Compensation Manager

Talent Xpanse; California (MO); Hybrid; USD 112,000 - 168,000; Full time

Job summary

Talent Xpanse seeks a Compensation Manager in Orange County, CA to design and administer competitive, equitable pay programs for 600+ U.S. employees, overseeing base pay, job architecture, and annual cycles while aligning with Finance on Mexico compensation.

You will lead benchmarking, annual bonus planning, and merit adjustments, ensure FLSA/pay equity compliance, and maintain HRIS data integrity. This hybrid role supports cross-border compensation practices and strategic guidance.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of progressive experience in compensation, with at least 2 years in a compensation manager or senior analyst capacity.
• Experience with survey participation and market pricing tools (Radford, Mercer, WTW, or similar).
• Strong working knowledge of U.S. compensation regulations (FLSA, pay transparency, and state-specific pay equity laws).
• Experience with compensation data benchmarking, pay structure and cost impact analysis, providing market pricing, and building and designing salary structures.
• Demonstrated HR best practices within compensation and strong analytical skills.

Responsibilities

• Design and administer competitive, equitable compensation programs aligned with total rewards.
• Own base pay structures, job architecture, and annual compensation cycles for 600+ U.S. employees.
• Partner with HR and Finance to ensure Mexico compensation remains market-competitive and compliant.
• Lead benchmarking, surveys, and annual bonus program calculations and communication.
• Maintain job evaluation and leveling processes for internal equity and market benchmarks.
• Ensure compliance with local, state, and federal regulations including pay equity laws.
• Maintain data integrity in HRIS and planning tools; support data queries and analysis.
• Advise leaders on pay decisions; train managers on compensation philosophy and communication.

Skills

Excel

PowerPoint

Education

Bachelor's degree in HR, Business, Finance

CCP certification

Tools

Radford

Mercer

WTW

Job description

Job Title: Compensation Manager

Location: Orange County, CA

Hybrid Schedule

• Onsite: Tuesday/Wednesday/Thursday
• Remote: Monday/Friday

Role Overview

The Compensation Manager implements and administers competitive, equitable, and compliant compensation programs that support the organization's total rewards strategy. This role manages base pay structures, job architecture, and annual compensation cycles for the company’s 600+ U.S. employees, while partnering with HR and Finance to ensure compensation practices in Mexico remain market-competitive and compliant with local requirements. The Compensation Manager acts as a subject-matter expert to HR Business Partners, Talent Acquisition, and people leaders, translating compensation philosophy and market data into practical guidance that helps the business attract, retain, and fairly reward talent.

Compensation Program Design & Administration

• Partners with senior HR leaders to advise, maintain and continuously improve compensation structures and programs.
• Conduct regular market benchmarking and manage participation in compensation surveys.
• Oversee the annual bonus program, including calculations, approvals, communication, and delivery.
• Lead the annual compensation planning cycle, including merit increases and promotional adjustments, in partnership with HR Business Partners and Finance.
• Own job evaluation and leveling processes, ensuring new and existing roles are evaluated consistently against internal equity and market benchmarks.
• Recommend and implement improvements to compensation programs, tools, and processes to support evolving business needs.

Compliance & Governance

• Ensure compensation programs comply with applicable local, state, and federal regulations, including FLSA exemption classification, pay transparency and pay equity laws, and minimum wage requirements across all geographic areas where employees are located.
• Conduct regular pay equity audits and partner with HR and Legal to remediate identified gaps.
• Maintain accurate compensation documentation, including job descriptions, salary structures, and any other required documents for retention and compliance.

Systems & Data Integrity

• Own compensation data integrity within the HRIS (e.g., SuccessFactors, Workday, ADP) and compensation planning tools, including system configuration for merit and bonus cycles.
• Partner with the HRIS Manager to maintain data integrity in compensation-related systems, including running queries and analyzing data.

Partnership & Consultation

• Provide guidance to HR and management on pay decisions, policy and guideline interpretation, and job evaluations.
• Serve as the primary point of contact for compensation questions from HR Business Partners, recruiters, and people leaders.
• Train and advise managers and HR partners on compensation philosophy, pay structures, and communicating pay decisions to employees.
• Support the design and communication of total rewards statements that reflect the full value of pay and benefits employees globally.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Business, Finance or a related field.
• 5+ years of progressive experience in compensation, with at least 2 years in a compensation manager or senior analyst capacity.
• Experience with survey participation and market pricing tools (Radford, Mercer, WTW, or similar).
• Strong working knowledge of U.S. compensation regulations (FLSA, pay transparency, and state-specific pay equity laws).
• Experience with compensation data benchmarking, pay structure and cost impact analysis, providing market pricing, and building and designing salary structures.
• Deep knowledge of HR best practices within compensation.
• Strong analytical skills, including market sizing, pricing analysis, competitive benchmarking and forecasting, with the ability to translate complex data into clear, actionable recommendations for non-technical stakeholders and executives.
• Demonstrated project-management skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities and align with Finance partners and internal stakeholders.
• Excellent communication and consulting skills, with the ability to build credibility with HR partners and business leaders at all levels.
• Strong proficiency in Microsoft Excel and PowerPoint.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience working in a manufacturing, consumer goods, or related industry and/or experience with a blended exempt/non-exempt workforce.
• Familiarity with global compensation, specifically Mexico (China and Vietnam are a plus).
• Certified Compensation Professional (CCP) designation.

Compensation

The projected annual salary is estimated at $112,406 - $168,000 per year, based on years of demonstrated experience, representing the span of the range. The actual compensation will be formulated by the client and may vary based on factors that include, but are not limited to, the position offered, work experience, education, training, and commensurate experience.

Equal Opportunity Employer

Talent Xpanse and our clients is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to providing a workplace that is inclusive and free of discrimination and harassment. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. We encourage individuals of all backgrounds to apply. We believe in creating a diverse and inclusive workplace where all employees feel valued and respected, and where differences are embraced as strengths. We are dedicated to fostering an environment that promotes equality and celebrates diversity.