Lead - Total Rewards (Global)

Role Overview

We are seeking an experienced Lead Total Rewards Management to drive our global compensation and benefits strategy. Based in India with a worldwide remit, this role will ensure competitive, equitable, and performance-driven reward programs across the US, Latin America, China, Poland, Germany, and the Middle East. The Lead will develop policies that align with company objectives and local market practices, balancing global consistency with regional flexibility. This position plays a key part in attracting and retaining top talent by providing reward solutions that are fair, motivating, and compliant with local regulations.

Role & responsibilities

Total Rewards Strategy: Develop and implement a comprehensive global total rewards strategy covering compensation, benefits, incentives, and recognition that is aligned with business goals and adapted to local market needs. Ensure consistency in core philosophy (e.g. pay-for-performance) while accommodating regional differences in practices and regulations.

Merit Increase Process: Oversee the annual merit increment process for all countries after the performance management cycle, ensuring performance appraisal results are effectively translated into fair salary adjustments. Provide guidance and calibration so that high performers are rewarded in line with company guidelines and budgets.

Market Benchmarking & Salary Structure: Conduct regular compensation benchmarking (industry salary surveys, living wage analysis) to keep pay practices competitive. Analyze market data and internal equity, then recommend salary structure adjustments or corrections as needed to maintain fairness and competitiveness in each region.

Job Evaluation & Pay Equity: Perform job valuation/evaluation exercises to maintain a consistent global grading system. Ensure roles are appropriately leveled and compensated according to their scope and impact, upholding internal pay equity and transparency in career progression.

Regional Compensation Advice: Serve as an advisor to regional HR and business leaders on local compensation & benefit practices. Stay updated on country-specific trends and regulations, and recommend improvements or best practices for each region (e.g. competitive benefits, allowance structures). Help tailor global programs to fit cultural and legal requirements in each market.

Analytics & Dashboard Management: Create and manage MIS reports and HR dashboards to track reward metrics (e.g. salary expenditures, compensation ratios, benefit uptake), Employee Costs, Productivity, Employee Retention. Use data analytics to identify opportunities for cost optimization, process simplification, or enhancement of employee benefits. Present actionable insights to leadership and design programs to implement improvements based on data findings.

Employee Cost management including Annual Cost budgeting, productivity enhancement initiatives, Headcount control, Headcount & Cost benchmarking across countries.

HRMS Governance: Oversee the HRMS compensation modules (such as Darwinbox) to ensure effective use of the system for compensation planning, employee data management, and recognition programs. Maintain data accuracy and confidentiality in the HRMS, and leverage its capabilities (reporting, self-service tools) to streamline total rewards administration across all regions.

Incentive Programs: Manage global Short-Term and Long-Term Incentive (STI/LTI) programs, ensuring they are well-designed, performance-aligned, and executed consistently. Govern the annual bonus cycles, sales incentives, and equity/stock award programs, making sure these incentives motivate desired performance and meet local compliance requirements. Periodically review and update incentive plans to remain competitive and effective in driving results.

Preferred candidate profile

Education & Experience: MBA or Masters in HR, Business, or related field (preferred). 5–7 years of experience in Total Rewards or Compensation & Benefits roles, with exposure to managing programs across multiple countries.

Analytical Skills: Exceptional analytical and numerical ability. Advanced Excel skills for modeling and analysis, and experience working with HRMS/HRIS platforms (experience with Darwinbox is a plus). Able to interpret complex data and draw insights to inform decisions.

Total Rewards Knowledge: Strong understanding of compensation structures, benefits administration, job evaluation methodologies, and incentive plan design. Up-to-date on global reward trends and best practices.

Global Compliance: Familiarity with multi-country labor laws and compensation regulations (e.g., minimum wage, social security, tax implications across different regions). Ability to ensure that all reward programs comply with local legal requirements while maintaining overall strategy.

Communication & Leadership: Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills. Proven ability to work with senior leadership and cross-functional teams to drive initiatives. Capable of explaining reward decisions and policies clearly, and training managers on compensation processes.

Integrity & Accuracy: High level of integrity in handling confidential data. Keen attention to detail to ensure accuracy in reward program implementation and record-keeping. Committed to fairness, equity, and the organization’s values in all reward practices.