Senior Total Rewards Lead

Rocky Mountain Institute•Remote - Colorado, CO

9d•$94,930 - $117,000•Remote

About The Position

RMI is seeking a Total Rewards Senior Lead to own and lead its compensation, benefits, and people analytics function. Reporting to the Director of Talent & People Operations, you will own compensation strategy and administration, benefits program design and oversight, people analytics infrastructure, and LOA policy for a global workforce. This is the senior Total Rewards presence at RMI. The function is being built and this person will serve as its architect; an experienced individual contributor with full functional accountability for compensation, benefits, LOA policy, and people analytics.

Requirements

7+ years of progressive experience in Total Rewards, Compensation, or Benefits, with demonstrated ownership of compensation strategy, benefits program design, and people analytics.
Experience supporting a global workforce across multiple geographies and employment types (EOR, direct hire, contractors).
Strong analytical skills; proficiency with Excel/Google Sheets and HRIS systems (Workday preferred), including experience building dashboards and analytics reporting using HRIS and compensation data.
Knowledge of US benefits compliance (ERISA, HIPAA, ACA) and familiarity with international benefits structures.
Experience with FMLA and state leave policy; comfort with LOA frameworks and third-party administrator management.
Excellent communication skills, with the ability to present complex compensation and benefits information to all levels.
Demonstrated ability to own a function independently and drive outcomes through influence rather than direct authority; experience partnering with specialists and analysts on execution while retaining full accountability for the work.
Experience building or maintaining compensation and benefits analytics, including pay equity reporting, salary benchmarking, and benefits utilization data, and translating insights into actionable recommendations for senior leaders.
Experience owning and leading compensation survey participation (Radford, Mercer, Birches, or comparable) and translating market data into pay recommendations and job architecture decisions.
Strong interpersonal awareness, collaboration, and coaching skills; skilled navigator of differences to build inclusive processes.
Proven ability to manage multiple priorities and build relationships at all levels in a fast-moving, ambiguous environment.

Nice To Haves

CCP (Certified Compensation Professional) or CEBS (Certified Employee Benefits Specialist) certification is strongly preferred.
Experience with compensation survey platforms — Radford, Mercer, Birches, or comparable — including survey participation and market pricing methodology.
Experience with Workday compensation and benefits modules, including system configuration and reporting.
Experience owning and conducting pay equity analyses, including statistical review and remediation planning.
Experience with international compensation structures — EOR models, developing market pay practices, and multi-currency compensation management.
Experience with benefits open enrollment including plan design, employee communications, and coordination with system administration teams.
Experience with energy, climate, or mission-driven organizations.
Bachelor’s degree in HR, Business, Finance, or related field.

Responsibilities

Own, lead, and evolve RMI’s global compensation strategy, including salary structure design, pay equity framework, job leveling, and the annual compensation cycle.
Maintain and evolve compensation benchmarking using market data (e.g., Radford, Mercer, Birches) to keep RMI competitive globally; lead new-hire and promotion benchmarking and the annual pay-equity review.
Partner with People Partners and hiring managers on offer recommendations and internal equity reviews.
Partner with People Operations on payroll accuracy and timing; serve as the Total Rewards SME on compensation-related payroll questions.
Own and lead benefits program strategy and design for US and global programs (health, dental, vision, retirement/403b, wellness, PTO, supplemental), with operational administration executed by the Benefits & Compliance Specialist.
Lead annual benefits plan assessment and plan design decisions — evaluating coverage, competitiveness, and global benefits structure; advise on renewals in partnership with People Operations, which maintains broker relationships and owns open enrollment execution in Workday.
Own and lead LOA policy design and oversight across all leave programs (FMLA, parental, disability, accommodations, sabbatical), with case management handled by the Benefits & Compliance Specialist; serve as policy SME for complex or escalated situations.
Own and lead compensation and benefits analytics, including pay equity reporting, salary trend analysis, benefits utilization data, and compensation benchmarking, to support decision-making across the People Team; partner with People Operations on broader People Team dashboards where compensation data is an input.
Translate data into actionable insights and leadership presentations; partner with Finance on headcount modeling and workforce-planning scenarios.
Own and lead the Total Rewards function end to end — setting strategy, standards, and priorities across compensation, benefits, LOA policy, and people analytics, and driving outcomes through cross-functional partnership rather than direct authority.
Partner with the Sr. Manager, Talent & Performance on analytics deliverables that support workforce planning, talent review, and performance management decision-making.

Benefits

Medical, dental, vision insurance
403b retirement match with immediate vesting
Group life, AD&D, and short- and long-term disability
Optional voluntary life, AD&D and accident plans
Health savings or flexible spending accounts
Fertility and hormonal health support
Mental health and wellness support
Comprehensive leaves of absence (including generous parental leave)
Generous paid time off and sick leave
Paid sabbatical leave
Regional holidays with at least one extended break in each geography
Work from home and home technology allowances
Learning & development opportunities (LinkedIn Learning and an annual individual professional development budget)
Potential for bonuses and merit increases
Discount marketplace (gym memberships, pet insurance, etc.)
Hybrid / remote work options
Team retreats and geographic meetups
Rewards and recognition programs