Director of Total Compensation & Benefits

Job Description

Atwell is seeking a highly analytical Director of Total Compensation & Benefits to lead the strategy, design, and oversight of our compensation, benefits, and management equity programs.

This leader will be responsible for the full value of Atwell’s employee compensation package, including base pay, incentive compensation, benefits, retirement programs, and management equity. The role will focus on program design, market competitiveness, financial oversight, vendor management, compliance, and continuous improvement rather than day-to-day transactional processing.

The ideal candidate has directly led compensation and benefits programs within engineering, energy, infrastructure, construction, consulting, or another complex professional-services environment.

Compensation and Total Rewards

Lead Atwell’s compensation and total rewards strategy.

Manage job leveling, pay grades, salary ranges, market pricing, and pay-equity analyses.

Use benchmarking tools such as PayScale, Mercer, Radford, WTW, or comparable platforms to evaluate market competitiveness.

Lead annual merit, salary-planning, and incentive-compensation cycles.

Develop total compensation statements that communicate the value of salary, benefits, retirement contributions, incentives, and equity.

Partner with Human Resources, Finance, business leaders, and Talent Acquisition on compensation strategy and recommendations.

Benefits Strategy

Lead the design and oversight of health, dental, vision, life, disability, retirement, and related benefit programs.

Own annual benefit renewals and negotiations with brokers, carriers, consultants, and vendors.

Evaluate claims, utilization, cost trends, stop-loss exposure, and market competitiveness.

Develop benefits budgets and monitor program performance against financial targets.

Recommend plan-design changes based on employee needs, market practices, and organizational objectives.

Ensure compliance with ERISA, ACA, HIPAA, COBRA, and other applicable requirements.

Management Equity Program

Lead the administration and governance of Atwell’s Management Equity Program.

Manage equity grants, vesting schedules, documentation, forfeitures, and employee departures.

Coordinate with executive leadership, Finance, Legal, and board stakeholders.

Maintain accurate equity records and ensure required agreements and approvals are completed.

Support annual grants, reporting, audits, and future equity-related transactions.

Systems and Team Leadership

Ensure compensation structures and benefits programs are accurately maintained within Atwell’s HRIS and supporting systems.

Develop reports and analyses that help leadership evaluate total rewards programs and costs.

Lead two direct reports and provide oversight to an additional three team members.

Establish scalable processes, strong documentation, and consistent service standards.

Mentor team members and provide strategic direction while supporting effective day-to-day administration.

What You’ll Bring

Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business, Finance, or a related field.

Progressive experience in compensation, benefits, or total rewards, including at least two to five years leading these programs or major initiatives.

Experience designing compensation structures, job levels, pay grades, and salary ranges.

Experience leading benefit renewals and negotiating with brokers, carriers, and vendors.

Strong knowledge of compensation benchmarking tools and methodologies.

Experience managing compensation and benefits within an HRIS such as ADP, Workday, SAP SuccessFactors, or a comparable platform.

Experience administering or supporting a management equity, executive equity, stock, or similar incentive program.

Advanced Excel, reporting, modeling, and data-analysis skills.

Strong attention to detail and discretion when managing confidential compensation and equity information.

Ability to present complex data and recommendations clearly to senior leaders and cross-functional partners.

Preferred Qualifications

Experience within engineering, energy, infrastructure, architecture, construction, consulting, or related professional services.

Experience supporting a growing, acquisitive, geographically dispersed, or private equity-backed organization.

Experience developing total compensation statements.

Experience supporting compensation, benefits, or equity integration following mergers and acquisitions.

CCP, CEBS, or CEP certification.

Location

The preferred candidate will be located near Atwell’s corporate office in Southfield, Michigan and able to work in the office approximately two to three days per week.

Candidates located near another Atwell office may be considered. This role is not available as a fully remote position.

Disclaimer

While AI tools may support your application process, this role is built on human talent. Your judgment, experience, and character matter most, so we encourage you to showcase what makes you uniquely you.

Atwell does not accept unsolicited resumes from any 3rd party agencies. No fee will be paid to 3rd parties who submit unsolicited resumes to any Atwell employee. Resumes from approved vendors must be specifically requested by Atwell and approved by the Atwell Talent Acquisition Team.

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Pay Range

$130,000—$145,000 USD