Manager Total Rewards

The Manager, Total Rewards leads the design, administration, governance, and continuous improvement of Cherokee Federal's total rewards portfolio to include compensation, benefits, leave, wellness, recognition, and regulatory compliance. This role serves as the enterprise subject matter expert on pay and benefits within a federal government contracting environment, balancing market competitiveness and employee experience against cost allowability, contract-specific wage obligations, and a complex federal regulatory framework. The Manager partners closely with HR Business Partners, Talent Acquisition, Payroll, Finance, Contracts, Legal, and program leadership to ensure total rewards programs support the company's ability to win, staff, and profitably execute federal contracts while remaining compliant with OFCCP, ERISA, and applicable federal and state law. This is a working manager role with responsibility for both program strategy and hands-on execution. Estimated Starting Salary Range for Total Rewards Manager : Pay commensurate with experience. Full-time benefits include Medical, Dental, Vision, 401K, and other possible benefits as provided. Benefits are subject to change with or without notice. Compensation Own the enterprise compensation structure, including job architecture, leveling, salary grades and ranges, FLSA classification, and job description governance. Lead the annual compensation cycle covering merit, promotion, and incentive planning, budget modeling, manager guidance, and employee communications. Price roles against market survey data and recommend structure adjustments; serve as the escalation point for offers, promotions, internal equity reviews, and retention actions. Conduct periodic pay equity analyses and ensure pay practices align with wage determinations, collective bargaining agreements, and cost allowability standards. Maintain compensation configuration and data integrity in Oracle HCM Cloud in partnership with HRIS. Benefits and Retirement Coordinate with Cherokee Nation Business (CNB) on questions regarding plan administration, annual renewal, and open enrollment of all health and welfare plans, from plan design and rate modeling through system configuration and post-enrollment audit. Oversee retirement plan operations with the recordkeeper and Finance, including eligibility, contributions, discrimination testing, filings, and annual audit support. Provides information including performance, cost, and RFP activity; model benefits costs to support fringe rate development and contract pricing to CNB in support of vendor relationship management. Serve as the escalation point for complex eligibility, claims, and coverage issues. Leave and Absence Management Own the enterprise leave program, including FMLA, ADA accommodations, military and USERRA leave, workers' compensation coordination, parental leave, and state and local paid leave mandates. Ensure consistent, compliant case handling and partner with HRBPs, Legal, and managers on complex, intermittent, and accommodation-related cases. Manage the third-party leave administrator, PTO and accrual configuration in Oracle HCM, and reporting on leave utilization, cost, and risk exposure. Wellness and Recognition Coordinate with CNB on enterprise wellness strategies across physical, mental, financial, and preventive health, including the annual campaign calendar and incentive structures. Oversees the recognition and service award programs end to end, including design, budget, platform administration, approval workflow, and award fulfillment. Measure participation and effectiveness of both programs and recommend enhancements that reinforce company values and support retention. Compliance and Governance Ensure total rewards programs comply with ERISA, ACA, HIPAA, COBRA, FMLA, ADA, GINA, and applicable federal, state, and local requirements. Prepare required filings and notices, including ACA 1094/1095, Form 5500, Summary Annual Reports, and SPD and SMM distribution; support internal, external, and government audits. Support OFCCP obligations, including compensation data for Affinity Action Plan development, EEO-1 reporting, and compliance evaluation response. Monitor emerging pay transparency, salary history, and pay data reporting requirements and partner with Talent Acquisition on job posting compliance. Mergers, Acquisitions, and Transitions Lead total rewards due diligence, including plan review, liability identification, change-in-control and severance obligations, and cost modeling. Build and execute integration plans covering job mapping, pay harmonization, benefits transition, service credit treatment, and PTO conversion. Support contract transitions and rebadging events, including incumbent compensation analysis, wage determination application, and offer package construction. Supervise, coach, and develop the total rewards team; set goals, manage performance, and build functional depth. Deliver total rewards reporting and recommendations to HR and executive leadership, and educate managers and employees on pay, benefits, and leave. Perform other duties as assigned. Bachelor’s degree in human resources, Business Administration, Finance, or a related field; an equivalent combination of education and directly relevant experience will be considered. Minimum of five (5) years of progressive compensation experience, including market pricing, job evaluation and leveling, salary structure design, and annual compensation cycle administration. Demonstrated experience administering benefits and leave programs in a multi-state employer environment. Working knowledge of FLSA, ERISA, ACA, HIPAA, COBRA, FMLA, and ADA. Advanced Excel skills, including data modeling, lookups, pivot tables, and cost analysis. Experience with an enterprise HCM system and its compensation or benefits modules. Proven ability to handle confidential and sensitive information with discretion and sound judgment. Strong analytical, written, and verbal communication skills, with the ability to translate technical total rewards concepts for managers and employees. Ability to build and defend compensation recommendations using data, market evidence, and internal equity analysis. Comfort operating with ambiguity across a decentralized, contract-driven operating model with varying customer and program requirements. Strong project management skills with the ability to run multiple concurrent cycles — open enrollment, merit, audits, and integrations and against fixed deadlines. Consultative partnership style, with the ability to influence without authority across HR, Finance, Contracts, and program leadership. High attention to detail and commitment to data accuracy and audit readiness. Must be able to pass a background check and any customer-required screening. Must be a U.S. Citizen or otherwise authorized to work in the United States. PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS Experience in federal government contracting, professional services, or a similarly regulated multi-entity environment. Working knowledge of wage determinations and compensation allowability. Experience supporting OFCCP compliance, AAP compensation analysis, or federal compliance evaluations. Direct experience with M&A due diligence, integration, or contract transition and rebadging events. Experience with Oracle HCM Cloud. Certified Compensation Professional (CCP), Certified Benefits Professional (CBP), SHRM-CP/SHRM-SCP, or PHR/SPHR. Experience supporting proposal pricing or capture activity. Company Information: Cherokee Federal is a division of tribally owned federal contracting companies owned by Cherokee Nation Businesses. As a trusted partner for more than 60 federal clients, Cherokee Federal LLCs are focused on building a brighter future, solving complex challenges, and serving the government’s mission with compassion and heart. To learn more about CFED , visit cherokee-federal.com. Cherokee Federal is a military friendly employer. Veterans and active military transitioning to civilian status are encouraged to apply. Legal Disclaimer: All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to protected veteran status, disability or any other status protected under applicable federal, state or local law. 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