Director of Total Rewards - Compensation and Benefits

Talabat Holding; Dubai; On-site; AED 650,000 - 1,000,000; Full time

Job summary

Talabat Holding in Dubai is seeking a Director of Total Rewards to lead strategy, design and delivery of compensation, benefits and incentive programmes across the business.

The role requires strong analytical capabilities, business partnering with senior stakeholders and the ability to lead a rewards team in a dynamic, on-site environment in Dubai.

Qualifications

• Experience in compensation and benefits or rewards consulting.
• Practical experience in compensation and benefits programme design or HR analytics.
• Strong understanding of compensation structures, incentives and rewards practices.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute talabat's Total Rewards strategy in line with business objectives and long-term talent priorities.
• Provide strategic guidance to the People leadership team on compensation frameworks and rewards programmes.
• Advise senior business stakeholders on compensation-related decisions.
• Lead the ongoing development of rewards programmes that support market competitiveness.
• Ensure compensation and benefits initiatives contribute to talabat's employee value proposition.

Skills

Rewards consulting

Compensation design

HR analytics

Stakeholder management

Tools

Excel

Power BI

Tableau

Job description

Director of Total Rewards - Compensation and Benefits

Job Snapshot - Role: Director of Total Rewards - Location: Dubai, United Arab Emirates - Industry: Internet - Function: Benefits/Compensation Planning - Experience: Experience in compensation and benefits, rewards consulting, programme design or HR analytics; years not specified - Job Type: Full Time - Work Arrangement: On-site

Position Overview

talabat is looking for a Director of Total Rewards to lead the strategy, design and delivery of compensation, benefits and incentive programmes across its business. Based in Dubai, the role will shape how talabat rewards its people, ensuring compensation frameworks remain competitive, support business performance and align with long-term talent priorities. As a senior advisor to People leadership and business stakeholders, you will oversee company-wide compensation structures, annual rewards cycles, incentive arrangements and benefits strategy. You will also lead a team of rewards professionals, strengthen governance and use financial modelling and market insights to support important people decisions. This opportunity calls for an experienced rewards leader who combines technical expertise in compensation and benefits with strong analytical capabilities, business partnering skills and the confidence to influence senior stakeholders.

Job Details

• Country: United Arab Emirates
• City: Dubai
• Industry: Internet
• Function: Benefits/Compensation Planning
• Salary: Not disclosed
• Gender: No Preference
• Candidate Nationality: Not specified
• Job Type: Full Time
• Work Arrangement: On-site

Your Responsibilities

Total Rewards Strategy and Leadership

• Develop and execute talabat 's Total Rewards strategy in line with business objectives and long-term talent priorities.
• Provide strategic guidance to the People leadership team on compensation frameworks and rewards programmes.
• Advise senior business stakeholders on compensation-related decisions.
• Lead the ongoing development of rewards programmes that support market competitiveness.
• Ensure compensation and benefits initiatives contribute to talabat 's employee value proposition.
• Evaluate opportunities to improve the effectiveness and consistency of rewards practices.
• Support alignment between business performance, talent priorities and reward structures.

Compensation and Incentive Programmes

• Oversee company-wide compensation programmes, including base salary structures, incentive plans and long-term incentives.
• Lead the execution of annual rewards cycles.
• Coordinate salary review processes and incentive payouts.
• Evaluate internal pay equity, market information and employee pay progression.
• Design compensation frameworks that recognize performance and support fair reward decisions.
• Contribute to executive compensation and function-specific reward strategies.
• Apply relevant global benchmarks when reviewing compensation arrangements.
• Support bonus and incentive plan analysis and design.
• Oversee bonus payout models in collaboration with relevant business functions.
• Establish and review standard operating procedures and service-level agreements for rewards processes.
• Strengthen governance and consistency across compensation review and payout activities.

Compensation Benchmarking and Analytics

• Lead compensation benchmarking activities across relevant markets, functions and job levels.
• Analyze external market data to assess the competitiveness of pay structures.
• Review internal compensation information to identify trends and potential gaps.
• Develop compensation models to support rewards planning.
• Conduct cost simulations to evaluate proposed compensation changes.
• Prepare analytical insights for business and People leadership.
• Perform additional compensation analysis in response to business requirements.
• Translate complex rewards data into clear recommendations for decision-makers.

Benefits Strategy

• Review market trends and employee needs to inform benefits planning.
• Evaluate the competitiveness of existing benefits offerings.
• Support the development of scalable benefits programmes.
• Align benefits considerations with the broader Total Rewards strategy.
• Provide recommendations that balance employee needs with business objectives.

Rewards Systems and Process Improvement

• Support the design and implementation of rewards-related systems and tools.
• Identify opportunities to simplify compensation and benefits processes.
• Improve the scalability of rewards operations across the organization.
• Collaborate with relevant teams to enhance the employee experience of rewards processes.
• Review existing workflows and recommend operational improvements.
• Support consistent execution of rewards policies and procedures.

People Leadership and Team Development

• Lead and develop a team of rewards professionals.
• Establish clear team goals and performance expectations.
• Support the development of technical and professional capabilities within the rewards function.
• Encourage collaboration and knowledge sharing.
• Promote operational excellence and continuous improvement.
• Foster an environment that values innovation, accountability and effective teamwork.
• Ensure the team remains aligned with business priorities and rewards objectives.

Business Partnering and Stakeholder Collaboration

• Build trusted relationships with People Leads and senior business leaders.
• Partner with Talent Acquisition on compensation and rewards matters.
• Collaborate with Finance on compensation planning, modelling and incentive arrangements.
• Provide subject-matter expertise to stakeholders across functions and regions.
• Communicate compensation recommendations using relevant data and business context.
• Support alignment between rewards programmes and broader people initiatives.
• Influence decisions through clear analysis and constructive collaboration.
• Serve as a senior point of contact for Total Rewards matters.

Qualifications and Professional Background

Relevant Experience

• Experience in compensation and benefits or rewards consulting.
• Practical experience in compensation and benefits programme design or HR analytics.
• Strong understanding of compensation structures, incentives and rewards practices.
• Experience collaborating with business stakeholders on people-related decisions.
• Ability to provide strategic advice and support rewards programme execution.

Analytical and Technical Capabilities

• Strong ability to collect, organize and interpret different types of data.
• Data-driven approach to business recommendations and decision-making.
• Ability to conduct compensation analysis and evaluate financial implications.
• Strong attention to detail when reviewing rewards information.
• Knowledge of analytical and reporting tools.
• Proficiency with Excel, Google Sheets, Tableau or Power BI is an advantage.
• Ability to use analytical findings to support business planning and stakeholder discussions.

Leadership and Business Partnering Skills

• Strong collaboration and stakeholder management capabilities.
• Demonstrated ability to influence decisions using data and clear recommendations.
• Ability to lead and collaborate with project teams.
• Independent working style and proactive approach to responsibilities.
• Confidence engaging with stakeholders across different functions.
• Ability to provide clear direction and support team development.
• Strong organizational and coordination skills.

Professional Competencies

• Ability to manage multiple responsibilities and projects simultaneously.
• Comfortable working in a changing business environment.
• Ability to meet tight deadlines.
• Strong attention to accuracy and detail.
• Sound analytical judgment.
• Self-motivated approach to identifying and completing priorities.
• Ability to communicate complex rewards information effectively.
• Commitment to improving processes and operational effectiveness.

The Opportunity at talabat

At talabat, the Total Rewards function plays an important role in supporting business performance and the employee experience. As Director of Total Rewards, you will influence compensation and benefits decisions across the organization, work directly with senior leaders and guide the development of programmes that support talabat 's people and business priorities. The role brings together strategic planning, compensation expertise, analytical decision-making and team leadership in a regional technology and delivery business.

About talabat

Founded in Kuwait in 2004, talabat is an on-demand food delivery and quick-commerce platform serving customers across eight countries in the Middle East and North Africa. The company connects customers with restaurants and local shops while using technology to support delivery operations and rider opportunities. talabat is part of Delivery Hero, an international local delivery platform group headquartered in Berlin, Germany. Delivery Hero operates in approximately 65 countries and has been listed on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange since 2017. It is also part of the MDAX stock market index. talabat emphasizes collaboration, innovation and the development of a high-performance working culture across its teams.