HR Compliance and Total Rewards Manager

ABOUT US At POWERX, we make power work. We deliver engineering, protection and control, commissioning, NETA field services, and compliance, supporting the full lifecycle of power infrastructure. With a multinational footprint across the United States and Canada, we bring technical depth and field-proven experience to every project. POWERX is built on four pillars, with our people as the foundation. Guided by our values, HEART, our people-first culture shapes how we show up for each other and for our clients because we believe the best work comes from people who feel valued and supported. That commitment to excellence has been recognized nationally, including Great Place to Work, Fortune Best Workplace in Construction, and Power Best Companies. In an industry where technology and complexity are ever-changing, we’re ready to help you meet today’s challenges while preparing for tomorrow’s innovations. Work with a team that’s powered by excellence. OUR POWERX PERKS  Competitive Pay Incentives for Certifications Referral Bonus Program Tuition Reimbursement Medical, dental, vision, LTD, STD, Basic Life/AD&D, and other ancillary products 401k program with a company match Performance Program Paid Parental Leave PTO including Wellness Days and Paid Holidays And much more! Job Summary: The HR Compliance & Total Rewards Manager owns POWERX's HR compliance and total rewards programs across a nationally distributed, multi-state workforce. This role ensures POWERX meets all federal, state, and local employment law requirements and leads benefits administration, compensation, leave management, and HRIS coding and reporting. The Manager keeps people data and HR processes accurate, auditable, and scalable, and serves as the subject-matter expert who advises HR, payroll, finance, and business leaders on compliance risk. This is a highly technical, hands-on role that requires deep regulatory expertise, advanced HRIS and data skills, and the ability to both shape program direction and do the detailed work. The Manager also leads sensitive employee relations matters and workplace investigations with objectivity and discretion. Supervisory Responsibilities: May oversee Benefits, HRIS, or Compensation specialists as the function grows. Manages external partners, including benefits brokers and carriers, the workers' compensation carrier, leave administrators, HRIS vendors, and outside employment counsel. Duties/Responsibilities: Federal, State & Local Compliance Own POWERX's HR compliance program in every state where it has employees, including wage and hour rules, overtime, pay-stub requirements, final pay, paid sick leave, and meal and rest breaks. Track new and changing employment legislation and advise leadership on how it affects POWERX; update policies, the employee handbook, and practices to stay current. Make sure job postings and pay practices comply with state and local pay transparency laws. Ensure accurate FLSA exempt/non-exempt and employee/independent contractor classification. Ensure background check practices comply with the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), state and local fair chance and ban-the-box laws, and pre-adverse and adverse action requirements; manage background screening vendor relationships. Ensure drug and alcohol testing policies and practices comply with regulations (where applicable), and POWERX policy, including pre-employment, random, post-accident, and reasonable suspicion testing. Maintain and regularly update background check and drug testing policies, and train hiring managers on compliant procedures. Manage Form I-9 and E-Verify compliance, including timely case creation, tentative nonconfirmation (TNC) resolution, reverification, the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) and required postings, and state E-Verify mandates. Manage the company's employment-based immigration and visa program in partnership with corporate immigration counsel, including H-1B, TN, L-1, and green card (PERM) sponsorships, extensions, and transfers. Track visa and work authorization expiration dates, coordinate timely filings, maintain public access files and Labor Condition Application (LCA) requirements, and ensure compliance with prevailing wage and worksite obligations. Serve as the primary liaison among employees, hiring managers, and immigration counsel, and advise leadership on sponsorship policy, costs, and timelines. Maintain required federal and state labor law postings and employee notices. Audits & Regulatory Reporting Prepare and file required reports, including EEO-1, ACA 1094-C/1095-C, Form 5500, and state new-hire reporting. Conduct regular internal audits (I-9, personnel files, classification, overtime, benefits eligibility) and lead corrective action. Support responses to agency charges, audits, and DOL or state agency inquiries in partnership with outside counsel. Oversee records retention, HR data privacy, and HRIS access controls. Benefits Administration Administer health and welfare, retirement (401(k)), and voluntary benefit programs from start to finish. Lead annual open enrollment, renewals, plan design analysis, and cost modeling with brokers and carriers. Ensure benefit plan compliance with ERISA, COBRA, HIPAA, ACA, Section 125, and nondiscrimination testing requirements. Manage carrier and vendor relationships and performance, and resolve escalated employee benefit and claims issues. Compensation Build and maintain salary structures, job architecture, and market benchmarking. Lead the annual merit cycle, including budgeting, manager guidance, and communications. Conduct periodic pay equity analyses and recommend corrective actions. Advise leaders on offers, promotions, and pay adjustments to ensure internal equity and market competitiveness. Leave Management, Accommodations & Workers' Compensation Manage FMLA, state family and medical leave programs, state dis