Manager, Total Rewards

Alvarez & Marsal Deutschland GmbH; City of Rochester (NY); On-site; USD 110,000 - 135,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Healthcare plans

401(k) plan

Paid time off

Job summary

Alvarez & Marsal Deutschland GmbH seeks a Manager, Total Rewards to lead retirement and financial benefit programs across the U.S. and Canada, including 401(k) and cash balance plans, while guiding a team responsible for day-to-day administration.

The role requires strong retirement plan expertise, collaboration with Payroll, Legal, and HRIS, and the ability to clearly communicate complex provisions. This position offers opportunities to influence benefits strategy and drive program enhancements.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in HR, business, or related field.
• 6+ years in Total Rewards/Benefits with focus on retirement plan administration.
• Experience with recordkeepers, actuaries, auditors, and payroll/finance support.
• Knowledge of ERISA, plan documentation, audits, nondiscrimination testing, and governance.
• Ability to explain retirement provisions clearly and practically.
• Strong analytical skills with data modeling and cost projections.
• Experience with Workday and benefits platforms.
• Excellent communication and leadership skills.

Responsibilities

• Lead administration of retirement and financial benefit programs across the U.S. and Canada.
• Lead, coach, and support a team responsible for program administration and employee questions.
• Act as a trusted resource on retirement plan administration and plan provisions.
• Help manage cash balance plan operations, including data reviews and benefit calculations.
• Support plan governance, notices, funding, census requests, and audit support.
• Partner with Payroll, Finance, Legal, Compliance, HRIS, and vendors.
• Build vendor partnerships and drive process improvements for a smoother employee experience.
• Create clear employee communications, FAQs, and educational materials.
• Analyze benefits data to support decision-making and program recommendations.
• Lead or support projects such as RFPs, enrollment, plan changes, and vendor transitions.
• Stay current on U.S. and Canadian retirement compliance and share updates.

Skills

Total Rewards

Retirement Plan Admin

401(k)

Data Analysis

Communication

Project Management

Governance

HRIS

Stakeholder Mgmt

Education

Bachelor's degree in HR/Business

Tools

Workday

HRIS systems

Job description

Description

About Alvarez & Marsal

Alvarez & Marsal (A&M) is a leading independent global professional services firm, specializing in providing turnaround management, performance improvement and corporate advisory services. With over 10,000 professionals based in 70+ locations across North America, Europe, Asia, and Latin America, our firm excels in problem solving and value creation. Drawing on a strong operational heritage and hands-on-approach, our professionals work closely with organizations and stakeholders to help tackle complex business issues and maximize value.

The Team

As Manager, Total Rewards, you will lead retirement and financial benefit programs that support employees across the U.S. and Canada, including 401(k), cash balance, registered retirement savings, and financial wellness programs. In this role, you will guide a team responsible for day-to-day administration, employee support, compliance coordination, vendor relationships, issue resolution, and stakeholder partnership, while helping improve processes and create a more seamless employee experience. This role is a strong fit for someone with retirement plan expertise, including hands-on experience with cash balance plans and registered retirement savings plan (RRSP) administration, who enjoys solving complex problems, building trusted relationships, and making technical benefits topics clear and practical.

How you will contribute

• Lead the administration of retirement and financial benefit programs across the U.S. and Canada, including 401(k), cash balance, registered retirement saving plan (RRSP), and financial wellness programs.
• Lead, coach, and support a team responsible for program administration, employee questions, issue resolution, and operational execution.
• Act as a trusted resource on retirement plan administration, including cash balance plan and registered retirement savings plan provisions, participant questions, stakeholder guidance, and employee communications.
• Help manage cash balance plan operations, including the review of annual interest credits and pay credits, participant data reviews, benefit calculations, and eligibility questions.
• Support cash balance plan governance and compliance by assisting with plan document reviews, required notices, annual funding and census requests, audit support, nondiscrimination testing coordination, and clear participant-facilitating explanations of plan features and account balance changes.
• Partner with Payroll, Finance, Legal, Compliance, HRIS, People Business Partners, and external vendors to deliver programs accurately, compliantly, and on time.
• Build strong vendor partnerships, manage escalations, support reporting needs, and identify process improvements that make the employee experience smoother and more consistent.
• Create clear employee communications, FAQs, presentations, and educational materials that make retirement and financial benefit programs easy to understand.
• Support Benefits strategy by analyzing benefits data (including but not limited to program effectiveness, market competitiveness, employee experience and cost trends) to support decision-making, reporting and program recommendations.
• Lead or support projects such as RFPs, annual enrollment, plan changes, vendor transitions, service model enhancements, policy updates, and employee education campaigns.
• Stay current on U.S. and Canadian retirement, financial benefit, and compliance requirements, and share relevant updates and recommendations with key stakeholders.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or a related field
• 6+ years of progressive Total Rewards/Benefits experience, ideally with a strong focus on retirement plan administration, including 401(k), cash balance plans and registered retirement savings plans.
• Experience working with recordkeepers, actuaries, auditors, legal counsel, payroll, finance, and HR partners to support accurate and compliant retirement plan administration.
• Working knowledge of retirement plan compliance, including ERISA, plan documentation, audits, nondiscrimination testing, participant notices, and related governance activities.
• Ability to explain complex retirement plan provisions, cash balance plan concepts, and compliance requirements in a clear, practical, and approachable way.
• Advanced analytical skills with expertise in data analysis, financial modeling, and benefits cost projections
• Proven experience with HRIS (Workday) and benefits administration platforms
• Strong strategic thinking and problem-solving skills, with the ability to handle complex, multi-faceted benefits issues
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to influence and interact effectively with senior executives and employees at all levels
• Demonstrated project management skills and ability to lead cross-functional teams
• Ability to manage confidential information with the highest level of discretion

Your journey at A&M

We recognize that our people are the driving force behind our success, which is why we prioritize an employee experience that fosters each person’s unique professional and personal development. Our robust performance development process promotes continuous learning, rewards your contributions, and fosters a culture of meritocracy. With top-notes training and on-the-job learning opportunities, you can acquire new skills and advance your career.

We prioritize your well-being, providing benefits and resources to support you on your personal journey. Our people consistently highlight the growth opportunities, our unique, entrepreneurial culture, and the fun we have together as their favorite aspects of working at A&M. The possibilities are endless for high-performing and passionate professionals.

Regular employees working 30 or more hours per week are also entitled to participate in Alvarez & Marsal Holdings’ fringe benefits consisting of healthcare plans, flexible spending and savings accounts, life, AD&D, and disability coverages at rates determined periodically as well as a 401(k) retirement savings plan. Provided the eligibility requirements are met, employees will also receive an annual discretionary contribution to their 401(k) retirement savings plan from Alvarez & Marsal. Additionally, employees are eligible for paid time off including vacation, personal days, seventy-two (72) hours of sick time (prorated for part time employees), ten federal holidays, one floating holiday, and parental leave. The amount of vacation and personal days available varies based on tenure and role type. Click here for more information regarding A&M’s benefits programs.

The salary range is $110,000 - $135,000 annually, dependent on several variables including but not limited to education, experience, skills, and geography. In addition, A&M offers a discretionary bonus program which is based on a number of factors, including individual and firm performance. Please ask your recruiter for details.