Director of Rewards Job New York New York USA,HR/Recruitment

Position: Director of Total Rewards
Location: New York

We’re looking for a Director of Total Rewards to own compensation and benefits strategy as Chainguard scales from a startup into its next phase of growth
This role will lead our Total Rewards team, managing our Compensation Manager and Benefits team, and will be responsible for setting the strategy that keeps us competitive as we compete for talent against some of the biggest names in tech
You’ll partner closely with the business to build a total rewards approach that’s both employee-first and cost-effective, while helping us extend our compensation and benefits programs into new countries as we expand internationally
This is a role with real ownership and runway
You’ll shape how we think about pay, benefits, and rewards as the company roughly doubles in size over the next several years
Own and set Chainguard’s total rewards strategy across compensation and benefits
Manage and develop the Total Rewards team
Lead our approach to global compensation and benefits strategy as we expand into new international markets, including the UK, Canada, and Germany, with more countries to follow
Partner with the business to balance employee experience with cost efficiency, identifying legacy programs or underutilized benefits that can be redesigned or retired without eroding our benefits-rich culture
Stay ahead of market trends in compensation and benefits, helping Chainguard remain competitive for talent against major players in the market
Oversee banding, market pricing, and merit cycles, in partnership with the Compensation Manager
Advise leadership on comp and benefits strategy tied to headcount growth and cost management as the company scales
Build scalable total rewards processes as the team and company grow
Why This Role:
Chainguard is scaling quickly, both domestically and internationally, and our total rewards strategy needs to scale with it. This role sits at the center of that work — helping us stay a benefits-rich, employee-first company while making smart, sustainable decisions about where and how we invest
You’ll have the opportunity to shape compensation and benefits strategy across a rapidly growing, increasingly global organization, with real support to build the team and programs needed to get there

Benefits

Equity/stock options
Unlimited PTO
Remote work with flexible coworking and team meetup opportunities
Home office and internet stipend
100% health/dental/vision insurance coverage for you and your family

Strong command of market pricing and benchmarking tools (Radford, Pave, Mercer, or similar)
Proven experience setting total rewards strategy, with a strong background in either compensation or benefits (and working knowledge of the other)
This is a people-manager role reporting into the VP overseeing People Experience with equity program design and administration, including cap table fluency (Carta, Share works, or similar)
Working knowledge of pay equity and compliance considerations across multi-state and international jurisdictions
Experience scaling total rewards programs at a high-growth SaaS or startup company, ideally through a growth stage comparable to scaling from roughly 1,000 to 3,000+ employees
8-10 years of progressive compensation and benefits experience, including 3+ years in a management capacity
Experience partnering with or managing an Employer of Record (EOR) for international employees
Strong track record managing and developing a team
End-to-end experience running compensation cycles — job architecture, market pricing, merit/promotion planning, and bonus design
Relevant experience is valued over certifications
International experience required, particularly across EMEA; experience in Japan, Singapore, or South America is a strong plus
Comfort operating with some ambiguity and building process where it doesn’t yet exist