Total Rewards Manager

Vaco by Highspring; Smyrna (TN); On-site; USD 105,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

Vaco by Highspring in Smyrna, TN is seeking a Manager, Total Rewards to oversee compensation, benefits, incentives, and engagement initiatives. This role requires hands-on HR administration with a strategic view to optimize total rewards programs.

The position is full-time onsite with up to 20% travel, supporting multiple locations. A Bachelor’s Degree and strong Excel skills are essential, with a base salary of $105,000–$120,000 per year.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree required.
• Strong HR background with hands-on experience across compensation, benefits, open enrollment, FMLA, and employment law.
• Prior experience in an HR Manager or Total Rewards-focused role, with the ability to balance strategic initiatives and hands-on HR administration.
• Experience with compensation benchmarking, merit increases, bonus planning, benefits administration, and carrier/vendor management.
• Demonstrated ability to take ownership, build processes, and implement HR/Total Rewards best practices.
• Experience supporting employee engagement and performance management programs.
• Strong Excel skills, particularly for spreadsheet-driven compensation, benchmarking, merit, and bonus analysis.

Responsibilities

• Manage Total Rewards programs across compensation, benefits, incentives, employee engagement, recognition, and wellbeing.
• Lead benefits administration, including open enrollment, carrier/vendor relationships, plan administration, and ongoing employee support.
• Manage compensation benchmarking, salary structures, annual merit increases, and bonus planning in partnership with HR, Finance, and Payroll.
• Support FMLA administration, employment law compliance, and other hands-on HR responsibilities as needed.
• Manage the performance review cycle, including launching reviews, monitoring completion, and following up with managers.
• Drive employee engagement initiatives, including employee surveys, recognition programs, appreciation activities, and related programs.
• Evaluate existing HR and Total Rewards processes and implement best practices that improve structure, efficiency, and the employee experience.
• Partner cross-functionally with HR leadership, Finance, Payroll, Talent Acquisition, Legal, and operational leaders.

Skills

Total Rewards

Benefits administration

Compensation benchmarking

Merit increases

Employee engagement

Open enrollment

Excel

Education

Bachelor's Degree

Tools

Carrier/vendor management

Excel

Job description

Key Responsibilities:

• Manage Total Rewards programs across compensation, benefits, incentives, employee engagement, recognition, and wellbeing.
• Lead benefits administration, including open enrollment, carrier/vendor relationships, plan administration, and ongoing employee support.
• Manage compensation benchmarking, salary structures, annual merit increases, and bonus planning in partnership with HR, Finance, and Payroll.
• Support FMLA administration, employment law compliance, and other hands‑on HR responsibilities as needed.
• Manage the performance review cycle, including launching reviews, monitoring completion, and following up with managers.
• Drive employee engagement initiatives, including employee surveys, recognition programs, appreciation activities, and related programs.
• Evaluate existing HR and Total Rewards processes and implement best practices that improve structure, efficiency, and the employee experience.
• Partner cross‑functionally with HR leadership, Finance, Payroll, Talent Acquisition, Legal, and operational leaders.

Requirements:

• Bachelor's Degree required
• Strong HR background with hands‑on experience across compensation, benefits, open enrollment, FMLA, and employment law.
• Prior experience in an HR Manager or Total Rewards‑focused role, with the ability to balance strategic initiatives and hands‑on HR administration.
• Experience with compensation benchmarking, merit increases, bonus planning, benefits administration, and carrier/vendor management.
• Demonstrated ability to take ownership, build processes, and implement HR/Total Rewards best practices.
• Experience supporting employee engagement and performance management programs.
• Strong Excel skills, particularly for spreadsheet‑driven compensation, benchmarking, merit, and bonus analysis.

Title: Manager, Total Rewards

Location: Smyrna, TN (onsite)

Schedule: Full-time, Monday‑Friday

Travel: Up to 20% to support multiple locations as needed

Compensation: $105,000-$120,000 base salary

Equal Opportunity Notice

Highspring LLC (d/b/a Vaco by Highspring) and its parents, affiliates, and subsidiaries ("we," "our," or "Vaco by Highspring") are committed to the full inclusion of all qualified individuals and does not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment because of race (including but not limited to traits historically associated with race such as hair texture and hair style), color, sex (includes pregnancy or related conditions), religion or creed, national origin, citizenship, age, disability, status as a veteran, union membership, ethnicity, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, marital status, political affiliation, or any other protected characteristics as required by applicable law. The company is also committed to ensuring that persons who need them are provided with reasonable accommodations; if an accommodation is needed to participate in the job application or interview process, please contact [e-mail].

Vaco by Highspring also wants all applicants to know their rights that workplace discrimination is illegal.

Representation Notice

By submitting to this position, you agree that you will be giving Vaco by Highspring the exclusive right to present your as a candidate for the foregoing employment opportunity. Additionally, you agree to be included in our talent pool for future hiring for similarly qualified positions. You further agree that you have represented information about yourself accurately and have not affirmatively misrepresented your qualifications. Lastly, you agree to maintain as confidential, to the fullest extent permitted by law, any information you learn from Vaco by Highspring about the position and you will limit disclosure of information about the position only to the extent necessary to perform any obligations in furtherance of your application. In exchange, Vaco by Highspring agrees to exercise reasonable efforts to represent you through all solicitation, job screening and resume dispersal.

For residents of Ontario, Canada only: to the extent the position for employment is not with Highspring or not otherwise noted as vacant above, candidate should be informed that this role is to replace a presently employed person at Vaco by Highspring's client.

Privacy Notice

• California residents may access Vaco by Highspring HR Notice at Collection for California Applicants and Employees here.
• Virginia residents may access our state specific policies here.
• Residents of all other states may access our policies here.
• Canadian residents may access our policies in English here and in French here.
• Residents of countries governed by GDPR and UK GDPR may access our policies here.

Additionally, submissions to this position are subject to the use of AI to perform preliminary candidate screenings, focused on ensuring minimum job requirements noted in the position are satisfied. More details about Vaco by Highspring's use of AI can be found here (https://www.highspring.com/ai-use-notices/). Further assessment of candidates beyond this initial phase will be conducted by recruiters and hiring managers. Vaco by Highspring does not know and cannot opine on if its client's use of AI products in hiring.

Pay Transparency Notice

Determining compensation for this role (and others) at Vaco by Highspring depends upon a wide array of factors including but not limited to:

the individual's skill sets, experience and training;

licensure and certification requirements;

office location and other geographic considerations; and

other business and organizational needs.

With that said, as required by local law, Vaco by Highspring believes that the following salary range referenced above reasonably estimates the base compensation for an individual hired into this position in geographies that require salary range disclosure. The individual may also be eligible for discretionary bonuses and/or participation in medical, dental, and vision benefits as well as the company's retirement plan (or similar retirement benefits).