Director, Total Rewards

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The Director of Total Rewards leads, modernizes and directs the operational foundations of benefits and compensation programs at NPR, responsible for developing and driving a total rewards strategy that supports a culture of high performance to attract, reward, and retain top talent.  Reporting to the SVP People and working collaboratively across the People Team, Finance, and broader NPR leadership, this is a pivotal role requiring a unique balance of high-level strategic design, and high-touch operational execution and understanding.

The Director of Total Rewards will bring deep expertise in compensation and benefits administration and strong knowledge of retirement plans, and will serve as a key partner to the HRIS/People Systems team to ensure that systems, data, eligibility rules, benefits deductions, reporting, and related processes accurately support total rewards programs.  This role requires strong technical knowledge, keen attention to detail, and the ability to identify, audit, and help improve legacy processes and systems issues.  

The ideal candidate will bring a strong understanding of compensation and benefits operations, retirement plan administration, and HR systems.  They must be comfortable driving change, strengthening controls, improving processes and working cross-functionally with HRIS, Payroll, Finance, Legal, external vendors, auditors and senior organizational leadership.  

• HRIS Partnership: Serve as a close partner to the People Systems team to ensure total rewards programs are accurately configured, administered, reported, and maintained within UKG; collaborate directly on system configuration, eligibility rules, and code setup to identify inaccuracies and improve data controls. 
• Data Auditing & Internal Controls: Develop standard operating procedures (SOPs), data validation routines, and process audit trails to proactively identify and resolve legacy total rewards-related processes.
• Total Rewards Compliance Leadership: Lead benefits and compensation compliance activities across the organization, ensuring compliance with any relevant federal, state, and local laws, including total reward regulations (e.g., ACA, Form 5500, and ERISA reporting).
• Data Integrity & Reporting: Ensure total rewards data and reporting are accurate, timely, and useful for leadership decision making, employee communications and audit inquiries. 

• People Management: Direct, mentor, and coach the internal benefits and compensation team, establishing a culture of accountability, high accuracy, professional growth, and proactive customer service.

• Professional Leadership & Strategy: 10 + years in benefits and compensation with at least 4 years in a leadership role, showcasing deep expertise in the development of strategy and the administration of total rewards programs. 
• Advanced HRIS Expertise: Proven experience managing, configuring, or optimizing enterprise-grade HRIS platforms, with specific, advanced expertise utilizing UKG (Ultimate Kronos Group) modules
• Team Leadership & Development: Demonstrated ability to lead and develop a high-performing team in a complex, collaborative organization
• Benefits & Retirement Plan Administration: Strong knowledge of benefits administration, retirement plan administration, a strong understanding of state-mandated benefit programs, and comprehensive knowledge of employer-sponsored retirement plans, specifically 403(b) and 401(k) structures 
• ERISA Fiduciary & Compliance Fluency: Robust knowledge of ERISA fiduciary responsibilities, nondiscrimination testing, plan audits, Form 5500 reporting, and retirement plan compliance; proven experience working directly with retirement plan recordkeepers, trustees, and investment advisors
• Analytical Auditing & Issue Resolution: Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with a proven ability to use data to drive decisions,  audit complex datasets, and resolve data discrepancies, process and control gaps, and legacy system issues.  
• Compensation Practice Mastery: Strong understanding of compensation practices, including salary bands, market pricing, pay equity, incentive programs, and compensation governance  
• Advisory Communication & Vendor Negotiation: Excellent interpersonal, oral and written communication skills, with the ability to provide strategic advice and counsel to senior leadership and negotiate effectively with insurance and benefit vendors

• Industry Certifications: Active professional designations such as CCP or CMS, SPHR or SHRM-CP or CEBS preferred
• Collective Bargaining Experience: Experience developing and administering benefits and compensation programs in a unionized environment
• Retirement Plan Compliance Testing: Experience supporting retirement plan audits, plan corrections, compliance testing, and plan governance

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent in work experience

• Hybrid Permitted: This is a hybrid permitted role. The employee will be required to be in the Washington, D.C. office at least 2 days a week. The employee must also reside in Washington, D.C. / Maryland / Virginia.

• Exceptional attention to detail and commitment to accuracy
• Ability to understand how total rewards programs are operationalized through People Systems, Payroll, and vendor systems
• High degree of accountability, ownership, and follow-through 
• Ability to build credibility with the People Team, Finance, Legal, external vendors and senior leadership

• This is a full-time, exempt position.

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