Brand:
Bagel Brands
Bagel Brands is the parent company for your favorite breakfast brands, Einstein Bros. Bagels, Bruegger's Bagels, Noah's NY Bagels, and Manhattan Bagel. We believe in the bagel and how it has the unique ability to bring people together. Our team has a standard set of values and behaviors that allow us to spread a little more joy and happiness in the world. They let us laugh, smile, and enjoy each other’s company a little more. These are the behaviors that guide how we work, how we treat each other, and how we treat our guests. We believe that there is no better way to make someone’s day than with a warm, fresh-baked bagel and a heart-felt good morning.
The Manager, Total Rewards plays a vital role in helping Bagel Brands own the morning — not just for our guests, but for the team members who make it happen every day. This role is a leader in the design, administration, and continuous improvement of total rewards programs that attract, retain, and motivate the talented people behind our mission.
Anchored in Bagel Brands' values, this leader brings both strategic thinking and hands-on execution to compensation, benefits, and retirement programs. By ensuring our total rewards are competitive, equitable, and clearly communicated, this role directly enables a culture where every team member feels seen, valued, and set up to thrive.
- Department: Human Resources
- Base Salary Range: $120,000–$130,000/year
- Annual Bonus Target: 15%
We value in-person teamwork. This role is primarily on-site located in Denver, CO; 3+ days per week. Address: 1720 S. Bellaire Street, Skybox suite, Denver, CO 80222.
RESPONSIBILITIES INCLUDE, BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO:
Total Rewards Strategy & Administration
- Manage the planning, day-to-day administration, and ongoing evaluation of our total rewards function, including oversight of related vendors, consultants, and service providers.
- Lead annual total rewards processes — including open enrollment and all components of the annual compensation cycle — with consistency, clarity, and a great employee experience.
- Assist in the design, analysis, and administration of competitive and equitable compensation programs, including base pay, incentives, and time off.
- Perform benchmarking and market analysis of roles; audit pay practices to ensure alignment with internal protocols and all applicable federal, state, and local laws.
- Maintain compliance with company, federal, state, and local employment laws and regulations; periodically review policies and practices to ensure continued compliance.
Employee Experience & Communication
- Develop and deliver communication and education initiatives that help employees understand and genuinely appreciate the full value of their total rewards package.
- Contribute to a differentiated employee experience strategy that touches every point of the employee lifecycle, in collaboration with the full People function and organizational leadership.
- Partner across functional areas to drive total rewards principles and programs forward in alignment with organizational goals.
Analytics, Insights & Continuous Improvement
- Utilize data analytics and benchmarking to assess the effectiveness of total rewards programs, identify opportunities for improvement, and make data-driven recommendations.
- Analyze internal operations and identify areas for process improvement, acting with the urgency and resourcefulness that defines our Take Ownership value.
- Partner with Total Rewards, People Services, and cross-functional stakeholders to ensure compensation decisions reflect internal equity, market alignment, and thoughtful application of benchmarking insights.
Team Leadership & Development
- Lead, develop, and mentor a team across benefits, retirement, and compensation functions — fostering a culture of accountability, growth, and collaboration.
- Coach and hold team members accountable for job performance while providing both positive and constructive feedback on a regular basis.
- Lead team education on compliance-related policies and procedures to ensure understanding and adherence across the function.
LEADERSHIP COMPETENCIES (MANAGER)
The Manager, Total Rewards is expected to demonstrate Bagel Brands' core leadership behaviors through reliable execution, strong collaboration, and a genuine commitment to team development. At the Manager level, you add value to Bagel Brands by driving results with support.
- Effective Communication: Clearly articulates expectations and instructions; listens actively; provides constructive feedback; communicates team or project updates. Communicates progress and challenges to direct manager, clarifies priorities and expectations.
- Accountability & Ownership: Takes responsibility for team results; ensures tasks are completed; provides clear expectations; holds team accountable; admits mistakes.
- Adaptability & Perseverance: Adapts to changes in priorities; open to new tools/processes; clearly communicates changes; helps team navigate transitions; learns new skills quickly. Stays positive and learns from failures.
- Empowerment: Delegates tasks clearly; trusts team to complete work; encourages initiative; provides growth opportunities.
- Curiosity: Asks clarifying questions; seeks out new information relevant to tasks; shows interest in different team functions; learns from experiences.
- Self-Awareness: Recognizes strengths and development areas; seeks feedback; manages emotions effectively; understands impact on team.
Required Knowledge, Skills, & Experience
Education & Experience
- Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or a related field required.
- Master's degree preferred.
- 5–7+ years of progressive experience in total rewards management, with a focus on compensation and benefits.
- 2+ years of leadership or team management experience, preferably in a compensation, benefits, or people services environment.
- Experience in restaurant, retail, hospitality, or other fast-paced, multi-site environments strongly preferred.
Technical Knowledge
- Knowledge of compensation practices, including job evaluation, salary structures, and incentive plan design.
- Strong command of benefits administration, including health and welfare plans, retirement programs, and wellness initiatives.
- Familiarity with executive compensation principles and governance practices.
- Deep knowledge of compensation and benefits laws, statutes, and regulations required to maintain compliance across all HR-related disciplines, including payroll and time off.
- Experience planning for and implementing compliance changes across a multi-site, multi-state organization in a proactive and timely manner.
- Proficiency with Workday (compensation and benefits modules); intermediate-level skills with Microsoft Office products.
Skills & Abilities
- Strong analytical skills with the ability to interpret data, draw insights, and make actionable recommendations.
- Excellent communication and interpersonal skills; ability to effectively summarize and present complex data and influence stakeholders at all levels.
- Demonstrated project management skills; ability to manage multiple priorities and deliver results in a fast-paced environment.
- Highly detail-oriented and results-driven with proven critical thinking skills.
- Ability to multi-task with strong time management skills; able to prioritize work for the team and pivot as needed.
- Ability to maintain strict confidentiality of sensitive information.
- Goal-driven, responsive to deadlines, and a collaborative team player.
- Ability to assess and mitigate potential compliance risks and people services issues.
- Commitment to continuous learning to remain current on changes in laws, regulations, and best practices.
PHYSICAL DEMANDS
This role requires the ability to perform work primarily in a seated, office-based environment, with occasional movement throughout the workplace and limited travel. These requirements may be met with or without reasonable accommodation.
The duties of this position may change from time to time. The Company reserves the right to add or delete duties and responsibilities at the discretion of the Company or its managers. This job description is intended to describe the general level of work being performed and is not intended to be all-inclusive.
Bagel Brands is committed to providing equal employment opportunity and fair treatment in employment for all individuals. We do not discriminate on the basis of any characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law. Employment decisions are based solely on qualifications, merit, and business needs.
- Ranges reflect what employer reasonably and in good faith expects to pay for such position.
Address: | 1720 S Bellaire St. Skybox , Denver, Colorado 80222 |
The physical demands for this position are sits, stands, bends, lifts, and moves intermittently during working hours. These physical requirements may be accomplished with or without reasonable accommodations.
The duties of this position may change from time to time. Bagel Brands reserves the right to add or delete duties and responsibilities at the discretion of the company or its managers. This job description is intended to describe the general level of work being performed. It is not intended to be all-inclusive.
Bagel Brands is committed to providing equal employment opportunity, and fair treatment in employment without regard to race, ethnicity, color, religion, gender/gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, age, national origin or ancestry, physical or mental disability, military status or any other basis in protected by applicable federal, state and local law. Bagel Brands makes employment decisions based solely on qualifications for the position.
