Director of Total Rewards
Ropes & Gray LLP
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Job summary
Ropes & Gray LLP is seeking a Director of Total Rewards to lead global benefits, compensation and related programs across the firm. You will shape strategy, manage a multi-million dollar benefits budget, and partner with HR leadership to attract and retain top legal talent.
You will oversee a global team, drive compliance with ERISA, HIPAA and data privacy, and implement innovative, AI-enabled benefits solutions while maintaining the firm's culture and values.
Job description
The firm has approximately 2,500 lawyers and professionals serving clients in major centers of business, finance, technology, and government in Boston, Chicago, Dublin, Hong Kong, London, Los Angeles, Milan, New York, Paris, San Francisco, Seoul, Shanghai, Silicon Valley, Singapore, Tokyo and Washington, D.C.
The firm has consistently been recognized for its leading practices in many areas, including asset management, private equity, M&A, finance, real estate, tax, antitrust, life sciences, health care, intellectual property, litigation & enforcement, privacy & cybersecurity, and business restructuring.
Ropes & Gray is an equal opportunity employer.
The Director of Total Rewards is a strategic leader with a vision to make the firm’s rewards program a defining reason that talented attorneys and professionals join and stay at Ropes & Gray. The Director is responsible for the design, execution, and continuous evolution of the firm's global total rewards programs, including benefits, compensation, leaves and accommodations, recognition, retirement, and well-being, and oversees a global benefits budget of more than $50 million. Reporting to the Chief Human Resources Officer (CHRO) and serving as a trusted advisor to firm leadership, the Director influences the firm's rewards philosophy and develops innovative, responsive strategies that align with business and talent objectives.
The Director leads a team with deep functional expertise, maintaining a collaborative, service-oriented and forward-looking perspective on market trends, competitive offerings, employee preferences and emerging technologies. With a commitment to operational excellence and innovation, the Director selects and manages programs, offerings, technologies and vendors, while ensuring competitive, valuable, cost-effective benefits and the secure handling of protected health information (PHI) and other personal data. Above all, the Director of Total Rewards elevates the firm’s supportive and positive culture, and the health and well-being of the firm community.
- Develop and execute a global Total Rewards strategy that aligns with the firm's business objectives, talent acquisition, and talent retention priorities. Present annual plans and recommendations for in-the-moment competitive strategies to firm leadership.
- Lead the continuous evolution of the firm’s offerings and vendor engagements, to support the health, and well-being of our people.
- Drive operational excellence, accuracy, security and efficiency across service delivery structures, benefits technology, and increasingly AI-enabled benefits administration.
- Evaluate, develop and manage the Total Rewards global operating model, consulting with key leaders and stakeholders in each market to deliver statutory and supplemental benefits that are compliant, competitive, and consistently governed to meet all reporting and data privacy obligations.
- Lead, mentor, and develop a global team of direct reports who each oversee core and ancillary benefits, rewards and recognition, leaves and accommodations, and well-being. Develop the capabilities—including AI, technology, and analytics—and foster a culture of innovation and continuous improvement.
- Oversee a global benefits budget of more than $50 million with sound financial strategy, responsibly funding offerings with cost forecasting, benchmarking, cohesive plan design, and analysis of emerging cost drivers.
- Ensure that the firm's market-leading suite of ancillary and flexible benefits support our global, multigenerational workforce by assessing utilization, cost, and fit, and evaluating personalized models and inclusive family-building, caregiving, and fertility benefits.
- Oversee the compensation framework for the firm's global business support organization, driving competitive base and variable pay for every field within the business support organization and local market.
- Oversee the firm's pay equity and pay transparency, including regular equity analyses, compliant disclosures in applicable jurisdictions, and directing the Rewards team and HR Business Partners in supporting firmwide compensation conversations with training and individual support.
- Oversee the firm’s global well-being strategy, addressing mental health, emotional resilience, physical wellness, and work-life integration in support of the firm's culture and values, including mental health parity and the effectiveness of Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs).
- Collaborate, as appropriate, with the Senior Manager of Retirement Benefits within the Finance function on matters of shared interest involving the firm’s retirement programs, particularly as they relate to Total Rewards, broader employee benefits initiatives, and related cross-functional coordination.
- Ensure leaves of absence and accommodations are administered compliantly, consistently, and with care across all offices, including FMLA, ADA, U.S. state paid leave and statutory leave in non-U.S. jurisdictions, supported by effective platforms and vendors.
- Ensure compliance with applicable U.S. and international laws and regulations related to total rewards practices, including ERISA, HIPAA, ACA, FMLA, ADA, state leave laws, mental health parity requirements, and data privacy laws such as GDPR.
- Monitor industry trends, regulatory developments, and emerging best practices in related HR technology, AI, and employee well-being to proactively recommend operational and programmatic improvements.
- Ensure the firm partners with benefits vendors that lead in service, technology enablement, AI, and digital security, by leading RFPs and vendor selection and holding vendors accountable for meeting service and security standards.
- Partner with Information Security, HRIS, and Information Services to govern benefits technology, data integrations, and automation, and to protect PHI and other personal data globally through vendor security assessments, access controls, and HIPAA and GDPR compliance.
- Deliver intuitive digital and AI-enabled experiences, including self-service tools, portals, personalized total rewards statements, and intelligent benefits assistants, that help employees and managers complete enrollment, life events, leave, and benefits questions with secure, personalized support.
- Guide the firm’s data-driven decision making by overseeing relevant metrics, and establishing and monitoring KPIs for effectiveness, utilization and employee feedback.
- Ensure that employees and managers worldwide understand the firm’s offerings through clear communications, training, digital resources, and change management practices. Drive adoption of new programs and tools, close perception gaps, and show how feedback shapes program decisions.
- Collaborate with cross-functional teams to celebrate our industry-leading suite of benefits with our workforce and candidates. Provide rewards content for recruiting materials, career sites, job offers, and employer brand campaigns.
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