Position Summary:
The Vice President, Total Rewards is a strategic and operational leader responsible for designing, modernizing, and scaling a comprehensive total rewards strategy for a $1.5B global software organization. Reporting to the Chief People Officer, the VP, Total Rewards will translate business strategy into reward architecture that attracts, retains, and motivates top talent while ensuring rigor, governance, and operational excellence across our global footprint
This role requires deep expertise in executive compensation, broad-based incentive design, and global benefits strategy within a technology environment. The VP will lead the full spectrum of total rewards globally – executive and workforce compensation, equity programs, benefits, recognition, and performance linked incentives while driving simplification, automation, and AI enabled insights across reward operations.
We are seeking a pragmatic, agile leader who can operate at both the board level and in the details – someone who understands the nuances of executive compensation and governance, yet thrives in a fast moving, scaling software environment. This is an opportunity to architect a differentiated rewards strategy that reinforces performance, innovation, and long-term value creation.
The Vice President, Total Rewards will be a key member of the HR Leadership team, partnering closely with the Chief People Officer, HR Leaders, Finance, senior executives, and interacting regularly with the Board of Directors and the Compensation Committee.
Key Responsibilities:
- Total Rewards Strategy: Lead the design and execution of a global total rewards strategy that supports business growth and innovation, differentiates talent, and reinforces our culture, core values, and ways of working.
- Executive Compensation and Governance: Lead executive compensation design and governance; prepare accurate, data-driven materials for the Board of Directors and Compensation Committee, ensuring rigor, transparency, and regulatory compliance. Ensure strong regulatory compliance, disclosure integrity, and oversight of pay equity practices.
- Performance and Incentives: Modernize pay-for-performance programs to clearly link performance to business outcomes; lead the evolution to a true pay-for-performance culture by redesigning incentive structures, strengthening performance calibration, and driving change management that reinforces accountability, differentiation, and measurable business impact.
- Global Compensation and Benefits: Lead globally aligned compensation, equity, and benefits strategies with locally appropriate application, simplifying and integrating programs to drive competitiveness, scalability, and a consistent employee experience across markets.
- Operational Excellence and AI Enablement: Strengthen Lead reward operations, processes, controls, and analytics; leverage technology and AI to enhance modeling, pay equity analysis, and decision support. Continuously improve policies, processes, and communications to drive clarity and simplicity.
- Team Leadership and Capability Building: Build, develop, and coach a high performing total rewards team; elevating capability, accountability, and strategic partnership across the enterprise.
Qualifications:
- 12-15+ years of progressive experience in Compensation/Total Rewards, with at least 3 years leading a global Total Rewards function or equivalent within a technology or software environment.
- Demonstrated expertise in executive compensation and board level compensation governance. Proven track record of presenting to and partnering with public company Boards and Compensation Committees.
- Recent leadership experience in a publicly traded technology or product-led company; strong understanding of equity programs, tech talent markets, and growth-oriented environments.
- Demonstrated experience shifting rewards from transactional programs to a strategic total rewards model that impacts engagement, retention, and performance.
- Ability to operate effectively in ambiguity, applying sound judgment to balance competing priorities, incomplete data, and evolving business needs.
- Proven ability to lead global compensation and benefits programs.
- Track record of modernizing performance and incentive systems.
- Strong financial acumen and analytical skills; comfort with data, modeling, and scenario analysis to inform recommendations.
- Experience leveraging technology and AI tools in compensation planning and analytics.
- Excellent communication skills, including the ability to distill complex concepts into clear narratives for executives, the Board, and employees.
- Experience leading global teams and working across cultures; ability to balance global standards with local market needs.
- Bachelor’s degree required; advanced degree or relevant certifications (e.g., CECP, CCP) strongly preferred.
