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Compensation and Benefits Managers

Under the title Compensation and Benefits Managers, workers plan, direct, or coordinate compensation and benefits activities of an organization. You may also need to direct preparation and distribution of written and verbal information to inform employees of benefits, compensation, and personnel policies. With a code of ECS, this is mostly a job for people drawn to leading, persuading and making business decisions. Conventional interests also help, rated 5.7 out of 7. Plan on a bachelor’s degree plus a period of work experience; O*NET labels this considerable preparation. Strength in writing, speaking, and reading comprehension helps most here. People who want leading, persuading and making business decisions usually fit better here than those who need hands-on work with tools, machines or the physical world.

What they do

Plan, direct, or coordinate compensation and benefits activities of an organization.

Main tasks

  • Direct preparation and distribution of written and verbal information to inform employees of benefits, compensation, and personnel policies.
  • Design, evaluate, and modify benefits policies to ensure that programs are current, competitive, and in compliance with legal requirements.
  • Fulfill all reporting requirements of all relevant government rules and regulations, including the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA).
  • Analyze compensation policies, government regulations, and prevailing wage rates to develop competitive compensation plan.
  • Identify and implement benefits to increase the quality of life for employees by working with brokers and researching benefits issues.
  • Manage the design and development of tools to assist employees in benefits selection, and to guide managers through compensation decisions.

Skills

  • Writing
  • Speaking
  • Reading Comprehension
  • Active Listening
  • Judgment and Decision Making
  • Critical Thinking

Who this career fits

May suit you if

  • You like taking the lead and making the call.
  • You like clear rules and getting the details right.
  • You are ready to spend around four years on a degree, then build experience.
  • You are comfortable relying on writing and speaking.

May not suit you if

  • You would rather not persuade, sell or manage other people.
  • You want to work with your hands for most of the day. Realistic rates 1.0 out of 7 here.
  • You want to avoid a four-year degree or its equivalent.

Interest profile

O*NET rates each occupation from 1 to 7 on six interest types. The code ECS takes the three highest, and Enterprising comes first here.

Preparation

Considerable preparation. Most jobs here ask for a bachelor’s degree, and employers usually expect a few years of related experience as well.

Most-reported requirement in the O*NET survey: Bachelor's Degree. This reflects what workers reported most often and is not a legal minimum. Licensing rules can differ by state or industry, so confirm what applies where you plan to work.

Also called

  • Benefits Coordinator
  • Benefits Director
  • Benefits Manager
  • Compensation and Benefits Director
  • Compensation and Benefits Manager

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This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.