Senior Manager, Total Rewards
3 days ago
Sterling
Job Description The Company Founded in 1927 as a division of Pan American World Airways, Avports is an experienced and trusted airport manager and operator. Today, the company operates with over 650 staff (of which approximately 300 are unionized) at 14+ airports across the US and the Caribbean, with that number slated to grow to 800 during the next year with the addition of new airport projects. In addition, Avports is now acting as the leaseholder and operator of public-private partnership (P3) projects at Tweed New Haven Airport (HVN) in Connecticut and the Manassas Regional Airport (HEF) in Virginia. Avports has historically managed and operated a portfolio of airport operations and maintenance (O&M) and public-private partnership (P3/PPP) contracts at more than 30 US airports. These airports have diverse operations, encompassing commercial and general aviation airports, passenger terminals, joint-use airports, heliports, NASA facilities, and spaceports. The company is working to integrate electric aviation, hydrogen fuel cells, and zero-emission decarbonization concepts in existing airport environments. Job Summary Serve as the subject matter expert to lead the strategy, administration, and compliance of health and welfare benefit plans, retirement, leave of absence, disability, workers’ compensation, accommodation, and pay administration. Ensure accurate eligibility, enrollment, governance, and CBA compliance across all plans to resolve complex issues, strengthen internal controls, and maintain audit‑ready documentation. Ideal incumbent is a seasoned professional, with aptitude to effectively lead and empower others to deliver high‑quality benefit programs that support employee well‑being and organizational goals. Minimum high school diploma/certificate and at least seven years of deep experience in a similar position managing others, with strong preference for background in transportation, aviation, or logistics. An associate or bachelor’s degree, or a degree combined with five years of hands‑on total rewards experience strongly preferred. Professional certifications preferred, reflecting advanced technical expertise in total rewards programs. Position is exempt, and regular, full-time reporting to the Vice President Human Resources. Primary work is on-site and based in Northern Virgina (Dulles/Herndon). Must be authorized to work in the U.S. without sponsorship, meet corporate and airport access requirements, and be able to travel domestically and internationally including occasional overnight stays. Essential Job Functions • In coordination with senior management, lead the design and delivery of the organization’s total rewards programs including compensation (base pay, incentives), benefits (health and welfare, retirement, supplemental, etc.), and recognition/wellness initiatives, • Oversee and execute compensation programming including market analysis, wage and hour, union collective bargaining agreement (CBA) compliance, and related administrative tasks, • Administer all aspects of retirement plans (i.e., plan governance, amendments, union compliance, audits, regulatory filings, loans, withdrawals, reporting, etc.), • Oversee with authority to direct the leave of absence program, ensuring compliance with federal, state, and local regulations (i.e., workers’ compensation, STD/LTD, accommodations, return to work, etc.), • Support payroll operations on an as-needed basis, providing backup processing and ensuring wage and hour compliance, • Serve as a power user of HRIS, benefit plan, and related systems to ensure data security, integrity, and availability across payroll and total rewards systems, • Partner with business leaders, union representatives, and stakeholders to identify, manage, and mitigate compliance and financial risks associated with pay, benefits, and reward programs. Assist team members and contribute to approved tools, resources, and documentation for consistency and continuity, • In all cases, apply meticulous recordkeeping practices while ensuring compliance with internal standards for centralized and confidential systems. Partner with department stakeholders to document, memorialize, and continuously improve standards, procedures, and workflows. Education & Experience • Minimum high school diploma or certificate required, • Required: Minimum seven (7) years of deep experience in a similar position, managing others to administer and govern benefits, retirement, leave of absence, disability, and pay programs for a large, complex employee population within union and a highly regulated environment, • Preferred: Associate or bachelor’s degree (or international equivalent) in human resources, business, finance, or a related field, OR a degree paired with at least five (5) years of hands‑on experience managing total rewards—specifically health and welfare benefits, retirement plans, leave of absence, disability and workers’ compensation programs, in a complex, unionized environment, • Apply knowledge to support stakeholders in compensation, benefit plans, leave of absence, disability, workers compensation, union collective bargaining agreement (CBA) compliance, etc. to design and administer initiatives, • Analyze data, benchmark programs, and identify trends to support decision-making, • Apply HR policies, union agreements, employment laws, and compliance requirements to guide decision-making for all programs within job scope, • Aptitude to build proficiency quickly within HRIS, payroll, benefits, pay programs and ancillary HR reporting systems independently., • Proficiency with ADP Workforce Now, • Previous experience in US total rewards in transportation, aviation, or logistics industry, • Exposure to multi-state or global compliance-driven compensation and benefits programs, • Accept ownership and accountability, consistently delivering accurate, high-quality results with a sense of urgency, • Collaborate effectively acting with a sense of urgency with cross-functional teams and corporate stakeholders, • Operate with integrity and compliance, adhering to internal policies and applicable aviation regulations, • Manage multiple priorities effectively in a fast-paced, dynamic environment, • High attention to detail, sound judgment, and conscientiousness in all work, • Communicate timelines, expectations, and progress clearly, • Make timely decisions when options are clear, escalating appropriately for higher risk or ambiguity, • Support team continuity and knowledge sharing, • Seek, receive, and apply constructive feedback to support ongoing development, • Must be authorized to work in the United States without sponsorship, • Must be eligible to travel domestically and internationally, including occasional overnight stays, • Primarily office-based, with occasional travel to airport sites (~10–20% per year), • Employees must reside within reasonable commuting distance of the primary work location., • Ability to sit or stand at a workstation for extended periods., • Requires visual acuity, hearing, and speaking ability to communicate effectively., • Regular use of hands and fingers to operate computer equipment and office devices., • Occasionally lifts or moves objects up to 25 pounds., • Must be able to navigate office environments and airport operational sites as needed., • Flexible to work occasional extended hours., • While office work is sedentary, tasks at operational sites require mobility, including standing, walking, bending, kneeling, stooping, and crouching. The Company complies with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), as amended by the ADA Amendments Act, and all applicable state or local law. Consistent with those requirements, the Company will reasonably accommodate qualified individuals with a disability if such accommodation would allow the individual to perform the essential functions of the job, unless doing so would create an undue hardship. The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by a team member to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Compensation and Benefits Overview Benefits may include: • Medical, Dental, and Vision Plans, • Health Savings and Flexible Spending Accounts, • Short and Long-Term Disability Insurance options, • Life and Accidental Death and Dismemberment Insurance Plan options, • Supplemental Insurance Plan options, • 401(k) Profit-Sharing Retirement Plan, • Vacation and Sick Leave, • Paid Company Holidays, • Discretionary Bonus, • Professional development resources