Vice President, Total Rewards

Aqua Finance, Inc.; United States; On-site; USD 180,000 - 300,000; Full time

Job summary

Aqua Finance, Inc. is seeking a strategic HR executive to lead Total Rewards and HR Operations, including compensation, benefits, payroll, and Workday. This role partners with the CHRO to align programs with business goals and manages external partners to ensure value and risk mitigation.

The position requires a track record in HR leadership, strong regulatory knowledge, and the ability to guide a remote-first workforce while balancing financial sustainability with employee experience.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in communications, Human Resources Management, or similar field, or commensurate experience required
• SHRM Certification preferred
• 10 years of Human Resources experience in consistently elevated roles required
• 5 years people management experience required
• Financial industry experience preferred
• Attention to detail and accuracy required
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills required
• Proficient in the utilization of Microsoft Office Suite
• Ability to thrive in a fast paced work environment

Responsibilities

• Strategically lead the Total Rewards and HR Operations discipline, with enterprise responsibility for compensation, benefits and total wellbeing, reward and recognition, payroll, Workday, facilities, HR administration, policy management and compliance, regulatory reporting, safety, and workers’ compensation.
• Serve as a strategic advisor to the CHRO and partner across business leadership to align people programs and HR infrastructure with organizational priorities and long-term business objectives.
• Lead the design and evolution of compensation, reward and recognition programs that attract, retain, engage, and reward talent while supporting market competitiveness and financial sustainability.
• Lead the strategy, design, and evolution of comprehensive benefits and total wellbeing programs that support a diverse workforce and balance needs with financial sustainability.
• Provide strategic leadership and governance of payroll operations, ensuring accuracy, internal controls, regulatory compliance, and a positive employee experience.
• Partner with the VP of HR to lead HR technology strategy and the evolution of Workday and related systems, driving data integrity, automation, analytics, and self-service.
• Lead HR policy governance, compliance, and regulatory reporting to ensure current, consistent, and compliant employment practices.
• Provide strategic leadership for facilities, workplace safety, and workers’ compensation, supporting a remote-first workforce while mitigating risk.
• Oversee HR administration and operational infrastructure, driving scalable processes, controls, efficiency, and continuous improvement.
• Strategically manage external partners and vendors for performance, financial stewardship, and service delivery.
• Remain current on evolving workforce trends and regulatory developments to proactively identify opportunities and risks.

Skills

Strategic leadership

Stakeholder management

Communication skills

Regulatory compliance knowledge

Education

Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field

Tools

Workday

Microsoft Office

Job description

• Strategically lead the Total Rewards and HR Operations discipline, with enterprise responsibility for compensation, benefits and total wellbeing, reward and recognition, payroll, Human Resources Information Systems (Workday), facilities, HR administration, policy management and compliance, regulatory reporting, safety, and workers’ compensation.
• Serve as a strategic advisor to the CHRO and partner across business leadership to align people programs and HR infrastructure with organizational priorities and long-term business objectives.
• Lead the design and evolution of compensation, reward and recognition programs that attract, retain, engage, and reward talent while supporting market competitiveness, organizational performance, and financial sustainability.
• Lead the strategy, design, and evolution of comprehensive benefits and total wellbeing programs that support a diverse workforce, strengthen the employee value proposition, and balance employee needs, market competitiveness, and financial sustainability.
• Provide strategic leadership and governance of payroll operations, ensuring accuracy, strong internal controls, regulatory compliance, and an effective employee experience.
• Partner with the VP of HR to lead HR technology strategy and the continued evolution of Workday and related systems, driving data integrity, automation, analytics, and employee and leader self-service.
• Lead HR policy governance, compliance, and regulatory reporting, ensuring employment practices remain current, consistent, and compliant with applicable requirements.
• Provide strategic leadership for facilities, workplace safety, and workers’ compensation, ensuring workplace strategies support a remote-first workforce, employee experience, business needs, and organizational safety while effectively mitigating risk.
• Oversee HR administration and operational infrastructure, driving scalable processes, strong controls, efficiency, accountability, and continuous improvement.
• Strategically manage external partners and vendors, ensuring strong performance, financial stewardship, effective service delivery, and continuous improvement.
• Remain current on emerging workforce trends, regulatory developments, technology, and market practices to proactively identify opportunities and organizational risk.

Essential Functions

• Strategically lead the Total Rewards and HR Operations discipline, with enterprise responsibility for compensation, benefits and total wellbeing, reward and recognition, payroll, Human Resources Information Systems (Workday), facilities, HR administration, policy management and compliance, regulatory reporting, safety, and workers’ compensation.
• Serve as a strategic advisor to the CHRO and partner across business leadership to align people programs and HR infrastructure with organizational priorities and long-term business objectives.
• Lead the design and evolution of compensation, reward and recognition programs that attract, retain, engage, and reward talent while supporting market competitiveness, organizational performance, and financial sustainability.
• Lead the strategy, design, and evolution of comprehensive benefits and total wellbeing programs that support a diverse workforce, strengthen the employee value proposition, and balance employee needs, market competitiveness, and financial sustainability.
• Provide strategic leadership and governance of payroll operations, ensuring accuracy, strong internal controls, regulatory compliance, and an effective employee experience.
• Partner with the VP of HR to lead HR technology strategy and the continued evolution of Workday and related systems, driving data integrity, automation, analytics, and employee and leader self-service.
• Lead HR policy governance, compliance, and regulatory reporting, ensuring employment practices remain current, consistent, and compliant with applicable requirements.
• Provide strategic leadership for facilities, workplace safety, and workers’ compensation, ensuring workplace strategies support a remote-first workforce, employee experience, business needs, and organizational safety while effectively mitigating risk.
• Oversee HR administration and operational infrastructure, driving scalable processes, strong controls, efficiency, accountability, and continuous improvement.
• Strategically manage external partners and vendors, ensuring strong performance, financial stewardship, effective service delivery, and continuous improvement.
• Remain current on emerging workforce trends, regulatory developments, technology, and market practices to proactively identify opportunities and organizational risk.

Required Education And Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in communications, Human Resources Management, or similar field, or commensurate experience required
• SHRM Certification preferred
• 10 years of Human Resources experience in consistently elevated roles required
• 5 years people management experience required
• Financial industry experience preferred
• Attention to detail and accuracy required
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills required
• Proficient in the utilization of Microsoft Office Suite
• Ability to thrive in a fast paced work environment

Physical Demands

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently required to sit, stand, walk, visualize, talk, hear, and handle or touch objects or controls. The employee may occasionally lift, push, or pull up to 20 pounds. This position is an office-based position where you must be able to sit for long periods of time. The employee will be working on a computer 90% of the time.