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Life in Lethbridge offers the best of both worlds, the welcoming charm of a close-knit community and the amenities of a growing urban center. Come see why so many professionals and families are making Lethbridge their home!
Reporting to the GM, People & Culture, the Manager, Compensation & Benefits role serves as the organization’s functional leadership on compensation and total rewards. The Manager, Compensation & Benefits leads a small, specialized team and works closely with People & Culture partners and leaders to support informed and equitable compensation practices.
This is a unique opportunity to build and shape a dedicated Compensation & Benefits function. While core processes are established, priorities include strengthening the organization’s compensation philosophy, enhancing market benchmarking practices, and evolving programs to better support organizational goals. As a working leader, the Manager, Compensation & Benefits plays a hands-on role in both day-to-day delivery and longer-term program development.
STATUS: Full Time, Permanent
HOURS OF WORK: 8 hours per day, Monday to Friday, with every third Friday off
In this role, you will: lead the delivery and continuous improvement of the organization’s total rewards programs, including compensation, benefits, pension, payroll, job evaluation, and time and labour. This role provides both operational leadership and deep technical expertise to ensure programs are equitable, competitive, compliant, and consistently applied.
Compensation Strategy & Programs
- Support the development and evolution of the organization’s compensation philosophy, translating strategic direction into practical frameworks and programs
- Conduct market research and benchmarking to inform competitive positioning across employee groups
- Maintain and enhance pay structures (grades and bands), recommending updates as organizational and market needs evolve
- Lead annual salary survey participation and analysis
- Monitor pay equity and recommend adjustments to address gaps
- Maintain and communicate compensation policies and guidelines
- Provide expert advice on compensation matters, including hiring, promotions, market adjustments, and exceptions
Job Evaluation & Classification
- Lead the end-to-end job evaluation and classification process across multiple employee groups and methodologies
- Apply consistent, expert judgment in evaluating roles and determining appropriate classification outcomes
- Ensure internal equity through alignment with compensation structures and organizational standards
- Integrate market data into classification and compensation decisions
- Manage reconsideration requests and support fair, timely resolution processes
- Oversee tools and processes that support classification, ensuring accuracy and continuous improvement
- Oversee administration of the Job Evaluation Committee process
- Coordinate evaluation activities, prepare materials, and maintain accurate records
- Act as a key liaison between management and union representatives on job evaluation matters
- Ensure submissions are complete, accurate, and aligned with established processes
Consultation & Advisory
- Act as a partner to support effective job design and organizational structure
- Review job documentation to ensure quality and readiness for evaluation
- Advise leaders on classification outcomes and compensation decisions, resolving issues and escalating where needed
- Educate managers on job evaluation processes, expectations, and best practices
Payroll Leadership
- Oversee accurate and timely payroll processing across all employee groups
- Ensure compliance with applicable legislation and reporting requirements (e.g., CRA, year-end reporting)
- Maintain payroll policies, procedures, and audit processes
- Partner with Finance on payroll-related reporting, reconciliations, and budgeting
- Serve as escalation point for complex payroll issues and adjustments
Benefits & Pension Administration
- Oversee administration of group benefits and pension programs, including enrolment, changes, and vendor management
- Lead annual benefits renewal processes, including analysis and communication
- Monitor program competitiveness through benchmarking and make recommendations for improvement
- Maintain policies and support clear, effective employee communication
Time & Labour
- Oversee time and labour processes, ensuring compliance with legislation and collective agreements
- Support policy development and provide guidance to leaders on scheduling, overtime, and related matters
- Partner with systems teams on configuration updates and process improvements
Systems & Continuous Improvement
- Provide functional oversight for compensation, payroll, and time & labour modules
- Partner with systems specialists to enhance processes, reporting, and system effectiveness
- Identify opportunities to streamline manual processes and improve efficiency
- Ensure data integrity and support reporting for People & Culture leadership
Team Leadership
- Lead, coach, and develop a specialized team across compensation, payroll, and benefits
- Set clear goals, support performance management, and build team capability
- Plan for team capacity and growth as the function evolves
- Foster strong technical expertise, particularly in compensation strategy and market benchmarking
What You Bring to the Table
Qualifications & Experience:
- Post-secondary education in Human Resources, Business Administration, or a related field
- 5+ years of progressive compensation and/or benefits experience, with demonstrated technical depth in job evaluation and classification
- Preference will be given to applicants who have obtained their CPHR or CCP designation, or are working towards completion
- Previous experience working within municipal or public sector environments, and/or pension plan (defined benefit or defined contribution) administration will be considered an asset
- Hands-on experience managing a job evaluation process, preference will be given to applicants who have experience completing this work within union and non-union streams
- Working knowledge of payroll administration fundamentals, CRA compliance, and Alberta employment standards
- Experience with group benefits administration and vendor management
- Working knowledge with HRIS platforms and compensation data management; experience with PeopleSoft or similar ERP will be considered an asset
- Strong analytical skills with the ability to work with compensation data, identify patterns, and make clear recommendations
- Clear written and verbal communication skills and the strong ability to explain classification decisions to leaders, employees, and union representatives in plain language
Why You’ll Love It Here:
At the City of Lethbridge, we are committed to building a workplace where employees feel valued, supported, and empowered to contribute. You’ll be joining a collaborative, supportive team that values your input and celebrates our wins. Every day brings new challenges and opportunities to grow, adapt, and make a difference. If you bring a positive attitude, a passion for service, and a knack for leading with empathy and efficiency, this is the place for you.
We're committed to attracting exceptional talent and offer a competitive annual salary and comprehensive total rewards package. Compensation will be determined based on the successful candidate's experience and qualifications.
For further information on this opportunity, please contact:
Our Talent Team at [email protected]
Qualified candidates are invited to submit their resume with cover letter, online at https://careers.lethbridge.ca/en/annonce/4480689-manager-compensation-benefits-t1j-0p6-lethbridge
Applicants must apply online. We are unable to accept paper copies of resumes or applications sent via email.
Closing Date: July 30, 2026 at 4:00PM MST
All applicants are thanked in advance for their interest. Only individuals selected for interviews will be contacted.
The City of Lethbridge (www.lethbridge.ca) proudly acknowledges that we are located at the heart of Siksikaitsitapi (Blackfoot) Territory, home of Kainai, Piikani, Siksika and Amskapi Piikani (Montana, USA) First Nations. Lethbridge is also located within the Métis Nation of Alberta.
The City of Lethbridge recognizes the diversity of our community and is working to ensure programs, services, facilities, and employment opportunities are inclusive to all people.
Civic Admin Association
Work Location: In person
