Total Rewards Lead

Decagon • San Francisco, CA

5d • $200,000 - $280,000 • Onsite

About The Position

Decagon is hiring its first compensation leader to develop its existing leveling framework, pay bands, equity programs, and benefits into a comprehensive total rewards function as the company scales across seven countries. The role will establish compensation infrastructure, governance, and analytical rigor appropriate for a late-stage company, and prepare to stand up a compensation committee within the next year. Working with the founders and Head of People, the Total Rewards Lead will define the company’s compensation philosophy and shape how Decagon pays, rewards, and retains employees.

This is a senior, high-visibility role partnering directly with People leadership, Finance, and the founders. The position owns total rewards design for the company, including compensation, equity, and benefits programs.

Requirements

• 8+ years of experience in compensation, benefits, or total rewards at a high-growth technology or SaaS company.
• Experience building or significantly rebuilding compensation structures, job architecture, and leveling frameworks; ideally in a fast-moving, pre-IPO environment.
• Deep expertise in equity compensation, including option plans, RSUs, and refresh cycles.
• Experience supporting equity education and communications for employees.
• Understanding of the design and administration of competitive benefits programs, including medical, dental, vision, 401(k), and ancillary programs.
• Experience managing benefits vendor relationships and renewals.
• Ability to use market data to guide decisions and build clean, defensible compensation models.
• Experience partnering with Finance on headcount planning, compensation accruals, and total compensation cost modeling.
• Strong communication skills, including the ability to explain complex compensation concepts to employees, managers, and executives.
• Ability to thrive in ambiguity and move quickly without sacrificing rigor.

Nice To Haves

• Leadership experience in compensation, benefits, or total rewards.
• Experience at a company that scaled from approximately 100 to over 500 employees and navigating the total rewards complexity of that growth.
• Experience with executive compensation and board-level reporting.
• Experience supporting international expansion and structuring compensation across multiple geographies.
• Familiarity with HR technology and compensation tools such as Carta, Pave, Radford, Workday, or Rippling.

Responsibilities

• Design and own Decagon’s total compensation philosophy, including salary bands, equity guidelines, bonus structures, and benefits programs.
• Build and maintain a job architecture and leveling framework that creates consistency and clarity across the company.
• Lead annual and mid-year compensation review cycles in partnership with Finance and People Business Partners.
• Own equity program administration, including grant processes, refresh cycles, employee education, and vesting communications.
• Manage benefits programs end-to-end, including open enrollment, broker relationships, and ongoing plan design.
• Serve as the internal expert on compensation and benefits compliance, including FLSA, ACA, and state-level requirements.
• Partner with Recruiting to develop competitive offers and help attract top talent at every level.
• Develop clear communications that help employees understand and value their total compensation package.
• Partner with company founders and the Head of People to define Decagon’s compensation philosophy.
• Build compensation and equity infrastructure, governance, and analytical rigor to support company growth.
• Prepare to establish a compensation committee within the next year.

Benefits

• Medical, dental, and vision benefits for employees and their families.
• Life insurance and disability benefits.
• Retirement plan, such as a 401(k) or pension.
• Parental leave.
• Fertility and family-building benefits through Carrot.
• Monthly stipend supporting wellness, lifestyle, and work-life balance.
• Daily office lunches and snacks.
• Take-what-you-need vacation policy, subject to local requirements; UK employees receive 25 days of statutory leave.
• Equity.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior
• Education Level: No Education Listed