Benefits & Compensation Manager

County Materials Family of Companies; Marathon City (WI); On-site; USD 110,000 - 170,000; Full time

Job summary

County Materials Family of Companies in Marathon Wisconsin seeks a Benefits & Compensation Manager to lead the design, administration, and continuous improvement of employee benefits, compensation, and leave programs.

You will partner with HR and leadership on market analysis, salary administration, benefit design, and leave management, delivering compliant, cost-effective programs and actionable analytics to support workforce decisions.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in HR, business, finance, accounting, or related field.
• Five+ years of experience in compensation, employee benefits, total rewards, or related HR functions.
• Experience analyzing compensation/benefit programs and translating data into actionable recommendations.
• Experience working with HRIS, benefits administration, and compensation data.
• Strong proficiency with Microsoft Excel and data analysis.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Lead the administration and evaluation of employee benefit programs, including design and renewal.
• Oversee leave programs (FMLA, disability, approved leaves) and ensure compliance with laws.
• Develop, administer, and evaluate compensation programs, structures, and guidelines.
• Perform market pricing, benchmarking, and job evaluations to ensure internal equity.
• Produce compensation/benefit analytics and reporting for budgeting and workforce planning.

Skills

Communication

Data analysis

Education

Bachelor's degree in HR, Business Administration, Finance, Accounting, or related field

Tools

Microsoft Excel

HRIS

Job description

We’re hiring a Benefits & Compensation Manager to join the County Materials Family of Companies in Marathon Wisconsin

Job Summary

The Benefits and Compensation Manager is responsible for the development, administration, analysis, and continuous improvement of the organization's employee benefits, compensation, and leave management programs. This position ensures programs are competitive, cost-effective, internally equitable, administered consistently, and aligned with the organization's overall business and talent strategies.

The Benefits and Compensation Manager serves as a subject matter expert and strategic partner to Human Resources and business leaders on compensation, benefit plan design, market competitiveness, job evaluation, salary administration, incentive programs, and leave management.

Job Duties & Responsibilities

Benefits Strategy & Administration

• Lead the administration and ongoing evaluation of employee benefit programs, including medical, dental, vision, life, disability, retirement, employee assistance, wellness, and voluntary benefit programs.
• Evaluate benefit-plan performance, utilization, employee needs, market competitiveness, and cost trends.
• Partner with benefit brokers, consultants, carriers, and vendors to evaluate coverage, service levels, plan alternatives, costs, and opportunities for improvement.
• Recommend benefit program and plan-design changes to HR leadership.
• Lead the annual benefits renewal and open enrollment processes.
• Establish and monitor administrative processes to ensure accurate employee enrollment, eligibility, deductions, vendor feeds, and benefit records.
• Oversee employee benefit communications and educational materials.
• Provide guidance to HR team members and employees regarding benefit-plan provisions and complex benefit issues.
• Monitor benefit expenditures and support development of benefit budgets and forecasts.

Leave Management & Tracking

• Oversee the administration and coordination of employee leave programs, including FMLA, short-term disability, long-term disability, personal leaves, military leave, state-mandated leaves, and other company-provided leaves of absence.
• Ensure leave programs are administered consistently and in accordance with applicable federal and state requirements and company policies.
• Serve as the subject matter expert for HR team members and managers regarding leave eligibility, available leave options, documentation requirements, and return-to-work processes.
• Provide guidance regarding the interaction between FMLA, ADA accommodations, disability benefits, workers' compensation, paid time off, and other applicable leave programs.
• Maintain effective processes for tracking employee leaves, available leave time, required documentation, certification deadlines, benefit continuation, and return-to-work dates.
• Monitor active leave cases and partner with HR representatives to ensure timely follow-up with employees and managers.
• Coordinate with disability, leave administration, workers' compensation, and benefit vendors to resolve complex cases and ensure accurate administration.
• Oversee required employee notices and communications related to leave eligibility, approvals, extensions, exhaustion of leave, and return-to-work requirements.
• Partner with Payroll and HRIS teams to ensure employee leave status, pay impacts, benefit deductions, and return-to-work information are accurately reflected in applicable systems.
• Identify employees approaching or exhausting available leave and work with HR partners to determine appropriate next steps.
• Maintain appropriate leave documentation and records while protecting employee confidentiality.
• Analyze leave activity and trends to identify opportunities for improved administration, employee communication, cost management, and process efficiency.
• Develop and maintain leave procedures, tools, training materials, and resources for the HR team.
• Provide training and ongoing guidance to HR staff and managers regarding leave administration and their responsibilities in the leave process.

Compensation Strategy & Administration

• Develop, administer, and continuously evaluate the organization's compensation programs, structures, policies, and practices.
• Maintain and evaluate salary structures, pay grades, job levels, ranges, and compensation guidelines.
• Conduct market pricing and compensation benchmarking using appropriate external salary surveys and market data.
• Analyze internal and external compensation data to evaluate market competitiveness and internal equity.
• Partner with HR leadership and business leaders on starting salaries, promotions, transfers, market adjustments, and other compensation decisions.
• Lead or support the annual compensation planning process, including merit increases, salary structure reviews, and compensation recommendations.
• Conduct job evaluations and provide recommendations regarding job classifications, levels, titles, and appropriate compensation ranges.
• Establish consistent methodologies for evaluating positions based on responsibilities, scope, complexity, knowledge, experience, and organizational impact.
• Monitor compensation trends and recommend adjustments to compensation programs as business and labor-market conditions change.
• Support the design and administration of incentive, bonus, and other variable compensation programs, where applicable.
• Develop compensation analyses and executive-level reporting to support workforce planning, budgeting, and compensation decisions.
• Partner with HRIS and Payroll to ensure compensation changes, structures, and programs are accurately configured and administered.

Compliance & Governance

• Maintain benefit and compensation programs in accordance with applicable federal, state, and local laws and regulations.
• Monitor regulatory developments affecting compensation and employee benefits and recommend appropriate program or administrative changes.
• Support compliance associated with applicable requirements such as ERISA, ACA, COBRA, FMLA, and other benefit-related regulations.
• Conduct or coordinate periodic audits of compensation and benefit programs, employee data, plan eligibility, and administrative processes.
• Coordinate required testing, reporting, disclosures, documentation, and other compliance activities with appropriate internal and external partners.
• Maintain appropriate confidentiality and controls related to employee compensation, benefits, and other sensitive employee information.

Data Analysis & Reporting

• Develop and monitor key compensation and benefit metrics.
• Analyze salary, market, benefit utilization, claims, cost, participation, and workforce data to identify trends and opportunities.
• Prepare analyses and recommendations regarding compensation competitiveness, internal equity, benefit costs, and program effectiveness.
• Develop financial models and scenarios to evaluate proposed compensation or benefit changes.
• Partner with Finance, Payroll, HRIS, and HR leadership to provide accurate data for budgeting and workforce planning.
• Maintain accurate compensation and benefits information within the organization's HRIS and related systems.

COUNTY Core Competencies

The expected behaviors of all COUNTY team members that align with Our Values and Our Commitments:

• Integrity & Organizational Awareness
• Customer First Focus
• Results Driven Orientation

  Job-Based Competencies

  • HR Operations
  • Operational Policy Development
  • Employee Data Management

    Experience & Qualifications: (Required or Preferred)

    • Education: Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, Finance, Accounting, or a related field.
    • Experience:
      • Five or more years of progressively responsible experience in compensation, employee benefits, total rewards, or related Human Resources functions.
      • Demonstrated experience analyzing compensation and/or benefit programs and translating data into actionable recommendations.
      • Experience working with HRIS, benefits administration, and compensation data.
    • Skills:
      • Strong proficiency with Microsoft Excel and data analysis.
      • Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
    • Licenses/Certificates: Professional certification (preferred but not required), such as CCP (Certified Compensation Professional), CEBS (Certified Employee Benefit Specialist), CBP (Certified Benefits Professional), SHRM-CP/SHRM-SCP, or PHR/SPHR

    Work Environment

    • Work is typically performed in an office environment with periodic visits to manufacturing or operating locations.
    • Exposure may include: Noise
    • Travel required: [10%]
    • Typical work hours/shifts: Standard business hours

    Physical & Work Expectations

    An individual in this position must be able to successfully perform the essential duties and responsibilities listed above. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of this position.

    • Frequent standing, walking, bending, reaching, or handling materials/equipment.
    • Occasional climbing, kneeling, crawling, or lifting/moving up to 25 pounds.
    • Ability to concentrate, follow detailed instructions, communicate effectively, and safely perform job duties.