Vice President, Total Rewards

Zendesk, Inc.; San Francisco (CA); Hybrid; USD 283,000 - 425,000; Full time

Job summary

Zendesk, Inc. is seeking a Vice President, Total Rewards to lead compensation, benefits, accommodations, and HR compliance across the globe.

You will define a holistic rewards strategy, set enterprise standards, and enable scalable delivery using automation and AI to attract, retain, and reward top talent. You will partner with executives, present to the Board when needed, and drive governance to reduce complexity while scaling Total Rewards operations.

Qualifications

• 12+ years of progressive HR experience with deep Total Rewards and Executive compensation expertise.
• Experience designing and operating enterprise compensation, equity and benefits programs globally.
• Experience implementing AI-enabled HR solutions and automation.
• Data-driven with experience in HRIS and compensation/benefits platforms.
• Ability to influence executives and communicate with C-suite and Board.
• Experience in private equity-backed firms or public companies.
• Strong governance and multi-jurisdiction compliance experience.

Responsibilities

• Design and govern compensation, equity and benefits programs.
• Design and administer executive compensation programs including base pay, incentives, bonuses, and commissions.
• Lead adoption of AI and analytics tools to automate compensation analysis and surface pay equity insights.
• Simplify total rewards operations, governance and scaling support into Employee Services.
• Own executive presentations and board materials on total rewards strategy and gaps.
• Mentor and develop a high-performance Total Rewards team.

Skills

Total Rewards leadership

Executive compensation

Pay equity analysis

AI in HR

Data analytics in HR

Cross-functional collaboration

Tools

Workday

HRIS

Compensation software

Job description

Job Description

Join us at Zendesk, where we're on a mission to power exceptional service for every person on the planet. We're accelerating that ambition by building products rooted in AI, automation, and intelligent customer experiences, because behind every interaction lies an opportunity to make a human connection.

We’re hiring a Vice President, Total Rewards to be the strategic leader across HR for compensation, benefits, accommodations, and HR compliance. In this role you’ll define and execute on a holistic total rewards strategy, set enterprise standards, and enable scalable delivery through service teams, automation and AI so Zendesk can attract, retain and reward the best talent globally. You will play a vital role in modernizing how HR delivers Total Rewards through analytics, automation and AI. You will also prepare and present high-level risk and rewards briefings to executive leadership and the Board as needed.

Role summary

• Enterprise owner of Total Rewards standards accountable for global policy, program design, compliance posture, and a roadmap to scale these domains with automation and AI. Serves as an executive advisor and occasional Board presenter on people risk, pay strategy, and program impact.

What you’ll be doing

• Design and govern competitive compensation, equity and benefits programs (base, variable, sales comp) informed by benchmarking, pay-equity analysis and cost modeling.
• Partner with Executive Leadership to design and administer executive compensation programs including base pay, short- and long-term incentives, bonuses, and commissions that drive company performance
• Drive the adoption of AI and analytics tools to automate compensation analysis, surface pay equity insights, model scenario impacts, and reduce manual, error-prone processes.
• Simplify and reduce complexity in total rewards operations — rationalizing policies, eliminating redundant processes, establishing clear governance and scaling support into our Employee Services team.
• Own executive presentations and board materials on total rewards strategy, benchmarking results, and gap remediation progress.
• Mentor and develop a high performance Total Rewards team.

What you bring to the role

• 12+ years of progressive HR experience with deep Total Rewards and Executive compensation expertise; at least 7 years in senior/global leadership or equivalent scope.
• Proven experience designing and operating enterprise compensation, equity and benefits programs at global and complex SaaS/technology or comparable companies.
• Experience implementing or leading selection/governance of HR automation and AI-enabled solutions.
• Data-driven operator comfortable with people analytics, HRIS and compensation/benefits platforms to measure and iterate program impact.
• Collaborative executive with demonstrated ability to influence and partner with cross-functional partners (Legal, Finance, TA, Technology) and communicate with senior leadership.
• Experience creating board materials and presenting succinctly to C-suite and Boards.
• Experience leading within private, PE backed firms and public companies.
• Strong track record managing multi-jurisdictional compliance issues.

Preferred qualifications

• Experience at a SaaS/AI/technology company or high-growth enterprise.
• Experience with Workday.
• Experience managing benefits negotiations and renewals.
• Ownership of global equity programs and sales compensation programs.

AI literacy requirement

• AI literacy is required. Candidates should be comfortable using AI tools to automate and scale HR workflows, able to evaluate AI vendors and model risk (privacy, bias, auditability), and capable of defining governance and safe use policies for AI in HR. Prior experience implementing AI-augmented HR processes or a clear plan to operationalize AI at scale is expected.

The US annualized base salary range for this position is $283,000.00-$425,000.00. This position may also be eligible for bonus, benefits, or related incentives. While this range reflects the minimum and maximum value for new hire salaries for the position across all US locations, the offer for the successful candidate for this position will be based on job related capabilities, applicable experience, and other factors such as work location. Please note that the compensation details listed in US role postings reflect the base salary only (or OTE for commissions based roles), and do not include bonus, benefits, or related incentives.

The intelligent heart of customer experience

Zendesk software was built to bring a sense of calm to the chaotic world of customer service. Today we power billions of conversations with brands you know and love.

Zendesk believes in offering our people a fulfilling and inclusive experience. Our hybrid way of working, enables us to purposefully come together in person, at one of our many Zendesk offices around the world, to connect, collaborate and learn whilst also giving our people the flexibility to work remotely for part of the week.

As part of our commitment to fairness and transparency, we inform all applicants that artificial intelligence (AI) or automated decision systems may be used to screen or evaluate applications for this position, in accordance with Company guidelines and applicable law.

Zendesk is an equal opportunity employer, and we’re proud of our ongoing efforts to foster global diversity, equity, & inclusion in the workplace. Individuals seeking employment and employees at Zendesk are considered without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, age, sex, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, marital status, medical condition, ancestry, disability, military or veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law. We are an AA/EEO/Veterans/Disabled employer. If you are based in the United States and would like more information about your EEO rights under the law, please click here.

Zendesk endeavors to make reasonable accommodations for applicants with disabilities and disabled veterans pursuant to applicable federal and state law. If you are an individual with a disability and require a reasonable accommodation to submit this application, complete any pre-employment testing, or otherwise participate in the employee selection process, please send an e-mail to [e-mail] with your specific accommodation request.