Director, Total Rewards

Ventas, Inc.•Chicago, IL

3d•$180,000 - $250,000•Hybrid

About The Position

The Director Compensation, Benefits and HR Systems provides enterprise leadership for the strategic design, governance and execution of Ventas’s total rewards and HR systems strategy. This role leads the development and continuous refinement of compensation, benefits and equity programs to ensure market competitiveness, internal equity, regulatory compliance and alignment with the Company’s long-term business objectives. The Director partners closely with Legal, Finance, Accounting and IT to ensure strong program governance, accurate financial reporting and scalable systems that enable data-driven decision-making across the enterprise. This role also provides direct people leadership for managers and professionals responsible for the execution of compensation, benefits, equity, and HR systems programs, with accountability for performance, capability-building, and long-term bench strength.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Business, Accounting, Finance, or related field required; advanced degree preferred
15+ years of progressive experience in compensation, benefits, and total rewards, ideally within real estate, financial services or similarly regulated industries
Deep expertise in compensation program design, executive and enterprise equity administration and comprehensive benefits strategy
Advanced analytical capability with strong Excel skills and demonstrated HR systems proficiency, including Workday
Extensive knowledge of federal, state, and local compensation and benefits regulations, including ERISA, COBRA, FMLA, HIPAA, Section 125 and DOL requirements
Proven ability to partner effectively with Finance, Legal, Accounting, IT and senior leadership on complex, high-impact initiatives
Excellent written, verbal and executive-level communication skills with strong attention to detail
Demonstrated ability to manage competing priorities in high-pressure, deadline-driven environments
Must be located in the Chicago, IL area or willing to relocate for the duration of employment.
Willingness to adapt and thrive in a blended work environment with 3-days in office, seamlessly transitioning between remote work and in-office operations
Must be legally authorized to work in the United States without employer sponsorship now or in the future

Responsibilities

Compensation Strategy & Governance Lead enterprise compensation programs across base pay, annual incentives, and non-proxy programs to ensure competitiveness, internal equity and regulatory compliance
Oversee annual merit, bonus and off-cycle compensation cycles, including planning, budgeting, documentation and employee communications
Direct job evaluations, market benchmarking and participation in compensation surveys to inform pay structure and positioning
Provide strategic counsel on offers, promotions and pay actions to ensure consistency with market data and internal equity standards
Partner with Finance on quarterly forecasting and reporting of total compensation expense
Ensure compliance with all federal, state, and local compensation regulations and proactively manage legislative and regulatory risk
Deliver executive-ready compensation data, modeling and insights to Finance, Accounting, HR and senior leadership
Support Legal and HR leadership in the development of the annual proxy and executive compensation disclosures
Equity Management Lead the administration and governance of the enterprise equity programs, including RSUs and PSUs
Provide strategic input into the design and evolution of equity compensation programs to support executive retention and long-term value creation
Partner with Legal, Finance and Accounting on equity controls, disclosures, accruals and regulatory compliance
Oversee equity data reporting, reconciliations and audit procedures to ensure data integrity and risk mitigation
Benefits Strategy & Governance Lead the strategy, renewal, and oversight of all employee benefit programs, including health, retirement, wellness, paid time off and leave programs
Direct vendor, broker and consultant relationships to ensure high-quality service delivery, cost optimization and competitive plan design
Oversee open enrollment, benefits communications and employee education initiatives to drive engagement and informed decision-making
Ensure full regulatory compliance across all benefits programs, including ERISA, COBRA, FMLA, HIPAA, Section 125 and related requirements
Partner with Accounting on Form 5500 filings and all benefits-related regulatory reporting
Lead benefits integration for mergers and acquisitions, including plan alignment, compliance and budget adherence
Address and resolve employee compensation and benefits inquiries with professionalism, accuracy and efficiency
Workday & HR Systems Strategy Provide enterprise oversight of all HR systems and data management processes to ensure accuracy, consistency, security and operational efficiency
Safeguard data integrity, privacy and regulatory compliance across all HR platforms
Partner with IT and cross-functional teams to integrate Workday with broader enterprise systems to enhance connectivity and data flow
Lead standardized reporting, data definitions and governance practices to enable scalable enterprise-wide analytics and decision-making
Partner with internal and external audit teams to ensure successful completion of annual systems audits and adherence to control standards