Manager / Senior Manager – Compensation & Benefits

Role Overview

The Manager / Senior Manager – Compensation & Benefits will be responsible for designing, implementing and managing competitive, compliant and scalable total reward programs for Staples India.

The role partners closely with HR Director, HQ Total Rewards COE, GCC Finance to ensure alignment with business strategy, talent objectives and governance standards.

This role requires strong expertise in compensation structuring, benefits administration, payroll governance, statutory compliance and data-driven decision-making with the ability to operate in a matrixed and fast-evolving environment.

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Key Responsibilities

Compensation Strategy & Program Management

· Design, implement and administer compensation frameworks including salary structures, incentives, allowances and align bonus programs

· Support annual compensation cycles including merit reviews, promotions, market corrections and budgeting

· Partner with Finance and HR teams to ensure cost-effectiveness and business alignment of compensation decisions

· Conduct job evaluations, leveling and role benchmarking in line with market and internal equity

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Market Benchmarking & Analytics

· Lead compensation benchmarking using industry surveys (e.g., Mercer, Aon, WTW or equivalent)

· Analyze market trends and provide insights to leadership on pay competitiveness and talent risks

· Build compensation dashboards and analytics to support decision-making and governance

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Benefits & Wellbeing Programs

· Oversee end-to-end benefits administration including insurance, retirement benefits, wellness programs and flexibility initiatives

· Manage vendor relationships to ensure service quality, cost optimization, and employee satisfaction

· Drive benefit communication and education to improve employee understanding and utilization

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Payroll Governance & Compliance

· Partner with HR Operations and Payroll teams to ensure accurate and timely payroll delivery

· Ensure adherence to statutory requirements including PF, ESI, Gratuity, Bonus, Income Tax and other local regulations

· Support audits, statutory filings and inspections related to compensation and benefits

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Governance, Policy & Stakeholder Management

· Act as a subject matter expert for rewards-related queries from employees, managers, and leadership

· Partner with Staples Rewards COE to localize and implement global compensation initiatives

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Continuous Improvement & Transformation

· Drive process improvements, automation and standardization in C&B processes

· Support HRMS configuration related to compensation, benefits and payroll

· Contribute to HR transformation projects and shared services maturity initiatives

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Key Skills & Competencies

· Strong expertise in compensation design and benefits administration in India

· Sound understanding of Indian statutory and tax regulations

· Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with high attention to detail

· Ability to influence stakeholders and present insights to senior leaders

· Process-oriented mindset with experience in audits and governance

· Comfortable operating in global, matrixed environments

Experience & Education

· 8–10+ years of progressive experience in Compensation & Benefits or Rewards roles

· Experience in large organizations, GCCs, or global companies preferred

· Hands-on experience with compensation benchmarking, surveys and analytics

· Exposure to HRMS / payroll systems is required

· MBA / PGDM in HR, Finance, or related discipline