Total Rewards Manager

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Job Description

The Manager, Total Rewards is responsible for the leadership, administration, governance, and continuous improvement of Nidec's U.S. benefits, leave of absence, retirement, and wellness programs. Reporting to the Director, U.S. HR Operations, this role serves as the functional leader for Total Rewards operations and is accountable for ensuring programs are administered effectively, compliantly, and in a manner that supports a positive employee experience.

This role partners closely with Human Resources, Payroll, Finance, Legal, external vendors, brokers, and service providers to ensure operational excellence, regulatory compliance, and consistent delivery of Total Rewards programs across the organization.

The Manager, Total Rewards provides functional leadership for internal and shared-service resources supporting benefits and leave administration while driving process improvements, vendor performance, and program effectiveness.

• Lead the administration and ongoing management of employee benefits programs, including medical, dental, vision, wellness, life insurance, disability, pension, and 401(k) plans.
• Establish annual priorities and operational objectives for Total Rewards programs.
• Evaluate program effectiveness and recommend enhancements that improve employee experience, operational efficiency, and compliance.
• Ensure programs are administered consistently and aligned with organizational objectives.

• Oversee administration of retirement programs, including pension and 401(k) plans.
• Coordinate annual audits, compliance testing, Form 5500 filings, and related activities.
• Partner with vendors, advisors, and internal stakeholders to maintain program effectiveness and regulatory compliance.
• Support employee education and communication related to retirement programs.

• Maintain compliance with ERISA, ACA, HIPAA, COBRA, Section 125, FMLA, and other applicable federal, state, and local regulations.
• Oversee required notices, filings, disclosures, and compliance documentation.
• Develop and maintain policies, procedures, controls, and governance practices supporting Total Rewards programs.
• Support internal audits, external audits, regulatory reviews, and compliance assessments.
• Monitor legislative and regulatory developments and assess organizational impacts.

• Lead relationships with insurance carriers, brokers, consultants, third-party administrators, and external service providers.
• Establish performance expectations and service standards for vendors.
• Review vendor performance, identify opportunities for improvement, and drive issue resolution.
• Oversee vendor invoicing, billing reconciliation, and contract-related activities.
• Partner with vendors to improve service delivery and operational efficiency.

• Drive process improvements, automation initiatives, and technology enhancements across Total Rewards programs.
• Establish and monitor metrics related to service delivery, compliance, employee experience, and operational performance.
• Ensure accurate administration of employee data across HR systems, benefit platforms, and related technologies.
• Improve scalability, consistency, and effectiveness of program administration.

• Provide day-to-day leadership and direction for Total Rewards operations and supporting resources, including shared-service or outsourced support teams.
• Establish priorities, allocate work, and monitor performance of assigned activities and projects.
• Develop processes, documentation, and operating standards that support consistency and service excellence.
• Foster a culture of accountability, responsiveness, continuous improvement, and customer service.

• Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, Finance, or a related field required.
• PHR, SPHR, SHRM-CP, SHRM-SCP, CEBS, or related certification preferred.
• 7+ years of progressive experience in Total Rewards, benefits administration, leave administration, HR operations, or related disciplines.
• Demonstrated experience leading large-scale benefits, leave, and retirement programs.
• Experience providing leadership to employees, project teams, shared-service resources, vendors, or outsourced support functions.
• Strong working knowledge of ERISA, ACA, HIPAA, COBRA, FMLA, ADA, state paid leave programs, and related regulations.
• Experience supporting retirement programs, including 401(k) administration, Form 5500 filings, audits, and compliance testing.
• Experience managing brokers, carriers, consultants, and third-party administrators.
• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel and Microsoft 365 applications.
• Strong analytical, organizational, and problem-solving skills.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Strong customer service orientation and stakeholder management capabilities.
• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple priorities, lead change, and drive results.
• Ability to handle confidential information with professionalism and discretion.

• Strong functional leadership and ownership mindset.
• Expertise in benefits, leave, retirement, and compliance administration.
• Ability to influence and drive results across a matrixed organization.
• Strong vendor management and relationship-building capabilities.
• Commitment to operational excellence and continuous improvement.
• Ability to balance employee experience, compliance, and business needs.
• Strong attention to detail and risk awareness.

• Benefits, leave, and retirement programs are administered accurately, efficiently, and compliantly.
• Employees receive exceptional support and guidance regarding Total Rewards programs.
• Vendor relationships are managed effectively and deliver high levels of service.
• Compliance risks are proactively identified and mitigated.
• Operational processes continuously improve through automation, standardization, and governance.
• Total Rewards programs support organizational objectives while enhancing employee experience.
• The Total Rewards function is viewed as a trusted partner by employees, leaders, HR, and external stakeholders.

Nidec will not accept unsolicited resumes from individual recruiters or third party recruiting agencies in response to Nidec job postings. No fee will be paid to third parties who submit unsolicited candidates directly to our hiring managers. Pre-approval from the Nidec Talent Acquisition team is required before any external candidate can be submitted and such candidate must be submitted to the Nidec Talent Acquisition team.