Compensation and Benefits Specialist

Compensation and Benefits Partner

Boise, Idaho | Hybrid, flexible in-office schedule | Full-Time

Position Description

Cushing Terrell is hiring a Compensation and Benefits Partner to lead the day-to-day delivery of benefits, leave administration, and compensation programs for our multidisciplinary design firm. This is a full-time, hybrid role based in our Boise, Idaho office with a flexible in-office schedule. You will report to the HR Operations Manager and serve as the primary day-to-day contact for our benefits brokers, carriers, and third-party administrators.

What does this role involve day to day? You will administer our self-funded health plan, monitor medical and pharmacy claims trends, manage leave and accommodation cases, and resolve complex benefits, leave, and compensation questions for employees across multiple states. On the compensation side, you will maintain job leveling and pay band structures, conduct market pricing analysis, and coordinate the annual compensation review cycle. You will also lead recurring total rewards cycles, including open enrollment and plan renewals, from planning through employee communication.

What does success look like? Success in this role means benefits, leave, and compensation programs that run accurately and on schedule, compliance filings completed on time, and data translated into clear options and recommendations for HR leadership. You will explain benefits in plain language, and protect sensitive employee data. The role includes travel of up to 15% per year.

Position Salary Range*

The expected salary range for this position is $90,000 to $115,000 annually.

Required Qualifications**

• Bachelor's degree in human resources, business administration, or a related field, or an equivalent combination of education and experience
• 8+ years of human resources experience, including benefits administration, leave administration, and compensation
• Experience administering self-funded health plans, including stop-loss coverage and Section 125 plans
• In-depth knowledge of FMLA, ADA, ACA, COBRA, ERISA, HIPAA, and workers' compensation requirements
• Hands-on compensation experience, including market pricing, job leveling, pay band design, and pay equity analysis
• Proficiency with compensation platforms such as Payscale, HRIS and benefits administration systems, and Microsoft 365, including advanced Excel
• Experience supporting a multi-state employee population

Preferred Qualifications**

• SHRM-CP or PHR certification
• CEBS or CCP certification, or progress toward either
• Experience in a professional services environment
• Project management experience leading recurring cycles such as open enrollment, renewals, and compensation reviews
• Familiarity with AI tools and emerging HR technology, and the ability to assess their practical use, risks, and fit
• Experience training others on benefits, leave, and compensation processes

Did you know that some people hold back on applying to jobs if they don't meet 100% of the listed requirements? We don't want you to hold back! If you check most of the qualifications above and believe you could successfully do the work, we encourage you to apply!

Position Responsibilities***

• Administer the firm's self-funded health plan, monitoring medical and pharmacy claims and utilization trends and flagging issues to HR leadership.
• Manage enrollment, eligibility, and communication for medical, flexible spending account, wellness, COBRA, and 401(k) retirement plans, leading open enrollment and annual renewals.
• Serve as the primary day-to-day contact for brokers, carriers, and third-party administrators, resolving issues and reconciling invoices.
• Manage federal, state, and company leave programs, including FMLA, short-term disability, ADA accommodations, and workers' compensation claims with return-to-work coordination.
• Build and maintain job leveling and pay band structures, conduct market pricing and salary survey participation, and recommend level and band placement in partnership with talent acquisition.
• Coordinate the annual compensation review cycle and support pay equity analysis, presenting findings and recommendations to HR leadership.
• Manage ACA eligibility, reporting, and other compliance filings, monitor regulatory changes, and lead regular audits of benefits and compensation records.
• Strengthen total rewards programs by benchmarking benefits against peer organizations, improving process documentation, and training HR team members on benefits, leave, and compensation.

Working at Cushing Terrell

Cushing Terrell is a multidisciplinary design firm with 17 offices and more than 500 team members who bring together their expertise to deliver holistic built environments. Leveraging our influence as designers, we work to create sustainable systems and spaces that help people live their best lives.

Why Cushing Terrell

At Cushing Terrell, we empower creative designers to discover imaginative, responsible, first-of-their-kind environments. But more than that, we support a strong, cohesive team — from our design professionals to our business operations staff. Together, we champion diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging — placing people at the center of our practice, thus our tagline, 'design meets you.' Together, we find joy in uncovering imaginative solutions for the people who work here, the people we work for, and the planet as a whole. We offer a competitive benefits package, work opportunities in a variety of locations and markets, and a company culture that celebrates all the unique viewpoints and personalities that make up our talented team. View our Employee Benefits Guide on our company job posting site.

Things to Note

*Actual pay will be determined based on the candidate's years of experience, licensure status, location, level of proficiency, and other job-related factors (as permitted by law). This position is also eligible for an annual performance bonus.

**Applicants must be currently authorized to work in the United States on a full-time basis. Cushing Terrell will not sponsor applicants for work visas.

***The majority of the time, a person in this role will be sitting in an office with limited physical requirements. This may require individuals to bend, stretch, twist, and reach.

Cushing Terrell is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to their race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, or national origin, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local laws and ordinances. Contact 406.248.7455 if you require assistance or accommodation during the employment application process.

Note to recruitment agencies: Cushing Terrell does not accept unsolicited resumes from search firms or agencies. Any resume submitted to any employee of Cushing Terrell without a prior written search agreement will be considered unsolicited and the property of Cushing Terrell.