Head of Total Rewards

DayOne; Amsterdam; On-site; EUR 180,000 - 300,000; Full time

Job summary

DayOne Data Centers seeks a seasoned Head of Total Rewards to design and govern worldwide compensation, benefits, mobility, payroll governance, and recognition programs. You will partner with executive leadership and the Board to manage costs, governance, and market competitiveness while supporting rapid international growth.

You will lead cross‑functional teams across HR, Finance, Legal, Tax and geographies to build scalable, compliant reward programs that attract, retain, and inspire top

Qualifications

• Minimum 15 years of progressive experience in Compensation & Benefits and Total Rewards.

Responsibilities

• Develop and govern a global Total Rewards strategy aligned with business goals and growth.

Skills

Total Rewards leadership

Executive compensation design

Global mobility

Benefits strategy

Payroll governance

Stakeholder management

Financial acumen

Data analytics

Change management

Cross-functional collaboration

Education

Bachelor's degree in HR / Business

Advanced degree / WorldatWork certs

Tools

HRIS systems

Payroll systems

Job description

About DayOne Data Centers

DayOne Data Centers is a Singapore-headquartered global digital infrastructure platform that develops and operates next-generation data centers across Asia Pacific and Europe. Trusted by leading hyperscalers and businesses, the company engineers, builds, and operates high-capacity, AI-ready campuses with speed, scale, and reliability.

Job Summary

The Head of Total Rewards is responsible for the development, execution, and governance of DayOne's global compensation, benefits, mobility, payroll governance, and rewards strategies. Reporting to the Chief Human Resources Officer, this role will serve as a strategic advisor to executive leadership and the Board on all matters relating to employee rewards, executive compensation, and workforce cost management.

The successful candidate will lead the design of scalable and competitive reward programs that support DayOne's rapid international growth, strengthen talent attraction and retention, ensure regulatory compliance, and reinforce a performance-driven culture. This role requires close partnership with HR, Finance, Legal, Tax, and business leaders across multiple geographies.

Key Responsibilities

Global Total Rewards Strategy

• Develop and execute a comprehensive global Total Rewards strategy aligned with DayOne's business objectives, growth ambitions, and talent agenda.
• Establish a consistent global rewards philosophy while ensuring local market competitiveness and regulatory compliance.
• Act as the primary advisor to executive leadership on compensation strategy, workforce costs, reward governance, and market trends.
• Lead the evolution of reward programs to support organizational transformation, expansion into new markets, and changing workforce needs.
• Drive the integration of compensation, benefits, mobility, payroll governance, and recognition programs into a cohesive employee value proposition.

Executive and Broad-Based Compensation

• Design and oversee global compensation frameworks, including salary structures, job architecture, career frameworks, incentive plans, sales compensation programs, and annual merit processes.
• Lead compensation benchmarking and market analysis to ensure competitiveness across all regions.
• Develop executive compensation recommendations, including long-term incentive plans, annual incentive programs, and governance frameworks.
• Partner with Finance and senior leadership on workforce planning, compensation budgets, and people-related cost forecasting.
• Ensure robust governance, controls, and compliance across all compensation programs.

Global Benefits and Wellbeing

• Develop and manage a market-leading global benefits strategy that balances employee experience, cost effectiveness, and business sustainability.
• Oversee the design and management of health, insurance, retirement, wellness, and other employee benefit programs across all operating countries.
• Evaluate program effectiveness and recommend enhancements based on employee feedback, utilization data, and market trends.
• Lead vendor selection, negotiations, and ongoing management of benefits providers globally.

Global Mobility

• Establish and manage mobility policies and programs supporting international assignments, relocations, business travel, and global talent deployment.
• Ensure alignment of mobility programs with business expansion requirements and talent strategies.
• Partner with Legal, Tax, and external advisors to ensure compliance with immigration, tax, employment, and social security requirements across jurisdictions.
• Oversee vendor relationships for relocation, immigration, tax, and destination services.

Payroll Governance and Compliance

• Provide strategic oversight of global payroll operations to ensure accuracy, efficiency, compliance, and effective risk management.
• Partner closely with Finance and regional HR teams to strengthen payroll governance, controls, and reporting processes.
• Ensure compliance with all applicable labor, tax, and reporting regulations across global operations.

Data, Analytics and Governance

• Build and maintain a robust rewards analytics capability to support evidence-based decision-making.
• Develop executive dashboards, workforce cost analyses, and reward metrics for senior management and Board reporting.
• Monitor external market trends, legislative developments, and emerging reward practices to proactively shape company policies.
• Leverage technology and automation to enhance the effectiveness and scalability of rewards programs.

Leadership and Stakeholder Management

• Lead, coach, and develop a high-performing global Total Rewards team.
• Build strong partnerships with business leaders, HR Business Partners, Finance, Legal, and external advisors.
• Drive change management, communication, and education initiatives to improve understanding and engagement with reward programs.
• Represent DayOne externally on Total Rewards matters and maintain awareness of industry best practices and emerging trends.

Experience, Skills And Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, Finance, Economics, or a related discipline.
• Advanced degree and/or professional certifications (e.g., GRP, CCP, CEBS, WorldatWork certifications) would be advantageous.
• Minimum 15 years of progressive experience in Compensation & Benefits and Total Rewards, including significant global leadership responsibility.
• Proven experience leading Total Rewards functions within multinational, high-growth, technology, infrastructure, data center, telecommunications, or related industries.
• Strong expertise in executive compensation, incentive plan design, job architecture, global mobility, benefits strategy, and rewards governance.
• Experience partnering with C-suite executives, Boards, and senior business leaders on strategic workforce and reward matters.
• Deep understanding of global compensation practices, employment regulations, taxation, and mobility considerations across multiple jurisdictions including Asia Pacific.
• Strong analytical and financial acumen with experience managing significant compensation and benefits budgets.
• Excellent stakeholder management, influencing, communication, and change leadership capabilities.
• Demonstrated ability to operate successfully in a fast-paced, international, high-growth environment.

Why Joining DayOne?

• Be a part of a company scaling fast in a booming industry.
• Work on an international stage with global leaders.
• Shape your career in a culture that values curiosity, agility, and bold thinking.

DayOne is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees.