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Agent guide: [/agents.md](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/agents.md). --- # Sr Director Total Rewards and HR Systems - **Company:** Cardinal Civil Contracting, LLC - **Location:** United States - **Experience:** Expert - **Contract:** Permanent contract - **Skills:** Accounting Systems, Application Programming Interfaces (APIs), Data Analysis, Program Optimization, Data Integrity, Data Migration, Human Resources Information System (HRIS), Korn Shell, Data Streaming, Systems Integration, Value Engineering, Cobra, HR Software - **Published:** August 24, 2026 - **Apply:** https://www.indeed.com/viewjob?jk=e31754d9700f5912 ## About the Role * Experience: 15+ years of progressive HR experience, including at least 5 years leading compensation, benefits, and/or HR systems functions. * Systems transformation: Direct, hands-on experience leading a major HRIS and/or payroll system conversion - not solely administering an existing system - is required. * Industry background: Prior experience in heavy civil construction, infrastructure, engineering, or a heavy industrial, multi-site environment strongly preferred. * M&A experience: Experience leading compensation/benefits due diligence and integration work in an M&A environment strongly preferred. * Regulatory: Working knowledge of FLSA, ERISA, ACA, COBRA, HIPAA, pay transparency laws, and Davis-Bacon/prevailing wage requirements across multiple states. * Education: Bachelor's degree in human resources, Finance, Business Administration, or related field; CCP or CEBS designation a plus. * Analytical: Strong data modeling and cost-to-value analysis skills to evaluate vendor proposals and quantify implementation ROI. ## Description * Lead the HRIS transition: Lead the evaluation, business case, and end-to-end implementation of a new HRIS, including the planned transition from Paycom to UKG. * Payroll system: Own the payroll system transition, including vendor evaluation, data migration, parallel testing, and cutover planning. * System integration: Evaluate API and integration options between the HRIS, payroll, benefits, and finance/accounting systems to ensure clean data flow across platforms. * Project governance: Build and manage the multi-year implementation roadmap, budget, and vendor relationships for all HR systems work, reporting progress regularly to the CPO. Benefits Strategy & Administration (U.S.) * Plan lifecycle: Own the full lifecycle of U.S. benefit plan design and administration, including medical, dental, vision, life/disability, 401(k)/retirement, FSA/HSA, and voluntary benefits; lead plan redesign efforts, open enrollment, and ongoing program optimization. * Multi-year strategy: Develop and execute a multi-year U.S. benefits strategy that balances cost efficiency, competitive positioning, and employee experience; lead benefits integration for acquired businesses and harmonize plan offerings across the enterprise. * Vendor management: Oversee vendor relationships (medical, 401(k), HSA/FSA providers, and brokers) and ensure service delivery excellence. * Compliance & governance: Ensure rigorous compliance across all U.S. benefit programs (ERISA, ACA, COBRA, HIPAA, etc.), including plan documents, SPDs, Form 5500 filings, nondiscrimination testing, and audit readiness. Compensation & Pay Grade Architecture * Korn Ferry partnership: Serve as Cardinal's internal lead partnering with Korn Ferry on the design and 2028 rollout of new pay grades and job architecture across all divisions, corporate and field. * Job architecture: Design and maintain a scalable job architecture across all business units, including leveling, titling, and career frameworks, for both corporate/professional roles and distributed field labor (grading, utility, paving crews), incorporating Davis-Bacon and prevailing wage considerations. * Market benchmarking: Lead market benchmarking and ensure competitive pay positioning across all Cardinal markets in the Carolinas, Atlanta metro, and expanding FL/GA/AL regions. * Annual comp planning: Oversee the annual compensation planning process, including merit increases, promotions, and off-cycle adjustments. * Governance & controls: Establish clear compensation governance, guidelines, and controls to ensure consistency and defensibility of pay decisions across the organization. * Regulatory compliance: Ensure compensation structures comply with applicable federal, state, and local regulations, including pay transparency and prevailing wage laws across Cardinal's multi-state footprint. * M&A integration: Lead compensation and benefits due diligence and post-close harmonization for acquired companies as Cardinal continues to grow through M&A across FL, GA, and AL. * Public company support: Support executive and equity compensation processes (RSUs, performance incentives) in coordination with Legal and Finance for proxy and SEC reporting purposes. Executive & Incentive Compensation * Pay-for-performance strategy: Drive market-informed compensation strategies for President-level leaders and above, using benchmarking, competitive intelligence, and trend analysis to strengthen pay-for-performance positioning and align incentives with business performance and shareholder value. * Executive reward frameworks: Develop executive reward frameworks that improve retention, leadership effectiveness, and long-term organizational growth as Cardinal scales. * Model evolution: Own the evolution of executive compensation models to align with enterprise priorities, shareholder value, and Cardinal's growth trajectory as a public company. * Executive partnership: Partner with the CEO, CPO, and senior leaders to deliver strategic compensation guidance that informs critical talent and business decisions. * Long-term incentives: Design long-term incentive strategies that reinforce retention, engagement, and ownership among executive and key talent populations. * Equity lifecycle: Oversee equity lifecycle programs including annual grants, promotions, new hire awards, and retention initiatives with a focus on operational excellence. * Effectiveness analysis: Evaluate program effectiveness through analysis of retention outcomes, participation, dilution, and financial impact to drive continuous improvement. * Board & Committee support: Influence governance processes by delivering insights, analyses, and materials that support Compensation Committee and Board decision-making. Business Partnership & Influence * Finance partnership: Partner closely with Finance to ensure Total Rewards programs are designed with cost discipline and aligned to financial objectives. * Executive influence: Influence senior leaders across the organization through clear data, well-structured recommendations, and a credible point of view. * Business consultation: Consult with business leaders to ensure rewards programs support workforce needs across a complex, multi-state government and public infrastructure contracting environment. Integration & Continuous Improvement * Process improvement: Identify and implement process improvements, system enhancements (e.g., UKG), and data integrity initiatives across Total Rewards programs. * Analytics & reporting: Develop analytics and reporting to support decision-making and program effectiveness for the CPO and executive leadership team. ## Related Videos - [What if your HR software adapted to you, not the other way around?](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/100259-what-if-your-hr-software-adapted-to-you-not-the-other-way-around) - [Building 10x Organizations Using Modern Productivity Metrics](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/100026-building-10x-organizations-using-modern-productivity-metrics) - [Key HR Trends in 2024: Overcoming a Year of Emotional Disconnect](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/1271-key-hr-trends-in-2024-overcoming-a-year-of-emotional-disconnect) - [Get Your Stack Together: Building the Right Recruiting Tech](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/1295-get-your-stack-together-building-the-right-recruiting-tech) - [Beyond Paychecks: Designing Reward Systems for a Meaningful Employee Experience](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/1777-beyond-paychecks-designing-reward-systems-for-a-meaningful-employee-experience) - [Beyond Gut Feelings: The Rise of Data-Driven HR](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/1326-beyond-gut-feelings-the-rise-of-data-driven-hr) ## Related Articles - [Highest Paying Tech Companies for Developers](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/magazine/220-highest-paying-tech-companies-for-developers) - [Top HR Tech Conferences in 2024](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/magazine/303-top-hr-tech-conferences-in-2024) - [Résumé-Driven Development: How IT trends affect the job market for software developers](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/magazine/59-resume-driven-development-how-it-trends-affect-the-job-market-for-software-developers) - [Highest Paying Tech Companies in Europe](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/magazine/162-highest-paying-tech-companies-in-europe) - [Best Paying Jobs in Technology](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/magazine/256-best-paying-jobs-in-technology) - [How We Built a Worry-Free System That Runs for 10+ Years – And What We’d Do Again](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/magazine/751-how-we-built-a-worry-free-system-that-runs-for-10-years-and-what-we-d-do-again)