecture.
• Deep knowledge of payroll tax compliance, benefits regulations, and equity.

Preferred Qualifications

• CPP (Certified Payroll Professional), CCP (Certified Compensation Professional), or CBP (Certified Benefits Professional) designation.
• Experience in a high-growth technology or pre-IPO company environment.
• Familiarity with equity administration in the context of fundraising rounds or M&A activity.
• Experience managing programs across multiple states or internationally.
• Advanced proficiency in Excel.

Skills and Competencies

Technical Skills

• Mastery of payroll processing, tax compliance, and multi-jurisdiction operations.
• Compensation program design: salary structures, job architecture, incentive plan mechanics, and benchmarking.
• Benefits plan design and administration, including carrier management and regulatory compliance.
• Equity plan mechanics: options, RSUs, ESPP, vesting, and cap table fluency.
• Financial acumen and the ability to partner effectively with Finance and Legal.
• Strong proficiency with HRIS, payroll, and equity management platforms.

Leadership & Interpersonal Skills

• Clear communicator who can translate complex compensation and rewards topics for employees at all levels.
• High degree of discretion and integrity when handling sensitive and confidential information.
• Detail-oriented with an unwavering commitment to accuracy.
• Proven ability to manage competing priorities and lead through ambiguity.
• Collaborative partner who builds strong cross-functional relationships.
• Strategic thinker who also rolls up their sleeves to get things done.

What Success Looks Like

In the First 90 Days

• Has completed a thorough audit of payroll, compensation, benefits, and equity processes — identifying any compliance risks or operational gaps.
• Has built strong working relationships with Finance, Legal, and the broader People team.
• Has a clear picture of current compensation structures, salary bands, and equity pool status.
• Is running payroll accurately and on time with no material errors.

Within the First Year

• Has successfully led at least one full compensation review cycle and one open enrollment cycle.
• Has implemented or improved at least one material process across any of the four functions — reducing manual work, improving accuracy, or enhancing the employee experience.
• Has developed or refreshed the company's compensation philosophy and salary band framework.
• Has established a reporting cadence that gives Finance and leadership clear visibility into total rewards spend and program health.
• Has built a cohesive, high-performing team with well-documented processes that scale with company growth.

Ongoing Indicators of Excellence

• Zero material payroll errors or compliance failures.
• Compensation programs are competitive, equitable, and clearly understood by Managers and employees.
• Benefits are well-utilized, cost-effective, and regularly benchmarked.
• Equity program is administered with precision, and employees feel supported through their equity journey.
• The Total Rewards function is viewed as a trusted, strategic partner by leadership and employees alike.
  
  

The salary range for this role is $135,000 - $149,000 + bonus + benefits