Torchora
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Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for a Total Rewards (TR) Consultant

💰 $95,000 - $150,000

Human ResourcesCompensation & BenefitsConsultingPeople Operations

🎯 Role Definition

A Total Rewards (TR) Consultant is a strategic HR professional responsible for the design, implementation, and ongoing management of an organization's entire rewards portfolio. This includes not just compensation and benefits, but also recognition, wellness, and professional development programs. The goal is to create a compelling and equitable Employee Value Proposition (EVP) that attracts top talent, fosters engagement, and drives retention. This role serves as a subject matter expert, balancing internal equity, external market competitiveness, and fiscal responsibility while ensuring all programs are aligned with the company's strategic objectives and culture.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

  • Compensation Analyst or Senior Compensation Analyst
  • Benefits Specialist or Administrator
  • HR Generalist with a strong analytical focus

Advancement To:

  • Senior Manager or Director of Total Rewards
  • Head of People Operations
  • Vice President of Human Resources

Lateral Moves:

  • HR Business Partner (HRBP)
  • People Analytics Manager
  • HR Project Manager

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

  • Design, implement, and manage the company's comprehensive compensation strategy, including base pay structures, salary bands, and incentive plans (short-term and long-term).
  • Conduct in-depth market analysis and competitive benchmarking using industry-leading salary surveys to ensure our compensation and benefits packages are competitive and aligned with our talent strategy.
  • Lead the annual compensation review cycle, including merit increases, bonus payouts, and equity grants, ensuring a smooth, accurate, and fair process for all employees.
  • Develop and administer job evaluation and leveling frameworks to ensure internal equity and a clear career architecture across the organization.
  • Oversee the strategy and administration of all employee benefits programs, including health, welfare, retirement, and wellness initiatives, ensuring they are cost-effective and valued by employees.
  • Partner with external brokers and consultants to evaluate and negotiate with benefits vendors, ensuring high-quality service and competitive pricing.
  • Analyze the effectiveness of existing total rewards programs, using data and employee feedback to recommend and implement meaningful enhancements.
  • Serve as the primary subject matter expert on all total rewards matters, providing consultative guidance to HR Business Partners, Talent Acquisition, and business leaders.
  • Ensure all compensation and benefits programs are in compliance with federal, state, and local regulations, including FLSA, ERISA, and pay equity laws.
  • Develop and deliver clear and compelling communications to educate employees and leaders on the value of their total rewards package.
  • Manage executive compensation programs, including preparing materials and analysis for the Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors.
  • Design and administer sales incentive and commission plans in close collaboration with Sales Operations and Finance to drive desired sales behaviors.
  • Play a key role in M&A activities, conducting due diligence and developing integration plans for compensation and benefits programs of acquired entities.
  • Create and maintain sophisticated financial models to forecast the cost of compensation and benefits programs and analyze the impact of proposed changes.
  • Lead projects to implement new rewards programs or technology, from initial concept and business case development through to execution and change management.
  • Develop and manage recognition and rewards programs that reinforce the company's culture and values and motivate high performance.
  • Partner with the People Analytics team to build dashboards and reports that provide actionable insights into compensation trends, pay equity, and benefits utilization.
  • Evaluate and manage international compensation and benefits programs, addressing unique market conditions and regulatory requirements for a global workforce.
  • Create training materials and conduct workshops for managers on compensation best practices, such as how to have effective pay conversations.
  • Act as a steward of pay equity, conducting regular audits and analysis to identify and remediate any potential disparities within the organization.

Secondary Functions

  • Support ad-hoc reporting and complex data requests from senior leadership and HR business partners.
  • Contribute to the evolution of the broader HR and people strategy by providing insights from a total rewards perspective.
  • Collaborate with HRIS and People Analytics teams to enhance data integrity and reporting capabilities for compensation and benefits.
  • Participate in cross-functional project teams, representing the Total Rewards function on initiatives such as M&A due diligence or new system implementations.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

  • Advanced Data Analysis & Excel: Mastery of Excel for complex modeling, statistical analysis (vlookups, pivot tables, regression), and data visualization.
  • HRIS & Compensation Software: Deep proficiency with major HRIS platforms (e.g., Workday, SAP SuccessFactors) and specialized compensation management tools.
  • Compensation Benchmarking: Expertise in using and interpreting data from major salary survey providers (e.g., Radford, Mercer, Willis Towers Watson).
  • Financial Acumen: Strong ability to model the financial impact of compensation and benefits programs and understand core financial principles.
  • Project Management: Proven ability to lead complex, cross-functional projects from inception to completion, managing timelines, stakeholders, and budgets.
  • Global Compensation Knowledge: Understanding of the nuances of compensation and benefits practices and regulations in different international markets.

Soft Skills

  • Stakeholder Management & Influence: Ability to build trust and credibility with senior leaders, HR colleagues, and employees, and to influence decision-making without direct authority.
  • Communication & Presentation: Exceptional ability to distill complex data and topics into clear, concise, and compelling narratives for diverse audiences.
  • Analytical & Critical Thinking: A strong analytical mindset with the ability to identify trends, solve complex problems, and make data-driven recommendations.
  • Discretion & Confidentiality: Unquestionable integrity and the ability to handle highly sensitive and confidential information with the utmost professionalism.
  • Business Acumen: A keen understanding of the business's strategy and financial drivers, and the ability to align rewards programs to support them.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

  • Bachelor's degree in a relevant field.

Preferred Education:

  • Master’s degree (MBA, MHR) and/or professional certification such as Certified Compensation Professional (CCP) or Certified Benefits Professional (CBP).

Relevant Fields of Study:

  • Human Resources
  • Business Administration
  • Finance or Economics

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range: 5-8+ years of progressive experience in compensation, benefits, or a combined total rewards function.

Preferred: Experience in a high-growth technology or professional services environment; a combination of corporate and consulting experience is highly valued.

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