Rewards Leader

Overview

Brookhaven National Laboratory brings together scientists, engineers, postdoctoral researchers, technicians, operational staff, and professionals from a wide range of disciplines to advance discovery, innovation, and operational excellence. The Manager of Total Rewards reports to the Chief Human Resources Officer and leads compensation, benefits, well-being, and recognition strategies to support a skilled workforce spanning research, operations, and administration. This role leads a team of approximately 15 professionals and serves as a trusted advisor to senior leadership on Total Rewards.

This role offers the opportunity to partner with senior leaders, lead strategic initiatives, and drive programs that impact employees and the Laboratory’s long-term success. The Total Rewards function is a strategic lever for attracting and retaining talent and ensuring compliance within a highly regulated environment.

• Lead Total Rewards Strategy:
  Develop and execute a comprehensive compensation and benefits strategy aligned with Brookhaven’s mission and objectives to attract, retain, and engage talent.
• Collaborate with CHRO and senior leadership to align Total Rewards strategies with organizational objectives by providing strategic, data-driven counsel on compensation trends, market intelligence, regulatory developments, and opportunities and challenges.
• Work with HR Business Partners, Talent Acquisition, and organizational leaders to lead job evaluation, market pricing, benchmarking, and compensation analyses to ensure programs are competitive and equitable.
• Partner with Legal and organizational leadership to ensure programs comply with Department of Energy contractual requirements and applicable regulations, serving as a primary representative during audits and inquiries.
• Drive Compensation Excellence:
  Provide leadership for salary review processes and coordinate with Laboratory leaders and HR teams to ensure consistency, compliance, and alignment with policies.
• Lead and Inspire a High-Performing Team:
  Provide direction, mentorship, and growth opportunities while fostering a culture of innovation, collaboration, and excellence.
• Lead, mentor, and develop Compensation and Benefits programs, promoting collaboration, accountability, customer service, continuous improvement, and innovation.
• Use metrics and analytics to evaluate program effectiveness, inform decision-making, and measure outcomes.
• Provide oversight for administration of employee leave, absence management, and related benefits programs.
• Remain aligned with regulatory and internal requirements and prepare for audits as needed.

• Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business, Finance or related field. Master’s degree preferred.
• Ten (10) or more years of progressive Total Rewards experience with deep expertise in compensation strategy, job architecture, market benchmarking, pay program design, and executive consultation.
• Benefits leadership experience desirable, with the ability to guide an experienced benefits team.
• Proven ability to scale programs to support organizations of similar size and complexity.
• Strong analytical, compliance, vendor management, and stakeholder management capabilities.
• Ability to operate at a strategic level, navigate high-visibility environments, and engage effectively with stakeholders and oversight bodies.
• Experience conducting needs and effectiveness assessments for compensation and benefits programs, developing proposals, and implementing program enhancements with tangible results.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills with the ability to influence at all levels.
• Strong analytical skills to interpret complex data, identify trends, and communicate insights.
• Knowledge of…