Director, Total Rewards

Cohere•Boston, MA

2d•$190,000 - $300,000•Remote

About The Position

At Cohere, we believe exceptional talent deserves exceptional rewards. As our Director, Total Rewards, you'll own and evolve the strategy that helps us attract, retain, and motivate some of the world's most sought-after people working at the forefront of AI. Total Rewards is a strategic lever that enables us to compete for exceptional talent in one of the most competitive markets in the world. You'll join as the founding member of our Total Rewards function, with the opportunity to shape not only our philosophy, programs, and operating model, but also the future of the team itself. You'll start as an individual contributor with significant ownership, and as the company continues to grow, you'll have the opportunity to build and lead a world-class Total Rewards team. Partnering closely with senior leaders across the business, you'll influence our compensation philosophy, equity strategy, global benefits, and executive reward programs. While you'll inherit a strong foundation, you'll have the autonomy to evolve our approach, challenge conventional thinking, and ensure our rewards strategy continues to scale alongside one of the world's leading frontier AI companies. This is a highly visible, high-impact role with significant ownership. You'll be a trusted advisor to leaders across the company, influencing some of our most important people and business decisions while helping shape the employee experience at one of the world's leading frontier AI companies.

Requirements

10+ years of experience leading Total Rewards in fast-growing technology companies.
You've built, evolved, or significantly transformed global compensation and benefits programs.
You have deep expertise in compensation philosophy, equity programs, executive compensation, and global benefits.
You're comfortable advising senior leaders and influencing complex business decisions.
You combine strong commercial judgment with analytical rigor and enjoy solving complex problems through data.
You thrive in high-growth environments where priorities evolve quickly and you're excited by the opportunity to build and continuously improve.
You're an exceptional communicator who can explain complex reward concepts with clarity and influence.

Responsibilities

Own and evolve our Total Rewards strategy
Lead the vision, strategy, and roadmap for Total Rewards, ensuring our philosophy and programs continue to evolve alongside our business and support our next stage of global growth.
Design and continuously refine our global compensation and equity programs to attract and retain world-class talent across research, engineering, go-to-market, and corporate functions.
Build and evolve a thoughtful benefits strategy that provides a consistent employee experience globally while allowing flexibility to meet local market needs.
Partner closely with executives, Finance, People, and business leaders on compensation decisions, organizational changes, executive hiring, and reward strategy, providing thoughtful guidance grounded in data and market insight.
Monitor compensation, benefits, and industry trends to ensure our programs remain competitive, innovative, and aligned with our philosophy and values.
Continuously improve our systems, processes, and operating model so our Total Rewards function can support the company's rapid global growth.

Benefits

A weekly lunch stipend of $75/£75 or equivalent in your local currency for lunch.
Full health and dental benefits, including a separate budget for mental health.
RRSP matching, 401K, Pension Scheme.
100% Parental Leave top-up for up to 6 months, for either parent.
Annual enrichment benefits: Arts & culture, fitness/wellness, quality time, and a workspace improvement credit.
Education & learning stipend for conferences, courses, and coaching.
6 weeks of paid vacation (30 working days!)
Budget for traveling to other offices if you are remote, plus an annual company offsite.
A co-working benefit so you can work alongside others in your city.
$500 home office stipend to set up your workspace properly.