Director, Total Rewards : Trevor Project

Nonprofit HR•San Francisco, CA

3d•$125,000 - $140,000•Remote

About The Position

The Director, Total Rewards is a foundational leadership role responsible for shaping the strategy, structure, and sustainability of how The Trevor Project rewards, supports, and invests in its people. Reporting to the Chief People Officer, this leader will define and lead Trevor's enterprise-wide approach to compensation, benefits, payroll, and recognition— establishing the philosophy, infrastructure, and governance that an evolving and mission-driven workforce requires. This role is both highly strategic and deeply hands-on. The Director will be an architect in Trevor's Total Rewards philosophy, compensation structure, wellness and retirement benefits plan, and recognition and rewards programs that bring Trevor's values to life through the employee experience across a fully-remote workforce comprised of union and non-union staff and 24/7 shift workers. The Director will also oversee related operations and compliance functions. The Director will lead and mentor a team of two — the Sr. Payroll Manager and the Benefits & Compensation Manager — while partnering closely with the Chief People Officer on overall strategy. This leader will serve as a trusted advisor in collaboration with executives, people managers, and cross-functional partners across Legal, Internal Communications, and Finance, bringing technical depth, sound judgment, and a collaborative posture to every decision. The ideal candidate brings deep technical expertise across the full Total Rewards discipline and is energized by the opportunity to build durable, equitable, and values-aligned reward systems.

Requirements

8+ years of progressive Total Rewards experience, including direct ownership of compensation, benefits, and payroll strategy within complex, multi-state nonprofit organizations
Demonstrated success building or transforming Total Rewards programs — including authoring compensation philosophies, designing pay structures, and establishing job architecture — within evolving, growing, or mission-driven environments
Deep technical expertise across benefits administration, retirement plan management, 5500 filings, ACA and nondiscrimination testing, and multi-state payroll compliance
Experience administering total rewards programs within a unionized environment under a collective bargaining agreement including 24/7 and shift-based staff
Demonstrated experience leading leaves and accommodations across multiple states, including mental-health-related accommodations and shift-based workforce considerations
Demonstrated success leading and developing high-performing teams, including mentoring and coaching managers and individual contributors
Demonstrated ability to balance strategic leadership with hands-on execution in fast-paced, evolving environments
Strong project management and operational planning skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities, stakeholders, and timelines simultaneously
Strong analytical capability, including advanced Excel skills and experience leveraging HRIS and Total Rewards technology to inform strategy, reporting, and decision-making
Exceptional communication, collaboration, and relationship-building skills across all organizational levels
Professional proficiency in spoken and written English
Demonstrated commitment to fostering inclusive, equitable, and mission-aligned workplace practices
Ability to navigate ambiguity, organizational change, and evolving priorities with professionalism and sound judgment
Strong emotional intelligence, integrity, discretion, and ability to build trust across diverse teams and stakeholders

Nice To Haves

Experience supporting Total Rewards within global or internationally distributed organizations is preferred
Spanish language proficiency is a plus

Responsibilities

Define, codify, and socialize Trevor's Total Rewards philosophy, including pay positioning, internal equity stance, transparency commitments, and alignment with Trevor's mission and values
Partner with the Chief People Officer to translate workforce strategy into multi-year compensation, benefits, and payroll plans, surfacing the data and analysis needed to inform organizational budgeting
Serve as a strategic thought partner to executive leadership on the total rewards implications of organizational decisions, growth plans, and structural change
Establish the metrics, dashboards, and governance reporting needed to bring visibility, accountability, and continuous improvement to the Total Rewards function
Oversee Trevor's pay bands, job architecture, and leveling framework to support equity, growth pathways, and clarity of expectations across roles
Design and lead Trevor's annual compensation and promotion cycles, including the rate structure for annual increases, merit, and recognition
Establish standards for setting compensation ranges for new and existing roles using market data, internal equity, and compensation frameworks
Provide strategic guidance to leaders and People Business Partners on offers, retention arrangements, promotions, and incentive design
Lead the strategy, design, and annual planning of Trevor's health, welfare, retirement, and wellbeing programs to ensure they are competitive, equitable, and reflective of Trevor's commitment to its people
Spearhead ERISA compliance, Form 5500 filings, ACA reporting, and nondiscrimination testing, ensuring audit readiness across all benefit programs
Own and strengthen Trevor's benefits and compensation vendor partnerships and assess whether existing benefits technology is being leveraged to its fullest potential
Partner with Internal Communications to elevate awareness, accessibility, and utilization of Trevor's benefits and wellbeing offerings
Cultivate Trevor's formal employee recognition program, designing a framework that reflects Trevor's values and reinforces a culture of belonging, trust, and progress
Partner closely with the Director, Talent & Inclusion to integrate recognition into the broader employee experience and culture strategy
Set the strategic direction for payroll operations, with the Sr. Payroll Manager owning execution across multi-state payroll processing, garnishments, retirement contributions, reconciliation, and reporting
Ensure ongoing compliance with multi-state labor, unemployment, disability, and workers' compensation registrations, and oversee payroll-related partnerships with tax authorities and external vendors
Establish a payroll reporting and variance-analysis cadence that supports budget monitoring, financial audit readiness, and informed organizational decision-making
Cultivate a sustainable, equitable, and compassionate framework for leave and accommodations across multiple states within a 24/7, shift-based work environment
Lead, coach, and develop the Sr. Payroll Manager and Benefits & Compensation Manager, providing the mentorship, stability, and best-practice guidance needed to elevate the function
Foster a collaborative, accountable, and growth-oriented team environment grounded in trust, clarity, integrity, and technical excellence
Establish clear roles, responsibilities, and centralized ownership for Total Rewards processes
Build sustainable processes, documentation, and playbooks that outlast individual tenure and enable the function to scale
Navigate Trevor's highly collaborative and cross-functional environment, building strong partnerships with Finance, Legal, Internal Communications, and other members of the People team
Contribute to organizational change management, process improvement, and operational stabilization efforts across the People function
Ensure all programs and practices align with organizational values, applicable laws and regulations, union considerations, and equitable workplace practices
Approach all work and interactions with empathy and inclusion, to create relationships with teams and individuals at all levels, working closely with colleagues to brainstorm ideas, discuss pros/cons, and develop ways forward, listening and responding to develop mutual understanding and trust
Communicate clearly - both in written and verbal form - for internal audiences, distilling complex information into compelling, easily digestible narratives; conveying information around policies, legal and compliance considerations, and best practices in a way that is understood by staff at all levels
Work collaboratively with relevant external partners
Demonstrate a commitment to fostering and maintaining an environment of inclusion and belonging, modeling Trevor’s values and enhancing culture in everyday interactions as well as operational initiatives
Maintaining knowledge competency relating to The Trevor Project’s programs, services, and strategic goals, as well as the LGBTQ+ community we serve
Demonstrate fair, ethical, and equitable business practices
Handle sensitive and confidential matters with the utmost discretion and integrity, with regard for cultural, operational, and legal considerations
Learn eagerly, share knowledge appropriately, and improve continuously
Demonstrate successful planning and problem-solving skills, including multitasking and working well within tight timelines
Demonstrate attention to detail and accuracy in all work
Handle other relevant duties and responsibilities as assigned