Sr. Manager, Total Rewards

Who is Trace3?

Trace3 is a leading Transformative IT Authority, providing unique technology solutions and consulting services to our clients. Equipped with elite engineering and dynamic innovation, we empower IT executives and their organizations to achieve competitive advantage through a process of Integrate, Automate, Innovate.

Our culture at Trace3 embodies the spirit of a startup with the advantage of a scalable business. Employees can grow their career and have fun while doing it!

Trace3 is headquartered in Irvine, California. We employ more than 1,200 people all over the United States. Our major field office locations include Denver, Indianapolis, Grand Rapids, Lexington, Los Angeles, Louisville, Texas, San Francisco.  

Ready to discover the possibilities that live in technology?

Come Join Us!

Street-Smart - Thriving in Dynamic Times

We are flexible and resilient in a fast-changing environment. We continuously innovate and drive constructive change while keeping a focus on the “big picture.” We exercise sound business judgment in making high-quality decisions in a timely and cost-effective manner. We are highly creative and can dig deep within ourselves to find positive solutions to different problems.

Juice - The “Stuff” it takes to be a Needle Mover

We get things done and drive results. We lead without a title, empowering others through a can-do attitude. We look forward to the goal, mentally mapping out every checkpoint on the pathway to success, and visualizing what the final destination looks and feels like.

Teamwork - Humble, Hungry and Smart

We are humble individuals who understand how our job impacts the company's mission. We treat others with respect, admit mistakes, give credit where it’s due and demonstrate transparency. We “bring the weather” by exhibiting positive leadership and solution-focused thinking. We hug people in their trials, struggles, and failures – not just their success. We appreciate the individuality of the people around us.

About the role:

The Senior Manager of Total Rewards is a dynamic hands-on leader responsible for shaping and driving Trace3’s compensation, benefits, and total rewards programs. This role leads the design, implementation, and management of competitive compensation structures, innovative benefits offerings, and impactful total rewards programs that attract, retain, and engage top talent. With a focus on market trends and data-driven insights, the Senior Manager ensures that all rewards programs align with business goals, scales with our growth, supports a high-performing culture, while enhancing employee satisfaction and driving organizational success.

As a key member of the People and Organizational Health (POH) leadership team, the Sr. Manager of Total Rewards is a high-impact role for someone who thrives at the intersection of data, business alignment, and employee experience. This role will work collaboratively to provide expert compensation and benefits guidance to our People Partners, Talent Acquisition, Payroll, Finance, Services Organization and managers at all levels.   

What you'll do: 

Compensation Program Management:

• Oversee the design and development of total rewards programs to ensure alignment with overall company philosophy and culture
• Provide strategic guidance to People Partners and business leaders on compensation decisions, internal equity, and job leveling
• Configure and maintain compensation management tools and systems, HRSoft, to support annual cycles, including building workflows, eligibility rules, budgeting, and approval processes.
• Spearhead the quarterly variable compensation and annual process merit review cycle
• While continuously building strong relationships, actively partner and collaborate with senior leadership and business leaders in Engineering, Sales and Headquarters on all compensation matters
• Evaluate and compare existing total rewards with those of other employers by analyzing other plans, surveys, and other sources of information
• Participate in industry market salary surveys; analyze results of surveys and develop specific recommendations for review by leadership
• Provide expertise regarding the strategic design, implementation, communication, and administration of Trace3’s compensation programs, including annual and long-term incentives, equity incentives, and executive compensation
• Develop salary increase budgets and structure in coordination with the Finance Team
• Perform job analysis and evaluation to determine proper classification and determine appropriate salary level according to compensation guidelines and policy
• Prepare analyses, materials, and recommendations for the senior leadership team
• Develop and conduct analysis such as compensation statistics, project analytics and modeling and testing market comparisons
• Collaborate with People Partners in the development of initiatives
• Develop base pay and total cash integration strategies for employees joining the company through merger and acquisition activities
• Design tools, guidelines, templates, and communication materials to effectively educate employees, managers, executives, and People and Org Health teammates on all compensation programs
• Ensure compliance with applicable compensation and benefits regulations (e.g., FLSA, ERISA, ACA, SB 1162) and keep abreast of trends to make recommendations for changes and improvements

Benefits Program Management:

• Lead the development, administration, and continuous improvement of comprehensive employee benefits programs, including health, wellness, retirement, disability, and life insurance offerings
• Ensure benefits packages are competitive, cost-effective, and aligned with market trends to support employee well-being and retention
• Regularly evaluate the effectiveness of current benefits programs through employee feedback, market benchmarking, and utilization data to identify opportunities for improvement or innovation
• Drive annual benefits renewals, open enrollment, and serve as the primary point of contact for benefits related vendor relationships, ensuring contracts and relationships are managed effectively to deliver high-quality services at the best possible cost
• Oversee the open enrollment process, ensuring clear communication and seamless execution for employees
• Own Total Rewards reporting and analytics, leveraging data to drive decisions and storytelling.
• Implement wellness programs and other employee initiatives that promote overall health and work-life balance

Team Leadership:

• Lead and mentor a team of Compensation and Benefits Analysts, providing guidance, support, and opportunities for professional development
• Foster a high-performance, collaborative team environment that promotes efficiency, innovation, and continuous improvement in compensation and benefits administration.
• Ensure the team efficiently administers compensation and benefits programs, maintains data accuracy, and supports day-to-day operations including maintenance of our POH ticketing system, Zendesk
• Provide overall leadership, direction, and education for the broader People and Organizational Health Team, collaborating with other POH leaders to ensure alignment across all HR functions to support Trace3’s strategic goals
• Performs other job-related duties as assigned

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or a related field
• 7+ years of experience in compensation and benefits management, with at least 3 years focused specifically on compensation program management.
• Advanced Excel skills and comfort with HRIS and compensation tools (e.g., UKG, Workday, Radford, Mercer). Strong working knowledge of Microsoft Office.
• Certified Compensation Professional (CCP) designation strongly preferred
• Previous experience working in a high-growth, fast paced technology sales organization
• Experience in the design and market evaluation of all elements of compensation, including base, variable, equity compensation, and commission plans
• Proven leadership experience, including overseeing and mentoring a team of analysts, fostering collaboration, and driving team performance in the total rewards function
• Mergers and acquisition experience is required  
• Must possess strong financial modeling, excel skills, and business acumen
• Experience conducting and analyzing market salary surveys
• Ability to develop analytical tools and models to forecast and manage plan expenses, and drive performance through plan design, review, and evaluation
• In-depth knowledge and experience in managing comprehensive benefits programs, including health, wellness, retirement, and insurance offerings, with a strong understanding of regulatory compliance (e.g., ERISA, HIPAA, ACA).
• Proven track record in vendor management, benefits plan design, and optimization, with the ability to assess program effectiveness and implement innovative solutions that enhance employee satisfaction while controlling costs
• Ability to build and maintain strong and effective working relationships across the organization with People Partners, Talent Acquisition, Finance, Legal, Payroll and other teams
• Solid foundation of HCM systems, e.g., UKG, Workday, PeopleSoft, SAP, experience with HR Soft a big plus.
• Self-starter, ability to work in a dynamic, fast paced environment
• Willing to take risks and tackle large, complex projects even if outside the scope of expertise
• Continuous learning mindset, takes advantage of ideas, best practices, and solutions developed elsewhere and effectively translates
• Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal
• Strong project management skills, with the ability to handle multiple projects simultaneously; ensuring tasks are completed and deadlines are met as required

The Perks:

• Comprehensive medical, dental and vision plans for you and your dependents
• 401(k) Retirement Plan with Employer Match, 529 College Savings Plan, Health Savings Account, Life Insurance, and Long-Term Disability
• Competitive Compensation
• Training and development programs
• Stocked kitchen with snacks and beverages
• Collaborative and cool culture
• Work-life balance and generous paid time off

***To all recruitment agencies: Trace3 does not accept unsolicited agency resumes/CVs. Please do not forward resumes/CVs to our careers email addresses, Trace3 employees or any other company location. Trace3 is not responsible for any fees related to unsolicited resumes/CVs.