Total Rewards Partner

Ready to lead impactful HR strategies in a mission-driven organization? As the Total Rewards Partner at Animal Humane Society, you'll shape compensation, benefits, payroll, and HR operations and systems to support a thriving, equitable workplace. This is a high-impact role with room to innovate and collaborate across teams. Keep reading to learn more and apply—your next career move could start here!

Salary: $90,000-120,000 annually

Schedule/Location:

• Full Time, Hybrid (on-site a minimum of 2x per week)

• Location: This is a hybrid position based out of our Golden Valley and will require 10% domestic travel to our other locations in Minnesota, and any outside events. Subject to change as business needs dictate. Must live in or have easy access to the Minneapolis/St. Paul area.

Job Summary: 

The Total Rewards Partner leads the design and execution of human resources and people operations, total rewards programs, payroll, and related services. Reporting directly to the Vice President of People & Culture, this role will own the day-to-day delivery of AHS’s compensation, benefits, HR systems, practices, and policies, as well as key leader in their design and continuous improvement. The Total Rewards Partner also plays a critical role as business partner to ensure people operations and total rewards strategies are aligned with AHS’s mission, values, safety standards, and operational goals to support a thriving, equitable, and mission-driven workplace.

Essential Functions:

HR Operations & Total Rewards:

• Serve as subject matter expert and strategic partner for People Operations and Total Rewards.
• Lead stewardship of total rewards programs and external vendor partnerships.
• Administer AHS’s benefits and compensation programs, ensuring competitive and equitable offerings.
• Execute payroll processes in collaboration with Finance, ensuring accuracy and compliance.
• Own HRIS administration and people data reporting best practices.
• Deliver day-to-day HR operations, including employee lifecycle processes, policy administration, and HRIS tools.
• Design and deliver AHS’s compensation and benefits programs to ensure market competitiveness, equity, and alignment with organizational values.
• Serves as a key partner in supporting and reinforcing workplace safety practices that align with organizational standards and regulatory requirements.
• Partner with internal stakeholders and the People & Culture team to develop, optimize, and implement policies and internal procedures.
• Develop and maintain compensation structures, pay guidelines, and job architecture in partnership with leadership and the People & Culture team.
• Provide internal consultation and support to managers on compensation decisions and benefit education.
• Lead annual benefits renewal and open enrollment processes, vendor relationships, and compliance (e.g., ACA, ERISA, HIPAA)
• Leverage key performance metrics for actionable insights on talent activities and financial implications, giving visibility to organizational effectiveness and leadership guidance toward optimizing results.
• Serve as the subject matter expert for audits, recordkeeping, and employment practices.
• Maintain compliance with all federal, state, and local employment laws and regulations.

Leadership:

• Own People Operations and Total Rewards functions, leading successful day-to-day service delivery, driving best practices, and leading continuous improvement initiatives.
• Serve as subject matter expert resource to employees and leaders on policies, processes, and systems.
• Collaborate with Finance, IT, and other departments to ensure alignment on payroll, total rewards administration, and organizational initiatives.
• Serve as an organizational ambassador to all internal and external stakeholders, leading by example to embody and promote Animal Humane Society’s mission, vision, values, brand, and standards.
• Engage in ongoing professional development, networking, and industry conferences to stay informed, connected, and at the forefront of emerging best practices.

Communication and Organizational Culture:

• Communicate in a positive, professional, and constructive manner with all internal and external stakeholders.
• Foster open communication and collaboration, both within the People & Culture team and throughout AHS.
• Promote and model the values of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), ensuring that Animal Humane Society is an inclusive and welcoming environment for all staff, volunteers, and community members.
• Communicate complex information in a clear, accessible manner to cross-functional stakeholders.

Technology Infrastructure:

• Lead HRIS systems and employee data practices as system owner and subject matter expert.
• Optimize the systems, tools, and technology of people operations across the enterprise.
• Remain informed of advancements in Human Resources technology, best practices, industry trends, and anticipated developments to drive innovation and continuous improvement of people operations.
• Leverage automated, ongoing reporting on key performance indicators, with data-driven storytelling to convey clear, actionable insights and drive organizational action toward successful outcomes.
• Monitor AHS email and other messaging software.

Other duties as assigned.

Additional Responsibilities:

Schedule and Attendance:

• Regular, predictable attendance, punctuality, and availability to work during operational hours.
• May be required to attend occasional off-site meetings and events.
• Engage in mission-related activities as appropriate.
• Perform other duties as assigned to support the continued growth and success of the organization.
• Attend and participate in regular team meetings and 1:1 meetings with direct leader.

Work Environment:

• Primarily office-based with occasional exposure to animal shelter environments.
• Potential exposure to animal-related conditions such as scratches, bites, odors, and noise.
• Exposure to zoonotic diseases and pests, such as fleas and ticks, in shelter settings.

Experience:

• Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, related field, or equivalent experience required.
• Minimum of 10 years of progressive HR experience, including years of substantial work experience delivering payroll, compensation, benefit, and HR operations duties.
• Experience managing compensation structures and benefit plan administration required.
• Experience as key contributor on cross-functional project or initiative teams strongly preferred.

Skills:

• Deep working expertise of HRIS systems and best practices required, with ADP expertise strongly preferred.
• Proven ability to build strong relationships at all levels and functions across the organization, as well as with external stakeholders.
• Outcome-orientation and ability to manage competing priorities and stakeholders, multi-task, solve complex problems, and optimize results.
• Strong knowledge of best practices, compliance requirements, and industry trends across people operations, total rewards, and payroll functional disciplines.
• Expert knowledge of employment laws and benefits compliance (ACA, FMLA, COBRA, etc.) required.
• Excellent communication skills and ability to distill complexity into concise, actionable information to others through written, verbal, presentation, and data-driven channels.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite, strong technical aptitude, and forward-thinking capacity to leverage emerging technologies and plan future scaling.

Physical Demands:

• Prolonged sitting at a desk.
• Must be able to lift and carry up to 20 lbs.

Emotional Demands:

• Must be comfortable with the emotional aspect of work in an animal shelter environment, including the use of humane euthanasia.

Transportation:

• Reliable transportation required for up to 10% domestic travel, primarily to Animal Humane Society locations, off-site meetings, and special events.

Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required for this role. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time with or without notice.

About AHS 

Every year, Animal Humane Society provides direct care and services to help thousands of animals in need across Minnesota. 

As one of the nation's leading animal welfare organizations, AHS is transforming the way shelters care for animals and engage their communities. From innovative medical and behavior programs to investments in outreach and advocacy, we’re advancing animal welfare and creating a more humane world for animals everywhere. 

Why Work Here  

• Make a difference in the lives of animals and people  
• Join a team of coworkers who love animals as much as you do  
• Work-life balance  
• Unique animal adoption benefits and discounts on veterinary care and pet supplies
• Health insurance coverage for full time staff includes the following: medical, dental, vision, health savings account, flexible spending account for health care expenses and dependent care, voluntary accident insurance; critical illness insurance; hospital indemnity insurance; employee- paid supplemental life; employee-paid accidental death & dismemberment; and long term disability insurance.
• Employer-paid benefits for full time staff includes the following: basic life insurance, basic accidental death and dismemberment insurance, short-term disability. 
• Support for student loans: we are a Public Service Loan Forgiveness qualified employer 
• Mental Health and Counseling Support: all employees have access to our Employee Assistance Program with 3 free counseling sessions per year  
• 401(K) for part-time and full-time staff  
• Nine paid holidays for full-time staff  
• Paid floating holidays for part-time and full-time staff (up to 4 days per year based on start date)  
• Paid Time Off for part time and full time staff (amount is based on hours worked and FTE status)  
• Paid parent leave for full-time staff  

Our Organizational Commitment to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion: 

As an organization dedicated to making the world a more humane and compassionate place for animals, we know that people are at the heart of all that we do. Animal Humane Society’s commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusivity is essential to our mission and shapes our culture, our work, and the services we provide. 

At AHS we embrace and honor the inherent dignity and diverse experiences of our team members, volunteers, board members, partners, clients, and visitors, regardless of race, ethnicity, religion, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, ability, or income. Working together to instill equity and inclusivity within our organization will allow us to better serve the people and animals of Minnesota, and ultimately have a positive impact on animals in our care.