Compensation & Benefits Administrator

Why Work at Des Moines Water Works?

At Des Moines Water Works (DMWW), every employee plays a vital role in delivering Water You Can Trust for Life to over 600,000 central Iowans. We’re looking for team members who are customer‑focused and committed to our mission.

When you join DMWW, you become part of a team that values environmental stewardship—protecting our most essential natural resource: water. Just as importantly, we recognize that our people are our greatest asset. Your wellbeing matters to us—from physical and psychological safety to wellness, fitness, and professional growth, we’re committed to supporting your health and development at work and beyond.

Under the direction of the Director of Human Resources, oversees and administers comprehensive compensation and benefits programs, payroll operations, retirement plans, leave administration, and workers’ compensation. This position is an individual contributor with expectations of collaborating with the HR team and across departments when applying solutions. Ensures accuracy, efficiency, and compliance with federal and state regulations while supporting organizational objectives and delivering exceptional HR services.

• Benefits Administration
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  Administers the utility’s cafeteria benefit programs for active employees, including health, dental, life, LTD insurance, flexible spending accounts, voluntary benefits, and deferred compensation. Collaborates with internal teams and external partners (benefit trust, brokers, and third‑party administrators) to monitor plan performance, analyze costs and employee contributions, recommend changes, and ensure compliance with regulatory requirements.
• Employee Education
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  Conducts benefits orientation sessions for new hires and informational meetings for existing employees to explain options, enrollment procedures, and address questions.
• Retirement Administration
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  Manages the employee retirement process and retiree benefits, including conducting informational meetings, ensuring completion of required documentation, assisting with pension estimates, and communicating benefit‑preservation options. Maintains retirement planning materials, monitors retiree medical insurance rates and payments, and notifies retirees of open enrollment periods.
• Leave and Compliance Programs
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  Administers and reports on leave management, workplace accommodations, and compliance programs, including FMLA, paid parental leave, workers’ compensation, return‑to‑work processes, accommodation requests, and IDOT CDL drug and alcohol testing. Provides guidance to supervisors on leave responsibilities and ensures compliance with policies and regulations.
• Payroll Administration
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  In coordination with Finance, oversees biweekly payroll processing in ADP, ensuring accurate entry and maintenance of employee data, including new hire pay details, tax elections, benefit enrollments, stipends, deductions, and banking information. Processes adjustments such as garnishments, child support orders, retroactive payments, and leave accrual updates to ensure timely and accurate compensation. Calculates pay increases and enters changes into the payroll system.
• Classification and Compensation
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  Manages the classification and compensation system by conducting job evaluations, classification reviews, and salary grade analyses to ensure accuracy and compliance with FLSA regulations. Participates in salary and benefits surveys, analyzes market data, and conducts periodic total compensation reviews to maintain competitive and equitable offerings.
• Compliance Reporting
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  Completes required benefits‑related and federal contractor compliance reporting, including non‑discrimination testing and 509A reporting, ensuring accuracy and timely submission.
• Safety and Incident Reporting
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  Maintains an accurate, complete, and up‑to‑date OSHA log in compliance with regulatory requirements. Ensures timely reporting and posting and conducts follow‑up investigations with supervisors and employees after incidents to support proper documentation and corrective actions.
• Open Enrollment Coordination
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  Organizes and manages biannual open enrollment in…