Association Senior Director of Compensation & Benefits

Under the general supervision of the Chief People and Culture Officer and consistent with the Christian mission of the YMCA, the Association Senior Director, Compensation & Benefits is responsible for directing and overseeing all day-to-day payroll and human resources administrative actions and processes, payroll and benefits processes and initiatives for YMCA of Greater Charlotte. In addition, the Senior Director of Compensation & Benefits provides strategic leadership and direction for the organization’s total rewards programs while building and advancing data-driven insights that shape workforce and business outcomes. This role ensures competitive, equitable, and sustainable compensation and benefits offerings while leveraging people analytics to drive informed decision-making across talent, culture, and organizational effectiveness.

Culture Statement

The culture of the Y is rooted in our Christian mission and core principles. We strive every day to collectively embody our purpose to love, serve and transform lives. Every day we show up to Lead with Love and Serve with Purpose.

We Love unconditionally – showing genuine care and concern for everyone, making each interaction meaningful and personal and ensuring every person feels valued, seen and welcomed. We elevate Hope – promoting optimism by offering encouragement and practical solutions to challenges. We act with Care & Compassion – listening attentively without judgment, responding with empathy, and creating a sense of belonging by uplifting and supporting those around us. We demonstrate Generosity – sharing our time, skills, and resources freely and with joy.

We walk in Grace – showing patience and kindness, even in difficult moments. We ignite Faith – staying grounded in our mission, principles and purpose, inspiring others to trust in what is possible. Demonstrating consistency in our actions, helping others see how their efforts align with a greater purpose. We treasure Honesty – communicating openly and truthfully, admitting mistakes when they occur, and honoring commitments. We honor Humility – leading with a servant's heart by prioritizing the needs of others above our own.

We live with Joy – celebrating small and big wins alike, inspiring connection and shared joy. We offer Respect – addressing everyone by name and honoring diverse perspectives and backgrounds. We value Responsibility – performing every task timely with diligence and excellence and holding ourselves accountable by openly evaluating our performance. We engage in Service – going above and beyond in serving others by anticipating needs and delivering exceptional experiences.

Essential Functions

• Serve as a trusted advisor to the CPCO on matters of total rewards and workforce insights.
• Supervise Payroll Manager, HR Generalist, and Benefits Manager.
• Lead and develop a high-performing team across compensation, benefits, and operations.
• Prepare department budget.
• Ensure compliance with legal requirements within scope of work.
• Collaborate on compensation solutions, job evaluations, benchmarking, and incentive programs with senior leaders and recruiting partners.
• Recommend and develop compensation programs by studying employee needs, regulations, and industry trends.
• Prepare and evaluate job descriptions, classifications, and resolve salary needs.
• Develop communication strategy for compensation, benefits, and total rewards to attract and retain talent.
• Lead benefits-related RFPs, vendor negotiations, and ensure operational and financial objectives are met.
• Manage tools for employee benefits selection and annual assessments of benefit offerings.
• Maintain HRIS and payroll systems, update policies, and provide HR analytics and reporting for organizational compliance.
• Oversee leave management programs to ensure compliance, consistency, and support for employee well-being, while balancing organizational needs.
• Build and lead the organization’s people analytics function, providing insights that drive workforce planning, engagement, retention, and productivity.
• Performs other duties and tasks as assigned by leadership.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree in finance, accounting, business, human resources or other degree with equivalent work experience.
• 10+ years of experience managing HR Operations including compensation, benefits, payroll, taxes, policy, compliance.
• High level of customer service skills and expertise.
• Demonstrated success working with multiple levels of leaders and exercising a high level of influence.
• Ability to maintain the highest level of confidentially.
• Strong organization skills and attention to detail.
• Ability to educate, motivate, and lead others.
• All YMCA team members are expected to maintain a current and active status for all safety, risk, and programming certifications defined by the YMCA of Greater Charlotte.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master’s in Business Administration, Finance or Human Resources.
• Professional Human Resources (PHR) or Sr. Professional Human Resources (SPHR), SHRM Certified Professional (SHRM-CP) or higher.
• Experience and proficiency with HRIS.

Working Conditions

• While performing the duties of this job, the team member is regularly required to use a computer for extended periods of time and be able to communicate using a computer and phone/smart device.
• The team member frequently is required to sit and reach and must be able to move around the work environment.
• The team member must occasionally lift and/or move up to 10 pounds.
• Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, and the ability to adjust.
• The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.
• Travel as needed.

Competencies

Communication & Influence: Listens and expresses self effectively and in a way that engages, inspires, and builds commitment to the Y’s cause.

Collaboration: Creates sustainable relationships within the Y and with other organizations in service to the community.

Critical Thinking & Decision Making: Makes informed decisions based on logic, data, and sound judgment.

Emotional Maturity: Demonstrates ability to understand and manage emotions effectively in all situations.