Vice President, Total Rewards & People Operations

Job Description:

We’re looking for a strategic, business-minded People leader who thrives at the intersection of rewards, systems, data, and operational excellence—and who brings a strong point of view on how people infrastructure enables growth. You will be a trusted partner to the Chief People Officer and executive leadership, guiding decisions that shape how we attract talent, manage labor cost, scale systems, and deliver a consistent employee experience across a growing, multi state organization of approximately 900 employees.
This role is responsible for building and evolving compensation, benefits, HR systems (Workday), HR data & analytics, with payroll accountability possibly transitioning into scope over time. You’ll build influence across functions such as Finance, Legal, IT, and Payroll, and ensure our people programs are thoughtfully designed, well governed, and ready to scale.
If you’re someone who can zoom out to set strategy, zoom in to strengthen execution, and communicate with clarity and credibility at the executive and Board level, this role offers the opportunity to make a lasting impact. You’ll help shape a people infrastructure that supports growth, builds trust with leaders and employees, and reflects a culture grounded in transparency, accountability, and care for the employee experience.

Key Responsibilities

Total Rewards Strategy & Executive Partnership

• Develop and own a total rewards strategy that supports business growth, workforce needs, and financial sustainability for a multi‑state workforce.
• Serve as a trusted advisor to the Chief People Officer, and people leaders across the business on compensation, benefits, job architecture, HR operations and HRIS
• Provide analysis and insights to support executive and Board‑level discussions related to rewards and workforce strategy.
• Lead, coach, and develop a team across compensation, benefits, HR operations, analytics, and (over time) payroll.

Compensation

• Design, maintain, and evolve compensation programs that are competitive, internally equitable, and compliant with federal and state requirements.
• Oversee job architecture, leveling frameworks, and market pricing across roles and geographies.
• Partner with Finance on annual compensation cycles, incentive programs, and labor cost planning.
• Proactively review current compensation programs and recommend changes or modification to base, bonus, and short and long term incentive programs to drive effective talent attraction and retention

Benefits

• Own the strategy, design, and administration of health, welfare, retirement, wellness, and leave programs.
• Balance employee experience, cost management, and consistency across a geographically distributed workforce.
• Manage broker and vendor relationships, including renewals, negotiations, and performance oversight.

HRIS (Workday) & People Operations

• Provide executive oversight for Workday as the core HRIS, ensuring data integrity, usability, and scalability.
• Partner with People Operations, IT, and Finance to optimize system configuration, reporting, integrations, and governance.
• Define the HR technology roadmap in alignment with organizational growth and operational needs.
• Establish strong data ownership, controls, and process discipline across HR systems.

Payroll (Phased Accountability)

• Bring prior payroll leadership experience to inform governance, risk management, and system integration.
• Partner closely with Finance and existing payroll leaders to ensure accurate, timely, and compliant payroll operations across multiple states.
• Assume expanded accountability for payroll over time, as the organization continues to mature its people infrastructure and operating model.
• Strengthen controls, vendor partnerships, and audit readiness in preparation for full ownership.

HR Data & Analytics

• Build practical and scalable people analytics capabilities that support compensation decisions, workforce planning, and executive reporting.
• Establish standard dashboards and metrics focused on headcount, labor cost, and trends.
• Translate complex data into clear, actionable insights for senior leaders.

Compliance, Risk & Scalability

• Ensure compliance with federal, state, and local employment, benefits, and payroll‑related regulations.
• Partner with Legal and Finance to proactively identify and mitigate people‑related risk.
• Design programs, systems, and governance models that scale beyond 900 employees without unnecessary complexity.

Required Qualifications

• 10–15+ years of progressive experience in Total Rewards, Compensation, Benefits, or HR Operations.
• Proven leadership across compensation, benefits, HRIS (Workday), and people analytics.
• Experience working in a multi‑state U.S. environment with strong regulatory awareness.
• Strong business and financial acumen, with a collaborative approach to partnering with Finance and executive leadership.
• Demonstrated ability to lead both strategically and operationally in a growing organization.
• Demonstrated ability to coach and lead a high performing team of HR professionals

Preferred Qualifications

• Prior experience overseeing or partnering closely with payroll functions; direct payroll ownership a plus but not required initially.
• Experience in a mid‑sized organization (500–2,000 employees) during periods of growth, systems evolution, or operational transformation.
• Exposure to pay transparency initiatives, pay equity analysis, or HR technology optimization.
• Relevant certifications (e.g., CCP, CEBS) or advanced degree.

What Success Looks Like

• Clear, competitive, and compliant total rewards programs that leaders trust and employees understand.
• A well‑governed, optimized Workday environment supporting accurate data and decision‑making.
• Strong partnership with Finance on labor cost planning and payroll readiness.
• Scalable systems and processes that support continued growth and complexity.

Why This Role Matters

This role sits at the intersection of people, data, systems, and dollars. The Vice President of Total Rewards will directly influence how the company attracts talent, manages cost, mitigates risk, and builds a consistent employee experience across the U.S.

Base Pay Range: Annualized salary range offered for this position is estimated to be $200,000 - $220,000. However, the actual pay range depends on each candidate’s experience, location, and qualifications.

Variable Pay: Discretionary annual bonus, based on personal and company performance. 

#LI-Hybrid

Not meeting every single requirement? No problem! We are looking for candidates who possess unique skills that set them apart from the rest. If you're enthusiastic about this role and believe you have the skills and abilities that would make you successful, don't hesitate to apply today!

Benefits of working at Flexential:  
•    Medical, Telehealth, Dental and Vision  
•    401(k)  
•    Health Savings Accounts (HSA) and Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA)  
•    Life and AD&D  
•    Short Term and Long-Term disability  
•    Flex Paid Time Off (PTO)  
•    Leave of Absence  
•    Employee Assistance Program  
•    Wellness Program  
•    Rewards and Recognition Program  

Benefits are subject to change at the Company's discretion.  

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EEOC Statement: Flexential is an equal opportunity employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, pregnancy, age, national origin, disability status, genetic information, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.