Compensation and Benefits Director

Ardagh Group; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 137,000 - 205,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical plans

Prescription coverage

Dental and vision

FSA

Life insurance

401(k) match

Paid holidays

Vacation

STD/LTD

EAP

Apprenticeship programs

Professional development

Job summary

Ardagh Metal Packaging in Chicago, IL seeks a Director of Compensation and Benefits to lead the design, administration, and governance of compensation, benefits, and payroll across all locations. This hands-on role drives strategic direction while handling key transactional activities and overseeing payroll service relationships.

The position requires a background in unionized manufacturing, strong analytical skills, and expertise in HRIS/payroll systems, with a focus on compliance and

Qualifications

• 8+ years of progressive compensation and benefits experience, including 3+ years leading people.
• Direct experience administering programs in a unionized, multi-site manufacturing environment.
• Ownership of outsourced or managed-service payroll relationships.
• Strong analytical and modeling skills; advanced Excel and HRIS/payroll proficiency.
• Sound judgment handling confidential compensation and employee data.

Responsibilities

• Own the salaried job architecture, salary structures, and market benchmarking; recommend annual structure movement and merit budget.
• Administer the annual merit, incentive, and total compensation review cycles.
• Cost and model wage proposals for collective bargaining; administer negotiated wage schedules and progression rules.
• Advise HR and operations leaders on offers, promotions, equity issues, and FLSA classification.

Skills

Analytical skills

Modeling skills

Leadership

HRIS/payroll proficiency

Education

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

Advanced degree or CCP/CEBS preferred

Tools

Excel

HRIS/payroll platforms

Job description

Role Description

The Director of Compensation and Benefits leads the design, administration, and governance of compensation, benefits, and payroll across all plant and corporate locations. This is a hands‑on leadership role responsible for both strategic direction and day‑to‑day execution, including personally performing and overseeing key transactional and administrative activities. Serves as the technical owner of pay and benefit programs for both salaried and hourly populations and manages the third‑party managed payroll service relationship, including service levels, data integrity, internal controls, accurate service delivery, regulatory compliance, and operational excellence across the organization.

Role Description

The Director of Compensation and Benefits leads the design, administration, and governance of compensation, benefits, and payroll across all plant and corporate locations. This is a hands‑on leadership role responsible for both strategic direction and day‑to‑day execution, including personally performing and overseeing key transactional and administrative activities. Serves as the technical owner of pay and benefit programs for both salaried and hourly populations and manages the third‑party managed payroll service relationship, including service levels, data integrity, internal controls, accurate service delivery, regulatory compliance, and operational excellence across the organization.

Compensation

Key Responsibilities

• Own the salaried job architecture, salary structures, and market benchmarking; recommend annual structure movement and merit budget.
• Administer the annual merit, incentive, and total compensation review cycles.
• Cost and model wage proposals for collective bargaining; administer negotiated wage schedules and progression rules.
• Advise HR and operations leaders on offers, promotions, equity issues, and FLSA classification.

Benefits

• Manage health, welfare, retirement, and leave programs for salaried and bargained populations, including plans governed by the Master CBA.
• Lead annual renewal and open enrollment; manage brokers, carriers, and third‑party administrators.
• Ensure compliance with ERISA, ACA, HIPAA, COBRA, and applicable plan documents; oversee 5500 filings, audits, and nondiscrimination testing.

Payroll (Managed Service)

• Own the managed payroll service relationship: SLAs, escalations, issue resolution, and continuous improvement.
• Ensure accurate, timely, compliant multi‑state payroll, including contractual pay rules, shift premiums, and retroactive adjustments.
• Maintain internal controls, approval workflows, and audit readiness; own payroll calendar and year‑end processes.
• Serve as the primary internal point of accountability for payroll accuracy.

Analytics & Leadership

• Deliver labor cost, headcount, and benefit spend reporting to HR, Finance, and executive leadership.
• Maintain HRIS data integrity for pay, benefit, and job structure records.
• Identify and implement opportunities to automate recurring processes, reduce manual administration, and make compensation, benefits, and payroll workflows leaner, more accurate, and easier to sustain.
• Operate as a working leader, balancing strategic program leadership with direct involvement in the day‑to‑day administration of compensation, benefits, and payroll processes.
• Personally execute and support transactional activities as needed, including compensation analyses, payroll issue resolution, benefits administration, reporting, audits, system updates, and employee inquiries.
• Provide hands‑on support during peak periods, organizational changes, acquisitions, annual compensation cycles, open enrollment, payroll year‑end activities, and other critical business initiatives.
• Lead and develop a small team of compensation, benefits, and payroll professionals.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in HR, Business, Finance, or related field; advanced degree or CCP/CEBS preferred.
• 8+ years of progressive compensation and benefits experience, including 3+ years leading people.
• Direct experience administering programs in a unionized, multi‑site manufacturing environment.
• Demonstrated ownership of an outsourced or managed‑service payroll relationship.
• Strong analytical and modeling skills; advanced Excel and HRIS/payroll platform proficiency.
• Sound judgment handling confidential compensation and employee data.

Ardagh Metal Packaging is a leading global supplier of sustainable, infinitely recyclable metal beverage cans to brand owners. A subsidiary of sustainable packaging business Ardagh Group and a leading industry metal packaging company, Ardagh Metal Packaging employs more than 6,300 people across Europe, North America and Brazil, with sales of approximately $4.7 billion.

Ardagh Metal Packaging believes that the success of our business depends on the success of our people. We strive to create working environments where our employees feel valued and can work to their full potential. We offer exciting and rewarding opportunities for talented and creative people. If you have ambition and want to make an impact with your career, come and join our team – you’ll enjoy the journey!

Ardagh Metal Packaging – North America has been and will continue to be an equal opportunity employer. All employment decisions are made without regard to sex, gender (including pregnancy, childbirth, breast feeding, and related conditions), sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, race, creed, religion (including religious dress and grooming), color, national origin, ancestry (including association, affiliation, and participation with persons or activities related to national origin, English‑proficiency or accent, or immigration status), physical or mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, marital or domestic partner status, age, veteran or military status or any other basis prohibited by federal, state, or local law. Discrimination against any employee or applicant based on any of these factors is prohibited.

The anticipated base annual salary range for this role is between $136,900.00 and $205,300.00 per year. This role is bonus eligible. The bonus incentive program is based on the company meeting or exceeding certain targets. Please note that the salary range provided is a good faith estimate and is only applicable for roles that are based out of Illinois. The final salary will be determined after considering relevant factors, including, but not limited to, a candidate’s qualifications, experience, and work location, where appropriate.

Benefits Offered

• Medical, prescription, dental and vision plans
• Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA)
• Life insurance
• 401(k) retirement plan with company match
• Paid holidays and vacation
• Short‑and Long‑Term Disability (STD/LTD)
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
• Apprenticeship programs
• Professional and personal development opportunities through Employee Resource Groups

Please note the compensation and benefits information above is accurate as of the date of this posting. Ardagh reserves the right to modify this information at any time in accordance with applicable law.