Director Global Talent & Total Rewards (m/w/d)

Overview:

We are seeking a dynamic, forward-thinking Director of Talent & Total Rewards to join our HR leadership team. Reporting directly to the CHRO, this role will be pivotal in shaping and elevating our global talent, compensation, and benefits strategy. With ~1,200 employees worldwide and backed by private equity, we operate in a fast-paced, high-change environment where impact is immediate, and transformation is constant.

This is a rare opportunity for someone with big-company or consulting experience who wants to step into a more agile environment where you can drive change, see results quickly, and make a lasting impact.

What makes this opportunity unique is the chance to step into an organization where your ideas and expertise can make a visible difference. You’ll work in close partnership with the CHRO and the executive team to design and implement modern, scalable practices that will influence the entire business. For the right person—someone who thrives in agile, entrepreneurial settings—this is a role where you’ll have both the autonomy and the mandate to build, innovate, and lead meaningful change. Along the way, you’ll guide and develop a talented HR team, ensuring our people and rewards strategies keep pace with our growth and evolving business needs.

Main tasks and responsibilities:

Talent Strategy & Development

• Re-assess and upgrade the company’s performance management process to align with business goals and drive accountability.
• Conduct capability analyses to support the new organizational structure and ensure the right skills are in place for future growth.
• Design and implement scalable frameworks for talent management, succession planning, and leadership development.
• Partner with leaders to identify and grow future talent pipelines while strengthening critical organizational capabilities.
• Introduce innovative approaches to employee engagement and career pathways that fit a high-performance turnaround culture.

Total Rewards

• Implement a global job grading framework to ensure consistency, transparency, and fairness across roles and geographies.
• Re-evaluate bonus and incentive systems, especially for sales, ensuring alignment with business performance and market competitiveness.
• Develop and introduce modern rewards strategies (e.g., recognition programs, flexible benefits, well-being initiatives) to support attraction and retention.
• Provide subject matter expertise and external benchmarking to guide executive decision-making.

HR Systems & Analytics

• Oversee the HR systems roadmap and ensure tools and data support decision-making and business insights.
• Build workforce analytics capabilities to identify trends, risks, and opportunities across the employee lifecycle.

Leadership & Change

• Lead, coach, and develop a small but high-impact team (HR Analyst, Talent Specialist, Systems Specialist).
• Act as a trusted partner to the CHRO, bringing best practices and creative ideas to accelerate change.
• Engage and influence employees, HR partners, and leaders globally to adopt and embed new ways of working.

Experience: 

• Significant experience in talent management and total rewards, ideally within both large organizations and/or top-tier consulting.
• Proven track record in redesigning performance management processes, capability frameworks, and organizational development programs.
• Hands-on experience implementing job grading, compensation structures, and incentive/bonus programs on a global scale.
• Familiarity with HR systems and analytics tools, with experience leading system enhancements and data-driven decision-making.
• Previous experience in fast-paced, high-change, or PE-backed environments is highly desirable.

Competencies: 

• Strategic thinker who can balance long-term vision with a bias for action.
• Change leader who thrives in ambiguity and drives transformation at pace.
• Strong influencing skills, able to partner effectively with senior leaders and engage employees at all levels.
• Analytical and data-driven, with the ability to translate insights into actionable strategies.
• Innovative and curious, constantly seeking new approaches to talent, rewards, and people practices.
• Resilient and adaptable, with the confidence to build and implement new processes from the ground up.

• Self-starter with high energy and the ability to navigate ambiguity and competing priorities.
• Culturally savvy, adaptable, and comfortable working in global settings.