Senior Compensation and Benefits Specialist

BeckThom HR Consulting, LLC

Career Opportunity

⚠ POSITION CONTINGENT UPON CONTRACT AWARD ⚠

Compensation and Benefits Specialist

Employee Benefits & Total Compensation Consulting Public/Government Utility Sector Focus

Organization

BeckThom HR Consulting, LLC

Job Title

Senior Compensation and Benefits

Employment Type

Contract / Project-Based

Fixed Rate Pay

$100.00 Per Hour /* 40 Hours Per Week / *1099

Work Arrangement

Remote with availability Mon–Fri, 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM EST

Client Sector

Public Utility /* Water &* Wastewater / Local Government

Status

CONTINGENT UPON CONTRACT AWARD

Application Method

Apply via Indeed or Directly to:* info@beckthomhrconsulting.com | Submit resume, cover letter, and 2 job-related* references.

Close

Monday, April 13, 2026, at 10:00 PM EST

About BeckThom HR Consulting, LLC

BeckThom HR Consulting, LLC is a professional HR consulting firm specializing in employee benefits, total compensation, and classification consulting services for public sector and utility clients. Our firm has been selected to advance to the competitive proposal stage for a well-known “Utility” water company's Employee Benefits and Total Compensation Consulting Services. To deliver this engagement at the highest level of quality, we are seeking an experienced Compensation and Benefits Specialist with demonstrated experience in the utility sector to join our project team.

Position Summary

The Compensation and Benefits Specialist will serve as a core member of the BeckThom project delivery team, providing subject matter expertise in total compensation analysis, benefits plan consulting, classification methodology, and regulatory compliance for a public utility client. This individual will work directly with BeckThom’s principal consultant and project partners to deliver high-quality, data-driven HR consulting services aligned with the client’s compensation philosophy, peer benchmarking requirements, and Total Rewards strategy.

The ideal candidate brings hands-on experience gained directly within a private or government-regulated utility organization, enabling them to speak credibly to utility-sector workforce challenges, AWWA market data, regional labor market dynamics, and benefit plan structures common to water and wastewater utilities.

Required Qualifications

Education

• Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, Public Administration, Finance, or a related field.
• Master’s degree or professional HR certification (SHRM-SCP, SHRM-CP, CCP, CBP, or equivalent) desired, not required.

Mandatory Sector Experience

Candidates MUST have direct employment experience at a Public or Government Utility Company or Agency. This is a non-negotiable requirement for this position.

• Demonstrated experience working within a regulated utility (water, wastewater, electric, gas, or comparable public utility).
• Familiarity with utility-specific workforce classifications, labor market pressures, and AWWA or equivalent sector benchmarking standards.
• Working knowledge of utility sector benefit structures, including defined benefit/hybrid retirement plans, deferred compensation (Sections 457 and 401(a)), and retiree benefit programs.

Experience Requirements

• Minimum of five (5) years of progressive experience in compensation analysis, benefits consulting, or total rewards program management.
• Demonstrated experience conducting or participating in total compensation studies that benchmark salary, benefits, leave, and pay policies against peer organizations.
• Experience with classification systems, job evaluation methodologies, and pay structure design.
• Familiarity with the Northern Virginia / DMV regional labor market, including benchmarking against local government and utility peers, is highly preferred.

Key Responsibilities

Compensation Consulting

• Conduct and support total compensation assessments and market surveys, benchmarking 60–70+ classified positions against peer organizations in local government and the water/wastewater sector.
• Perform pay compression analyses and develop implementation plans that maintain internal equity and compliance with federal, state, and local laws.
• Design, evaluate, and recommend improvements to pay-for-performance systems, incentive programs, career paths, and skill-based pay structures.
• Apply classification methodologies, develop policies, tools, and documentation, and conduct FLSA exemption audits and reviews.
• Analyze and align compensation philosophy with total rewards strategy, including executive compensation review and living wage considerations.
• Develop custom salary surveys and individual position market pricing analyses specific to utility and public sector markets.
• Integrate AWWA and other utility-specific market data into compensation analytics and reporting deliverables.

Benefits Consulting

• Support actuarial analysis and audits for self-insured health plans, including underwriting analyses for mid-year and fiscal year budget planning.
• Consult on a comprehensive range of employee benefit programs, including:

◦ Health Care Insurance (including HDHP), Pharmacy, Dental, and Vision plans

◦ Group Term Life, Short-Term and Long-Term Disability Insurance

◦ Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA) and Health Savings Accounts (HSA)

◦ Defined benefit, hybrid, and deferred compensation plans (Sections 457 and 401(a))

◦ Voluntary benefits, Employee Assistance Programs (EAP), and Long-Term Care

◦ COBRA, biometric screenings, and Health Risk Assessments

◦ Retiree benefit programs and communications

• Provide guidance on Affordable Care Act compliance, including PCORI fee calculations, transitional reinsurance fees, and excise tax projections.
• Assist with annual open enrollment planning, onboarding communications, and employee benefits education materials.
• Conduct annual benefits compliance reviews and regulatory audit support; provide required notices and disclosures.
• Monitor carrier performance and serve as a liaison between the client and benefit vendors to resolve problems and claims.

Analytics, Reporting & Communications

• Develop and maintain dashboards, tools, and written reports to support transparency and leadership/Board-level reporting.
• Prepare executive summaries, written analyses, and oral presentations of compensation and benefits findings for senior management and the Board of Directors.
• Assist in the preparation and evaluation of RFPs for benefit and wellness program vendors.
• Integrate benefits consulting seamlessly with compensation, wellness, HRIS, and total rewards communications to deliver a unified strategy.
• Coordinate effectively with project partners, including actuarial and financial analysis subcontractors, to ensure coherent and consistent client deliverables.

Preferred Qualifications

• Direct experience providing compensation or benefits consulting services to water and wastewater utilities, public utilities authorities, or comparable local government entities.
• Familiarity with peer organizations in the DMV region, including Alexandria Renew, Arlington County, DC Water, Fairfax County, Fairfax Water, Loudoun County, Loudoun Water, and Prince William County.
• Experience preparing or supporting biennial total compensation studies for public sector or utility clients.
• Knowledge of HRIS platforms and the capability to evaluate HR/payroll software applications for compensation program alignment.
• Experience designing and implementing wellness and population health management programs.
• Established professional references able to speak to prior compensation or benefits consulting work within the RFP scope.

Core Competencies

• Analytical rigor: ability to translate complex market data into actionable recommendations.
• Regulatory knowledge: strong command of ACA, ERISA, FLSA, PCORI, and applicable state and federal compliance requirements.
• Communication excellence:* capable of preparing and delivering presentations to executive leadership and board-*level audiences.
• Project management: ability to manage multiple deliverables with defined timelines and milestone reporting.
• Collaboration: experience working in a consulting team environment alongside actuarial, financial, and HR professionals.
• Integrity and confidentiality: ability to handle sensitive compensation and HR data with the highest professional standards.

How to Apply

Qualified candidates are encouraged to submit the following materials through Indeed:

• A current resume detailing compensation and benefits experience, with specific notation of utility sector employment.
• A cover letter addressing: (1*) your direct utility sector experience,* (2*) relevant total compensation or classification study experience, and (3*) your availability for a project-based engagement contingent upon contract award.
• At least two (2) Utility-related professional references who can speak to prior work within the compensation and/*or benefits consulting scope described above.*

BeckThom HR Consulting, LLC is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, or veteran status.

★ This position is CONTINGENT UPON AWARD ★

Pay: $100.00 per hour

Work Location: Remote