Senior Director, Total Rewards & HR Technology

Role Summary

We are seeking an experienced Senior Director, Total Rewards & HR Technology to lead the global optimization of Total Rewards and HR Technology. The role requires maximizing the candidate and employee experience while promoting health, purpose and data governance, and designing a comprehensive annual rewards package that attracts, motivates and retains talent. Your focus will encompass the value of KalVista’s total investment in employees, including compensation, benefits, recognition, milestone programs, lifestyle perks, time off, retirement programs and scalable systems, with global compensation planning guiding financial and talent decisions.

In leading annual global Compensation Planning, thrive with an analytical mindset to interpret complex data and drive financial and talent decisions. This role will be pivotal as we continue to scale and will ensure our philosophy within a supportive environment as our scientific mission prevails.

While reporting to the Vice President, Talent Operations & Rewards, you will be an integral member of the Human Resources organization with close collaborations with executive leaders and finance partners to ensure informed decisions for the global enterprise. This role is ideal for a leader who thrives in a dynamic, high growth pharmaceutical environment.

Responsibilities

• Leadership & Collaboration: Collaborate closely with Finance Leaders; establish a true partnership while co-owning the responsibility of people data, financial rewards and shared operational commitment; offer advisement to HR and Executive leaders on compensation philosophy, total rewards trends, industry practices and market shifts; prepare material for Compensation Committee to align compensation with corporate strategy through collaborative governance; partner with Talent Acquisition to share surveying and analysis while obtaining real-time market intelligence during talent sourcing and assessment; lead and own vendor relationships associated with HR Technology and Total Rewards including contract renewals, negotiations, and compliance.
• Compensation: Lead the development and implementation of the company’s global compensation frameworks for all level positions, including Executive level; shaping KalVista’s Compensation philosophy; design and launch job architecture, leveling frameworks, and global market benchmarking; lead annual Compensation Planning; including merit, incentive programs, equity planning, business rules associated with promotions and equal pay adjustments; conduct market analyses to ensure market specific competitiveness.
• Benefits & Wellbeing: Be a champion for employee wellbeing; design and manage competitive benefits programs in each Country we employ; harmonizing benefits across multiple entities while aligning employee needs and local market trends; ensure benefits are cost effective, compliant and inclusive; evaluate and enhance KalVista’s Employee Value Proposition through benefits innovation; identify and implement enhancements.
• Equity Planning: Oversee equity program administration in partnership with Legal & Finance; take the lead on employee education ensuring employees understand equity value offering; evaluate Equity Planning program year over year to ensure competitiveness.
• HR Technology: Define and drive the vision for HR systems to enable scalable growth; assess and optimize current technology platforms; implement new technologies.
• Policies & Programs: Assess KalVista’s library of policies for scalability; maintain all Human Resources related policies for the organization; manage global mobility programs, including relocation, immigration, and ex-pat assignments; lead project charters associated with new program design, assessment and sustainability.
• Governance & Compliance: Ensure compliance with global regulatory standards in each Country we serve; establish and maintain strong governance of Total Rewards programs and data integrity for HR Technology.

Qualifications

• Required: 12+ years of experience working with compensation and benefits administration
• Required: Experience working for a global organization
• Required: People leadership experience
• Preferred: User experience with ADP Workforce Now
• Preferred: Prior collaboration with the Hilb Group
• Preferred: Trainee of AON/Radford and Mercer’s leveling systems globally
• Preferred: Well versed with Equal Pay Act regulations across the United States
• Preferred: Experience in a high-growth company
• Preferred: Experience in biotech, pharmaceutical, or related innovation-driven industries
• Preferred: Prior management of global mobility programs

Education

• Bachelors Degree
• Certifications: CCP, GRP, or CEBS

Skills

• Experience designing compensation structures, job architecture, equity programs, and global benefits
• Previous ownership of executive compensation processes
• Demonstrated ability to influence executives and collaborate across functions
• Analytical depth with comfort building models, interpreting data, and presenting insights
• Ability to communicate prolifically with presence and impact
• Attentive listening, be present to non-verbal cues, reiterate and clarify
• Values others, communicates ideas, operates with kindness
• Ability to think beyond existing solutions
• Professionally persistent; drives fundamentals and enhancement
• Ability to act decisively
• Courage to provide counsel to senior business leaders and key stakeholders
• Ability to solve complex problems and analyze issues
• Introduce new ideas, design a new future
• Resilient & Versatile; demonstrate grit and your ability to adapt to change
• Lead with industry commercial awareness; stay up-to-date with your business, industry & market standards