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Vice President | Total Rewards

The Opportunity:

Emplify Health seeks a dynamic executive to serve as its next Vice President, Total Rewards within the enterprise Human Resources department ("Vice President"). This is a unique opportunity with a health care organization focused on enhancing the health and well-being of their communities and enriching the lives of their patients, families, and staff.

Emplify Health, represented by the Gundersen Health Region and Bellin Health Regions, are excited to officially share they have recently merged to create Emplify Health, a nearly $3 billion health system offering access to more resources and a broader network of services to strengthen and improve care for the patients and families they serve. Emplify Health is an evolution of two of the Upper Midwest’s most respected health systems, each having served patients in their respective parts of Wisconsin, Upper Michigan, southeastern Minnesota, and northeast Iowa for well over 100 years. The integrated health system provides patients and communities access to top-tier care at 11 hospitals and more than 100 clinic locations, ensuring robust local healthcare is available to help the patients and communities flourish.

Reporting to the Chief People Officer, the Vice President serves as the critical role in reviewing, planning and executing the total rewards strategy for the enterprise. This is an exciting opportunity to contribute directly to the enterprise strategy through its most valued resource, its over 18,000 team members. The VP will lead the talented cross functional group of the Total Rewards Committee, elevating plans to the most senior levels of the organization to ensure consideration of best practices in recruitment, retention and wellbeing. The new VP will have the exciting opportunity as an executive sponsor and leader as the enterprise seeks to harmonize all benefits programs, compensation philosophy and the implementation of a unified HR system across regions.

The Vice President partners closely with colleagues including, but not limited to, clinicians, nursing, operations, finance, compliance, legal, technology and human resource business partners and other center of excellence (COE) colleagues to monitor trends, laws and regulations that may impact the health system.

It is not often that opportunities come along that offer such rewarding and exciting work in shaping the future of a newly formed organization, one anchored with incredibly strong values, humility and service.

Ideally the selected candidate will reside in either LaCrosse or Green Bay, Wisconsin; however, there will be consideration for a candidate who prefers to reside more broadly in the four states that Emplify serves. It will be important that candidates demonstrate the ability to lead remote/hybrid team, aligning and inspiring connection as the workforce continues to evolve.

Candidates should have progressive leadership experience in the areas of benefits, compensation and overall total rewards and should have demonstrated success within similarly complex organizations. Candidates with experience in the healthcare industry as well as other industries are encouraged to express interest.

Position Summary:

The Vice President will create and deliver a comprehensive total rewards strategy and program that aligns with the mission, vision and values of Emplify Health and inspires employees to live their best lives. The ability to educate, influence and inspire action will be critical to the success of this role, in addition to having a depth and breadth of knowledge and experience across compensation and benefits. Lead, develop, and retain high performing teams that continually deliver value to the organization.

The Vice President is responsible for advancing the enterprise-wide total rewards programs to ensure that total rewards are aligned with the workforce desires and are able to demonstrate the value. This executive is responsible for leading the strategy, oversight, and day-to-day operations of the total rewards functions (primarily compensation and benefits). Emplify has positive working relationships with labor unions, with approximately 800 employees within the system being represented.

To advance Emplify Health's position as an innovator and leading healthcare system, the Vice President is responsible for proactively anticipating and effectively responding to evolving market and environmental trends that will impact the delivery of Emplify's health care services, such as shifts in models, value-based purchasing, transparency of outcomes, and workforce trends.

Additionally, the Vice President collaborates with senior management and others to establish and achieve Emplify Health's strategic mission and goals related to demonstrating superior quality and safety for patients and caregivers, providing superior service, demonstrating affordability of care, achieving programmatic growth, and attracting, developing, and retaining a talented and engaged workforce

Total Rewards Strategy and Design:

• Develop and execute a total rewards strategy that supports the company's business goals and ensures competitive and affordable compensation and benefits programs for our employees.

• Develop and oversee governance structures to facilitate effective decision making and plan oversight.

• Design and implement innovative compensation programs, including base salary structures, variable pay plans, incentives and recognition programs.

• Design and implement innovative benefits programs, including health and welfare, wellness, retirement, time off, leave of absence, education.

• Collaborate with the CPO and executive leadership team to ensure total rewards initiatives are aligned with the company's overall HR and business strategies.

• Ensure competitiveness of compensation structures and benefit offerings in different markets, considering local regulations, industry benchmarks and organization financials.

• Data-Driven Decision Making and Innovation: Leverage HR data analytics to connect data with business needs, providing insights that drive informed decision-making and continuous improvement. Identify and implement creative and effective solutions to enhance the overall employee experience, ensuring our reward and performance programs are competitive.

• Drive innovative solutions to enhance the overall employee experience, with a focus on attracting, retaining, and motivating top talent.

• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to integrate Total Rewards initiatives seamlessly into broader HR and business strategies and meet budget targets.

Collaboration and Communication:

• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to ensure alignment between HR initiatives and organizational goals. Develop and maintain relationships with internal customers, peers and associates as well as external vendors. Tailor messages and use appropriate communication methods to build and maintain trust across diverse audiences.

• Utilize Workday, Infor and UKG (Ultimate Kronos Group) or similar platforms to optimize the employee experience and administrative processes related to compensation, benefits, and payroll.

• Stay abreast of market trends, legislative changes, and emerging best practices in Total Rewards to continuously enhance the company's programs.

Payroll and Benefits Management:

• Oversee the management of payroll operations, ensuring accurate and timely processing of payroll across multiple locations, in compliance with local regulations and company policies.

• Manage and enhance the benefits portfolio, including health and welfare programs, leave programs, retirement plans, employee wellness initiatives, and other benefits offerings.

• Evaluate and select external vendors and partners for payroll processing and benefits administration, negotiating contracts and service level agreements to ensure cost-effectiveness and quality service delivery. Responsible for ongoing relationship and contract management.

Core for all Leaders:

• Organizational Strategy and Implementation - Recognizes market trends, judges the impact on their AOR, contributes to responsive strategic plans, develops AOR operational plans, articulates these plans, and ensures they are communicated to gain alignment and commitment of all AOR staff.

• Fiscal Management - Effectively uses established processes to ensure accountability for effective operations and resource management.

• Human Resource Management - Effectively uses established processes to select, align, develop, motivate, manage, and retain a team of highly skilled employees.

• Excellence in Service and Quality- Achieves seamless delivery of quality patient care, safety, excellence in patient experience, and customer service. Utilizes Continuous Quality Improvement principles and platform planning in decisions, improvements, and system design.

• Organizational Leadership - Provides leadership and accomplishes objectives by ensuring the integration of processes and initiatives while modeling collaboration. Participates and supports in brand/service delivery teams as requested.

• Maintains accountability for implementation of requirements of regulatory agencies.

• Serves as liaison to the community.

Candidate Qualifications:

Education :

• Bachelors required in Human Resources, Business or Finance, Master's Preferred

Certification/Registration/Licensure :

• Preferred - CCP, CBP or CEBS, SHRM SCP or SPHR

Experience :

• 10 years in related HR leadership role

• Experience in a large, complex organization with competing priorities and a multitude of stakeholders.

• Experience within a health system or other healthcare organization is preferred.

• Experience developing Total Rewards Strategy and execution plans, including ROI and budget management.

• Experience designing and administering compensation plans.

• Experience designing and administering benefit plans.

• Proven leadership building teams and developing individuals.

• Innovative, forward thinker with a demonstrated competency in strategy and leadership, strong communication, and relationship management skills, politically savvy and demonstrated ability to work with and lead cross-functional team.

• Experience optimizing HR systems and processes. Proficiency with Workday would be preferred, but not required.

• Deep knowledge of using contemporary HR practices and methods and understanding industry best practices and trends.

• Demonstrated application of change management methodologies in a matrixed, complex operation.

• Experience in a shared services environment is strongly preferred.

• Experience with collective bargaining agreements preferred.

Why Emplify?

• Tailored Benefits Package: We offer a comprehensive benefits package that varies based on your location. To learn more about the specific benefits available in your area, please inquire with the recruiter during the application process.

• Flexible work location: While this role offers some flexibility in work location, candidates must reside within a reasonable commuting distance of La Crosse or Green Bay, WI due to frequent on-site needs.

• Comprehensive Care: Be part of a team that delivers compassionate, patient-centered care across multiple specialties.

• Community Impact: Work in communities where your contributions make a tangible difference in people’s lives.

• Professional Growth: Access continuous learning opportunities and career development programs.

• Collaborative Environment: Join a supportive network of healthcare professionals committed to excellence.

Application Process:

Please note, the position is being sourced via an executive search firm. Interested and qualified candidates are directed to submit their application materials (CV/resume required) at the apply link, or can reach out directly to Kasey Kirschbaum, kmkirsch@gundersenhealth.org . Kasey can also be reached by phone at 608-775-5606. All submissions will be forwarded to the executive search firm contact.

I f you need assistance with any portion of the application or have questions about the position, please contact HR-Recruitment@gundersenhealth.org or call 608-775-0267

We inspire your best life by relentlessly caring, learning and innovating. This is our purpose. Together with our values — belonging, respect, excellence, accountability, teamwork and humility — our pillars set our foundation and our future.

Equal Opportunity Employer