Executive Director, Total Rewards

At WakeMed, we're looking for a forward-thinking Executive Director of Total Rewards who can modernize how we reward, support, and recognize our 13,000+ employees. This role is perfect for a strategic, data-savvy leader who thrives at the intersection of compensation, benefits, HR technology, and talent strategy.

What You'll Lead:

Compensation & Performance Management

• Oversee a $1B payroll and $16M merit budget , ensuring competitive, equitable, and financially responsible pay practices.
• Own all pay architecture: job evaluation, job descriptions, market pricing software, compensation programs, and salary administration.
• Lead performance management for executives, leaders, and staff, improving clarity, fairness, and accountability across the organization.
• Deliver accessible, practical training to help leaders confidently navigate performance and pay decisions.
• Provide the analytics executives depend on from pay trends to performance insights to drive better, faster business decisions.

HR Technology, Data, & Insights

• Drive upgrades and enhancements to Infor and other HR systems, expanding self-service, automation, and employee/leader adoption.
• Elevate the organization's people analytics maturity, turning data into actionable insights on turnover, vacancy trends, talent pipelines, and pay/benefit analytics.
• Partner across HR to improve processes, simplify experiences, and strengthen workforce decision‑making.

Benefits Strategy & Administration

• Lead the strategy and management of $120M in health/welfare plans and $1B+ in retirement/pension assets.
• Oversee benefits operations for 11,000+ eligible employees , ensuring an exceptional, service‑focused experience.
• Manage vendor performance, plan audits, compliance, and delivery standards.
• Continuously assess plan competitiveness, cost, and employee value leading annual planning and long‑term benefit design.

Total Rewards Strategy

• Partner with marketing/communications to create clear, compelling Total Rewards messaging that employees understand and value.
• Strengthen leaders ability to discuss pay, benefits, recognition, and work/life programs with confidence.
• Champion and evolve WakeMed's Total Rewards philosophy to support attraction, engagement, and retention.
• Lead strategic planning, RFP processes, vendor evaluations, and long‑term program design.

WakeMed is the region's premier health system, committed to world‑class care and world‑class employee experience. This is a high‑impact role with access to senior leadership and the opportunity to modernize how Total Rewards fuels talent attraction, performance, and engagement.

If you're a strategic, innovative Total Rewards leader who wants to shape the future of rewards for a mission‑driven health system, we'd love to talk.

Experience

• 7+ Years Human Resources Experience Required
• 10+ Years Experience Preferred

Education

• Master's Degree Business Administration Or Human Resources Or Accounting Required

Licensure

• Professional or Senior Professional in Human Resources Preferred
• Certified Benefits Professional Preferred
• Certified Compensation Professional Preferred

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