Ascend · 1 day ago
Senior Manager, Total Rewards
United States
Full-time
Remote
Senior Level, Lead/Staff
8+ years expAscend is an innovative company empowering entrepreneurial CPAs to thrive in a modern growth model. The Senior Manager, Total Rewards will be responsible for designing and implementing a comprehensive total rewards strategy, enhancing employee satisfaction, and ensuring compliance with benefits and compensation processes as the company scales rapidly.
AdviceConsultingFinance
Responsibilities
Design and implement a cost-effective total rewards strategy that enhances employee satisfaction
Launch wellness initiatives that improve employee health and reduce benefits costs
Redesign open enrollment strategies to improve communication and employee participation, including creation of benefits summaries, one-pagers, and OE collateral
Resolve existing benefits billing issues and streamline billing processes through automation
Provide the DoP with recommendations on future benefits strategies by analyzing reports, enrollment data, surveys, and industry benchmarks
Consolidate LOA processes at the Ascend level using AI and automation to ensure compliance and payroll accuracy
Support 401k management and quarterly reviews, including rollovers, true-ups, and new hire onboarding
Maintain and update the central benefits resources hub
Redesign Empower 401k plan reporting by partner firm
Ensure WEX accounts are funded on time
Consolidate benefits contribution schemes to create consistent experiences for newly acquired firms
Analyze due diligence data from brokers and firm benefits to design transition strategies that ensure a positive employee and leadership experience
Partner with broker and People Ops Integration Manager to deliver benefits communication strategies, including OE training prior to Day 1 cutover
Own the benefits resources library for integrations, ensuring all Heads of People have relevant information prior to close
Coordinate 401k loan conversions and rollovers with Payroll Manager
Ensure ACA data submissions are completed by new firms in a timely manner
Launch an AI-powered benefits support solution that enables employee self-service, provides timely responses, resolves inquiries efficiently, and integrates all internal plan data and policies
Ensure compliance with regulatory requirements by completing annual 401k testing, ACA reporting, quarterly Workers Compensation filings, annual audits, and filing Form 5500 accurately and on time
Partner with the Sr. Manager, HRIS to enhance benefits administration systems that maintain accurate deductions, integrations, and reporting, while ensuring payroll accuracy and a seamless open enrollment process
Coordinate corrections for 401k overcontributions in partnership with the TPA and employees
Continuously improve employee satisfaction with benefits processes and tools through streamlined systems, automation, and proactive support
Build and launch a repeatable compensation benchmarking framework for new firms
Standardize compensation structures across all firms with DoP
Complete annual market analysis to maintain competitiveness
Deliver firm-specific compensation recommendations ahead of budgeting discussions
Advise CEOs and Heads of People on compensation and bonus strategies
Qualification
Required
Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, Finance, or related field
8+ years of experience in benefits administration, compensation analysis, or total rewards
Proven experience in wellness program design and benefits process improvements
Experience with HRIS platforms (Workday, Bswift, Empower, WEX) and payroll integrations
Strong Excel/data analysis skills for benchmarking and reporting
Knowledge of compliance requirements: ACA reporting, Form 5500, 401k testing, Workers Comp filings
Preferred
M&A integration experience in compensation/benefits is strongly preferred
Certifications such as CEBS, PHR/SPHR, or CCP are a plus
Benefits
401k management
Wellness initiatives
AI-powered benefits support solution
Company
Ascend
Ascend is a consulting firm that helps CPAs reach their goals.
1001-5000 employees
H1B Sponsorship
Ascend has a track record of offering H1B sponsorships. Please note that this does not
guarantee sponsorship for this specific role. Below presents additional info for your
reference. (Data Powered by US Department of Labor)
Distribution of Different Job Fields Receiving Sponsorship
Represents job field similar to this job
Trends of Total Sponsorships
2025 (11)
2024 (16)
2023 (12)
2022 (9)
2021 (11)
2020 (6)
Funding
Current Stage
Late StageTotal Funding
$2.02M2025-02-14Seed· $2.02M
Leadership Team
Erin Stahmer
Co-Founder & Chief People Officer
David Fulcher
Chief Financial Officer
Company data provided by crunchbase