Title:  Rewards Associate

Department: People & Culture 

Location: Raleigh, NC

Reporting to: Total Rewards Manager, 

Role: Permanent

Rewards Associate, USA

About the Role 

The role is required to provide full support on Rewards processes and activities, including USA payroll, pension and benefits while ensuring accurate reporting and compliance with local legislation, market practices and the company’s guidelines. This is in addition to participating in the implementation of global projects at local level.

This role allows to expand expertise on Rewards while having an an enriching collaboration with different stakeholders in a dynamic environment including Region, Leaf, Ready-Made Cigarettes Manufacturing & Market operations.
 

What you will do

Payroll

• Participate in processing semi-monthly and monthly payroll via payroll system (Paylocity) for USA-based employees
• Ensure employee compensation data, employment taxes and applicable deductions are properly and accurately reported, managed and updated in payroll system
• Support in liaising with payroll system provider on payroll issues, enquiries, and corrections, as needed
• Assist in preparing payroll-related reports, journal entries and reconciliation (monthly, quarterly, ad-hoc etc.), while partnering with necessary stakeholders (i.e. Finance function, tax advisor, payroll system provider etc.)
• Collaborate regularly and properly with tax and legal advisors, as necessary, to ensure payroll tax compliance for both local employees and international assignees
• Maintain and update the employee master data in payroll system and SAP, for all types of employees (full-time, permanent, international assignees etc.)

Benefits

• Handle the annual review of benefits carriers & portfolio for all USA entities to ensure benefit programs are in line with market practices, in addition to participating in designing a competitive benefits portfolio in line with market practices, while monitoring cost efficiencies
• Coordinate with insurance providers/ brokers to ensure the best services and rates for employees
• Manage benefits administration and enrolments (including ESPP process), in addition to overseeing Worker's Compensation claim submission process and handling various benefit plans
• Manage all types of JTI, state and federal leaves as applicable (vacation, short & long-term disability, Family Leave, Americans with Disabilities Act etc.), in coordination with benefit carrier to ensure required documentation and deadlines are met, in line with relevant legislation and internal company guidelines 
• Ensure compliance with benefit-related legislation at all times

401K Plan Administration

• Review, analyse and maintain the legal plan documents to ensure they are consistent and compliant with actual respective regulations (i.e. Internal Revenue Service IRS/ U.S. Department of Labor DOL), while consulting with external counsels and advisors if and as required
• Manage pension plan documentation and communication to participants, ensuring statutory requirements are met
• Handle a proper administration of the USA pension program, 401(K), including processing contributions, loans, distributions, and hardship withdrawals, etc., while engaging with employees and vendors, as necessary
• Ensure necessary regulatory information are timely communicated to the U.S.A. local leadership team and testing requirements are performed, as necessary
• Prepare required annual and/ or regular forms and reports (i.e. 5500 form and other government filings)

Reporting and Systems Administration

• Maintain an updated internal filing system for payroll and benefits purposes, in compliance with local regulations
• Provide monthly, quarterly, annual, and ad-hoc reports, JSOX Reports, SAP reports, bonus & vacation accruals etc
• Calculate vacation payouts at the end of the year, as well as any ad-hoc payouts due to employees

General Support

• Handle the preparation and submission of monthly/ quarterly accruals and postings, while collaborating with the Finance team, Deloitte team and various functional stakeholders, as necessary
• Assist in developing or updating Rewards related policies and handbooks, if and as necessary
• Prepare Compensation Scenarios for new hire offers
• Provide support, as needed, on the various JTI Rewards processes and activities (i.e. Annual Salary Review, the Profit Sharing Incentive Plan etc.)
• Create benefits & rewards-related communication to employees, in coordination with the Communications team, in addition to assisting employees with requests and enquiries related to total benefit package offerings

Who We Are Looking For

A dynamic, enthusiastic, and result-oriented person, with:

• 1-2 years’ experience in Human Resources
• Experience working with GBS on HR activities 
• Demonstrated working knowledge on HR systems (i.e., SAP, paylocity etc.) 
• Proficient skills in Microsoft Office applications (i.e., PowerPoint, Excel, Word, Outlook)
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team, with proven experience of cross-functional collaboration
• Experience demonstrating ability to communicate efficiently across the organization
• Proven experience in problem-solving
• Demonstrated organization, planning and time management skills
• Fluency in English language
• High integrity and sense of responsibility
• Proven experience of effective working in a culturally diverse environment
• Experience and/ or knowledge of US payroll and pension is advantageous

What We Offer 

In JTI USA, we are proud to be recognized as Top Employer and awarded the Global Equality Standards certificate as we continue our dedication to equal pay and equal opportunities. 

Our culture is what makes JTI USA a fun and exciting environment to work in. We value integrity, trust, empowerment, and freedom - freedom of choice, freedom of thought, freedom of expression, and freedom to be yourself. 

We ask for accountability, ownership, results, and collaboration. 

And we care for our people's well-being - In addition to the salary, you might want to enjoy the following: 

• Annual Performance-based Bonus
• Employee Stock Purchase Plan 
• Personal Development 
• Medical/ Dental & Vision Plan for employees & family members.
• Life insurance
• Matching 401(K)
• Paid Time Off (PTO)
• Paid Family Leave of 20 Weeks
• Short-Term & Long-Term Disability 
• Education/ Tuition Assistance
• Flexible Dress Code
• Hybrid Work Setup 
• Snacks & Drinks
• Office Parties 
• Volunteering Activities 
• Employee Assistance Program - counseling, for employees & family members. 

In addition to other perks & benefits (i.e. fitness/ wellbeing activities, employee discounts, service awards, recognition program, etc.)