Director, Total Rewards

Founded in 2013, Home Chef is the leading meal solutions company with both a retail and online presence. Available online at homechef.com and in retail at more than 2,100 Kroger grocery stores, Home Chef is committed to inspiring and enabling more people to cook simple, delicious meals, no matter how busy they are.

In 2023, Home Chef introduced a new brand, Tempo! Tempo features a rotating selection of ready-to-heat meals delivered directly to your door. These meals are better-for-you versions of familiar favorites, designed to save you time and reduce stress while maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Our Tempo menu includes options that are protein-packed, fiber-rich, calorie and carb conscious, keto-friendly, and dietitian-approved.

Similar to our recipes, we recognize that variety is the spice of life, and therefore, our employees also bring their uniqueness and color to our fantastic team. We’re eager to work with humble team players and pragmatic next-level thinkers to innovate on Home Chef’s offerings.

The Director of Total Rewards is responsible for the design, implementation, and administration of comprehensive benefits, compensation, and leave programs for the organization. This role ensures that our offerings are competitive, cost-effective, and aligned with our organizational goals and employee needs. Additionally, this role will oversee the Human Resources Information System (HRIS) and HR operations, ensuring efficient processes, data integrity, and compliance with relevant regulations. This role is pivotal in ensuring our Total Rewards philosophy attracts, motivates, and retains top talent while aligning with business goals, organizational culture, and fiscal responsibility. The ideal candidate is both a strategic thinker and a hands-on practitioner who brings strong analytical skills, deep service orientation, and the ability to lead and inspire a team. This position requires a seasoned Total Rewards professional with a proven track record leading complex programs across diverse employee populations. The ideal leader brings the expertise, judgment, and business acumen to balance strategic priorities with practical execution in a fast-paced, growth-oriented environment.

Detailed Responsibilities

Benefits and Compensation:

• Conduct regular market analysis to identify trends, gaps, and opportunities within compensation and benefits programs; develop and implement compensation and benefits strategy that aligns with the company's objectives and supports talent acquisition and retention when gaps or opportunities are identified.
• Oversee the design and administration of salary structures, health, wellness, retirement, and other employee benefit programs.
• Evaluate and negotiate with benefits vendors to ensure high-quality, cost-effective offerings.
• Develop and maintain compensation and benefits policies and procedures.
• Prepare and present reports to senior leadership on compensation and benefits metrics, strategies, and initiatives.Ensure all programs are compliant with federal, state, and local laws and regulations; conduct regular audits to ensure accuracy and compliance.
• Ensure consistent service delivery and a high quality employee experience.
• Maintain flawless audit, reconciliation, and control processes to ensure accuracy with payments, data feeds, and employee records / enrollments. 

Leave Administration:

• Oversee the design, implementation, and administration of all leave of absence programs, including FMLA, ADA, and state-mandated leaves, ensuring alignment with legal requirements, service standards, and organizational policies.
• Partner with HR Business Partners, our Third Party Administrator, Payroll, and other stakeholders to maintain accurate tracking, timely approvals, and seamless coordination of benefits.
• Continuously improve leave processes and communications to deliver a consistent, supportive, and positive employee experience while mitigating organizational risk.

HR Operations:

• Lead and manage HR operations, ensuring efficient and effective HR processes and workflows.
• Manage and oversee the existing Human Resources Information System (ADP), ensuring data integrity, security, and accuracy.
• Oversee employee records management, including accurate and compliant documentation.
• Implement process improvements to enhance HR service delivery and employee experience.
• Ensure alignment of HR operations with organizational policies and regulatory requirements.

Leadership and Team Management:

• Lead and develop a team of benefits, compensation, and HR operations professionals (team of 4-5).
• Provide guidance and support to HR business partners and managers on compensation and benefits matters.
• Foster a culture of continuous improvement, service orientation, and professional development within the team.

Qualifications
The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, ability and/or other characteristics needed for this role. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities.

• 10+ years of experience in total rewards, with at least 5 years in a leadership role.
• Proven experience in designing and managing health and welfare, retirement (401k), and compensation programs in a complex, multi-site organization.
• Deep knowledge of regulatory, compliance, and governance requirements across programs (ERISA, ACA, HIPAA, COBRA, Section 125, etc.). 
• Thoroughly experienced in managing audits, filings (Form 5500, 720, etc.), and employee disclosures.
• Proven ability to manage and optimize relationships with benefits brokers, carriers, and third-party vendors to ensure quality service, compliance, and cost efficiency.
• Exceptional relationship management and influencing skills; adept at partnering across HR and business functions to deliver consistent, high-quality service and a thoughtful employee experience aligned with business realities.
• Demonstrated ability to design and oversee rigorous audit and reconciliation controls ensuring accuracy, data integrity, and compliance
• Robust experience overseeing leave of absence programs, including FMLA, S/LTD, ADA, PMFL, and state leave administration, with a focus on compliance, employee support, and process consistency.
• Strong analytical and financial modeling skills; ability to translate data into actionable insights.
• Excellent communication and influencing skills with the ability to work effectively across all levels of the organization.
• Proficiency in HRIS and compensation/benefits software.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and projects in a fast-paced environment.
• Demonstrated ability to lead and develop high-performing teams.

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