USA Compensation Manager

Lactalis USA; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive total rewards program

Health and wellness benefits

Retirement savings plan

Paid Time Off from day one

Job summary

Lactalis USA is seeking a Manager of US Compensation to lead compensation programs across multiple business units. You will partner with HR and leaders to develop data-driven strategies that balance market competitiveness with internal equity and regulatory compliance.

The role requires 7–10 years in total rewards, strong advisory capabilities, and experience with SAP SuccessFactors and HRIS platforms. Location options include Buffalo, NY, New York, NY, or Chicago, IL with a focus on governance

Qualifications

• 7–10 years of progressive compensation or total rewards experience.
• Experience across multiple business units or locations within a decentralized organization.
• Experience with compensation systems, salary structure development, incentive plan administration, and pay equity analytics.
• Strong advisory and leadership capabilities across HR and business stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Lead design, governance, and continuous improvement of compensation programs across multiple units.
• Manage annual compensation processes: merit planning, incentive administration, market adjustments, promotions.
• Advise HR and leaders on compensation strategy, job evaluations, organizational design, retention, and workforce planning.
• Conduct market pricing, internal equity reviews, and cost analyses to develop actionable recommendations.
• Develop and maintain compensation policies, salary structures, and governance frameworks.
• Lead initiatives supporting acquisitions, restructures, and workforce investments.
• Partner with Finance, Talent Acquisition, HRIS, Payroll, Legal, and HR Business Partners to align programs with objectives.
• Create and maintain compensation dashboards, analytics, and executive-level presentations.
• Ensure compliance with federal, state, and local pay regulations, including pay transparency and equity.

Skills

Compensation strategy

Salary administration

Market pricing

Job evaluation

Incentive plan design

Data analysis

Leadership

Stakeholder management

Excel

Market data analytics

Education

Bachelor's degree in HR/Business/Finance/Economics or related field

Masters preferred

CCP designation

Tools

SAP SuccessFactors

HRIS platforms

Job description

Description

You Know Our Brands. Now Get to Know Us.

Ready for more than just a job? Build a career with purpose.

At Lactalis USA, we\'re committed to providing meaningful opportunities for our people to learn, grow, and thrive, whether you\'re just starting your journey with us or looking to take the next step in your career. From day one, we provide the tools, resources, and support to help you succeed.

As the world leader in dairy, Lactalis is a family-owned company with more than 85,000 pragmatic and ambitious professionals around the globe. Every day, we create award-winning dairy products that bring people together. In the United States, our family of beloved brands includes Galbani, President, Kraft natural and grated cheeses, Breakstone\'s, Cracker Barrel, Black Diamond, Parmalat, siggi\'s, Stonyfield Organic, Brown Cow, Oui, Yoplait, Go-Gurt, :ratio, Green Mountain Creamery, Mountain High, and a growing portfolio of ethnic favorites including Karoun, Gopi, and Arz.

Guided by our core values of Ambition, Engagement, and Simplicity, we foster a workplace where innovation thrives, diverse perspectives are valued, and employees are empowered to make a meaningful impact.

Even if you don\'t meet every qualification, we encourage you to apply. We want to hear about your PASSION, your STORY, and how your EXPERTISE can help shape the future of dairy.

Manager, US Compensation

Location: Buffalo, NY, New York, NY, or Chicago, IL

From Your PASSION to Ours

The Opportunity

The Manager, US Compensation plays a critical leadership role in shaping and governing compensation programs across Lactalis USA. Reporting to the Director, U.S. Compensation & Global Mobility, you will partner with HR and business leaders to develop compensation strategies that support business performance, talent attraction and retention, organizational growth, and workforce planning. Success in this role means delivering data-driven compensation solutions that balance market competitiveness, internal equity, regulatory compliance, and business objectives across a complex, multi-site manufacturing and corporate environment.

How You\'ll Make an Impact

• Lead enterprise-wide compensation programs that support organizational performance, talent attraction, and employee retention.
• Influence key business decisions through market intelligence, compensation analytics, workforce cost insights, and strategic recommendations.
• Strengthen compensation governance, compliance, and pay equity practices while ensuring consistency across the organization.
• Partner with leaders across HR, Finance, Talent Acquisition, Payroll, HRIS, and business functions to drive effective workforce and compensation strategies.

From your EXPERTISE to ours

What You\'ll Be Doing

• Lead the design, implementation, governance, and continuous improvement of compensation programs across multiple business units.
• Manage annual compensation processes, including merit planning, incentive administration, market adjustments, and promotional increase reviews.
• Serve as a trusted advisor to HR leaders and business stakeholders on compensation strategy, job evaluations, organizational design, retention strategies, and workforce planning.
• Conduct market pricing, benchmarking, internal equity reviews, and workforce cost analyses to develop actionable recommendations.
• Develop and maintain compensation policies, salary structures, incentive programs, and governance frameworks.
• Lead compensation initiatives supporting organizational changes, acquisitions, restructures, business transformations, and workforce investments.
• Partner with Finance, Talent Acquisition, HRIS, Payroll, Legal, and HR Business Partners to align compensation programs with business objectives.
• Create and maintain compensation dashboards, analytics, reporting tools, and executive-level presentations to support decision-making.
• Ensure compliance with federal, state, and local compensation regulations, including pay transparency and pay equity requirements.
• Provide functional leadership, coaching, training, and subject matter expertise to compensation team members and HR stakeholders while supporting global compensation alignment initiatives.

Requirements

From your STORY to ours

What You\'ll Bring:

Education:

• Bachelor\'s degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, Finance, Economics, or a related field required. Masters preferred.
• CCP (Certified Compensation Professional) designation strongly preferred.

Experience:

• 7-10 years of progressive compensation or total rewards experience, preferably within a manufacturing, consumer goods, or similar operational environment.
• Experience supporting multiple business units or locations within a decentralized organization.
• Demonstrated experience leading complex compensation projects and initiatives with enterprise-wide impact.
• Experience advising HR and business leaders on compensation strategy and decision-making.
• Experience with compensation systems (e.g., SAP SuccessFactors), HRIS platforms, and compensation survey tools.
• Experience conducting market pricing, salary structure development, incentive plan administration, and workforce analytics.
• Experience conducting pay equity analyses and supporting compliance with pay transparency requirement

Skills & Competencies:

Technical Knowledge

• Deep knowledge of compensation strategy, salary administration, market pricing, job evaluation, and incentive plan design.
• Strong understanding of compensation laws, regulations, governance practices, and emerging industry trends.
• Advanced knowledge of compensation surveys and market data providers, including Mercer, WTW, Aon, and similar sources.
• Demonstrated expertise in compensation modeling, workforce cost analysis, and data-driven decision-making.
• Strong understanding of organizational design principles and the impact of compensation on talent outcomes.
• Advanced Microsoft Office proficiency, including Excel, PowerPoint, Word, and O365 applications.
• English proficiency required; French language skills are a plus.

Leadership & Consulting Competencies

• Strong executive presence and consulting skills.
• Ability to influence stakeholders and build credibility across all levels of the organization.
• Ability to serve as a trusted advisor to HR and business leaders.

Analytical & Business Competencies

• Advanced analytical, problem-solving, and critical-thinking capabilities.
• Strong business acumen and ability to translate data into actionable recommendations.
• Ability to leverage compensation analytics and market intelligence to support business decisions.

Communication & Interpersonal Skills

• Excellent communication, presentation, and relationship-building skills.
• Ability to collaborate effectively with HR, Finance, Talent Acquisition, Payroll, HRIS, Legal, and business leadership teams.

Work Style & Professional Attributes

• Ability to work independently while effectively managing multiple priorities and competing deadlines.
• High level of discretion and ability to manage sensitive and confidential information.
• Strong attention to detail and commitment to accuracy.

Why Lactalis?

At Lactalis, we offer more than a job. We offer the opportunity to build a long-term career with the global leader in dairy and a family-owned organization that values growth, innovation, and people. Our comprehensive Total Rewards Program includes competitive compensation, affordable health and wellness benefits, generous retirement savings support, and Paid Time Off beginning on day one. We are committed to helping our employees grow through ongoing training, professional development programs, and Education Reimbursement opportunities. Join a company where your contributions matter, your development is supported, and your career can grow alongside some of the most recognized dairy brands in the world.

Lactalis is an equal employment opportunity employer. We will not discriminate against applicants with regard to any legally recognized basis including, but not limited to: veteran status, race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, marital status, sexual orientation, and physical or mental disabilities. Further, any division of the Company that is an Affiliated Action Employer will comply with all related legal obligations.