Executive Director, Global Total Rewards & HR Operations

Deciphera Pharmaceuticals • Waltham, MA

2d • $246,000 - $338,000 • Hybrid

About The Position

The Executive Director, Global Total Rewards & HR Operations serves as the enterprise leader responsible for defining and advancing Deciphera’s global Total Rewards strategy, HR systems, and HR operations model. This role will architect and operationalize a fully integrated, scalable infrastructure spanning compensation, benefits, HR technology, and service delivery to support business growth and ONO integration. The Executive Director is accountable for both the strategy and execution of compensation programs globally, serving as the primary leader overseeing compensation philosophy, design, decision-making, and delivery. This role partners closely with the CHRO and key stakeholders to ensure that rewards programs, systems, and operations are competitive, data-driven, and aligned to business priorities. This role also leads and develops a team, ensuring the organization has the capabilities, structure, and expertise to deliver on its strategic objectives, while driving strong governance, operational excellence, and a consistent employee experience across geographies.

Requirements

• Demonstrated experience in Total Rewards, Compensation, HR Systems, with a strong track record of designing and scaling global Total Rewards strategies, executive compensation frameworks, and HR operations in a complex, multi‑region environment, including experience operating in or partnering across global organizations
• 15+ years of progressive HR experience, including deep expertise in Total Rewards, HR systems (e.g., Workday), and HR operations
• 8+ years of leadership experience, including leading global or enterprise teams
• Demonstrated experience designing and leading compensation strategies, including executive compensation and incentive plan design
• Strong expertise in HRIS strategy, data governance, and HR analytics
• Experience operating in global, matrixed organizations with complex stakeholder environments
• Strong understanding of compensation, benefits, and HR compliance across the U.S. and EU
• Proven ability to influence senior executives and translate business strategy into people programs
• Demonstrated ability to develop strategy and translate it into execution, including building roadmaps, driving implementation, and delivering measurable outcomes
• Strong business and financial acumen, with the ability to evaluate workforce costs, model compensation investments, and align rewards strategies with financial and business objectives
• Strong analytical and data-driven decision-making capabilities

Nice To Haves

• Advanced degree (MBA, MHRM, or related discipline)
• Experience operating in and supporting integration in a global environment and collaborating with headquarters and/or a Japanese parent organization
• Experience building or transforming a Total Rewards and/or HR operations COE from scaling or evolving environments
• Professional certifications (e.g., CCP, CEBS)
• Strong analytical and data-driven decision-making capabilities
• Demonstrated success driving HR transformation, technology implementations, and change management
• Ability to balance strategic leadership with operational execution in a fast-paced environment

Responsibilities

• Defines and leads a comprehensive, globally aligned Total Rewards strategy that drives attraction, retention, performance differentiation, and enterprise value creation.
• Define and lead a comprehensive global Total Rewards strategy, with direct accountability for end-to-end compensation strategy and execution (base pay, benefits, incentives, and equity)
• Oversee executive, commercial, and broad-based compensation design, including incentive plans and pay-for-performance structures
• Establish compensation philosophy, governance frameworks, and decision-making principles to support consistent and equitable outcomes
• Lead job architecture, leveling frameworks, and global market pricing
• Direct annual compensation cycles (merit, bonus, equity), ensuring alignment with business strategy and financial plans
• Set the strategy and governance for global benefits programs (health, retirement, wellness), ensuring competitiveness, compliance, and cost effectiveness in partnership with subject matter experts
• Serve as a trusted strategic advisor to the CHRO and key stakeholders, providing guidance on workforce cost, compensation strategy, rewards investments, and people-related risk
• Ensure global alignment and integration of Total Rewards programs with ONO while maintaining relevance to Deciphera’s business and culture
• Establishes a scalable HR technology and data ecosystem that enables insight-driven decision-making, operational efficiency, and global integration.
• Own the strategy, roadmap, and governance for Workday and the broader HR technology ecosystem
• Drive system optimization, integration, and automation to improve employee and manager experience
• Establish HR data governance, controls, and reporting frameworks to ensure accuracy and compliance
• Advance people analytics capabilities to enable data-driven decision-making across compensation, workforce planning, and talent strategy
• Partner with IT, Finance, and external vendors to ensure scalability, integration, and long-term system effectiveness
• Ensure alignment of HR systems and data structures with ONO to support global reporting and integration
• Designs and governs a scalable, globally aligned HR operations model that ensures consistent, compliant, and high-quality employee and manager experience.
• Define and evolve a scalable global HR operations model, setting the strategy, governance, and priorities that enable operational excellence through process standardization, automation, and continuous improvement across compensation, benefits, and core HR processes
• Ensure consistent, compliant, and efficient execution of HR programs and processes through clear governance, controls, and service delivery frameworks, with a focus on accuracy, risk mitigation, and service quality
• Establish and maintain policies, SOPs, and governance structures to support audit readiness, regulatory compliance, and operational consistency across regions
• Partner across HR and the business to deliver a seamless and consistent employee and manager experience, with clear ownership, accountability, and service model clarity
• Oversee operational performance through defined metrics and KPIs, enabling data‑driven decisions to improve efficiency, effectiveness, and user experience
• Align HR operations processes and service delivery with ONO frameworks where appropriate, while preserving flexibility to meet Deciphera’s business needs
• Builds and leads a high-performing Center of Excellence, strengthening organizational capability, accountability, and long-term scalability.
• Lead, coach, and develop a high-performing team across Total Rewards, HRIS, and HR Operations
• Build organizational capability, including team structure, skills, and operating model to support a scalable Center of Excellence
• Foster a culture of accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement
• Other duties and responsibilities as assigned

Benefits

• Competitive salary and annual bonus.
• Comprehensive benefits package including medical, dental, vision insurance, 401(k) retirement plan with company match, and more.
• Generous parental leave and family planning benefits.
• Outstanding culture and opportunities for personal and professional growth.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Executive