Compensation Manager, HR​/Recruitment

Recruitment Specialist at Calculated Hire

Job Summary: The Compensation Manager will be responsible for designing, administering, and optimizing the company’s compensation and benefits programs to support talent attraction, retention, and performance. This role requires strong expertise in broad remuneration strategies, benchmarking, job evaluation, and benefits management within a complex, regulated environment—ideally in pharmaceutical or manufacturing industries.

Additionally, the Compensation Manager will oversee Global Mobility activities, managing end‑to‑end visa and work authorization processes for international employees and candidates.

• Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, Finance, or related field.
• 5–8+ years of progressive experience in compensation and/or benefits roles, preferably within the pharmaceutical, biotech, or life sciences industry.
• Strong knowledge of compensation design, job evaluation methodologies, and market pricing tools.
• Experience managing employee benefits programs and vendor relationships.
• Advanced skills in Excel and HRIS/compensation systems.
• Strong analytical and financial modeling abilities.
• Deep knowledge of relevant regulations (FLSA, ERISA, ACA, HIPAA, COBRA, etc.).
• CCP (Certified Compensation Professional) or CBP (Certified Benefits Professional) certification preferred.
• Experience with global compensation or benefits programs preferred.
• Familiarity with equity compensation or long‐term incentive design preferred.

Compensation (Primary Function)

• Design, administer, and evolve the company’s compensation structure, including salary ranges, job evaluations, market pricing, and pay equity analyses.
• Lead annual compensation cycle activities (merit increases, bonuses, long‑term incentives), including communication, budgeting, and system administration.
• Conduct regular benchmarking within the pharmaceutical industry to maintain competitive pay practices.
• Provide guidance to HR Business Partners and hiring managers on compensation decisions, offer packages, and internal equity considerations.
• Maintain job architecture, job descriptions, and job families.
• Oversee the company’s short‑term and long‑term incentive programs; partner with Finance for forecasting and modeling.
• Ensure compliance with all compensation‑related legislation and reporting requirements.

Benefits (Co‑Primary Function)

• Manage the strategy, administration, and communication of the company’s employee benefits programs, including health insurance, retirement plans, wellness initiatives, disability programs, and voluntary benefits.
• Lead annual benefits renewal and open enrollment processes; partner with brokers, vendors, and carriers to optimize plan design and cost efficiency.
• Oversee benefits communications, ensuring clarity and employee understanding of offerings.
• Serve as escalation point for employee benefits inquiries and complex case resolution.
• Ensure compliance with ERISA, HIPAA, ACA, COBRA, and other regulatory requirements.
• Work closely with payroll and vendors to ensure accurate enrollment, deductions, and data integrity.

Program Management & Analytics

• Develop and maintain total rewards metrics, dashboards, and reporting to support strategic decision‑making.
• Analyze trends, identify optimization opportunities, and recommend program enhancements.
• Manage vendor relationships, service‑level agreements, and contract review for compensation and benefits services.
• Support M&A due diligence and integration of compensation and benefits plans when applicable.

Cross‑Functional Partnership & Leadership

• Partner with Talent Acquisition to develop competitive offer strategies and compensation frameworks for critical roles.
• Support HR Business Partners in compensation and benefits training, communication, and issue resolution.
• Provide training and guidance to managers on total rewards philosophies and processes.
• Champion a culture of transparency and employee engagement around total rewards.

• Primarily office‑based work.
• Ability to lift up to 25 pounds occasionally.
• Must be able to sit for extended periods.
• Occasional walking, climbing stairs, stooping, kneeling, or crouching.
• Use of hands and arms to reach for and handle objects.

Mid‑Senior level

Full‑time

General Business, Human Resources, and Supply Chain

Pharmaceutical Manufacturing