Senior Managing Director, Total Rewards

ROLE TITLE: Senior Managing Director, Total Rewards

POSITION REPORTS TO: SVP, People

PRIORITY APPLICATION DEADLINE: Tuesday, March 31st. Applications received after this date will be reviewed on a rolling basis. 

LOCATION: Flexible

WHAT YOU’LL DO

At Teach For America, we are inspired by a single mission – one day, all children will have access to an excellent education. In pursuit of that mission, we have to evolve our ways of working, being and doing that will allow our People Team (PT) to become an HR team that is sustainably set up to support an ever-evolving organization that seeks to work in more flexible and nimble ways and that fosters the growth and development of talented staff who are prepared to thrive and drive impact. Reporting to the Senior Vice President (SVP), People, the Senior Managing Director (SMD), Total Rewards will lead our Total Rewards team and work, improving the way we design, administer, and continuously improve TFA’s compensation and benefit programs.

WHAT YOU’LL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR

The Senior Managing Director (SMD), Total Rewards is a strategic People leader who sets direction and delivers enterprise total rewards  strategy and programs that attract, retain, and motivate talent. This role partners closely with executive leaders and People Team colleagues to ensure compensation, benefits, and related policies and practices are applied consistently and equitably across Teach For America.

Key responsibilities include:

Lead enterprise total rewards strategy (30%)

• Set the strategic direction for TFA’s total rewards strategy and systems, including compensation philosophy, benefits strategy, and performance-aligned compensation practices. 

• Partner with executive leaders, PT colleagues, and other stakeholders to ensure programs support organizational priorities, strengthen talent acquisition and retention, and reinforce fair and consistent policies and practices.

• Prepare deliverables and briefs for leadership on total rewards programs.

Oversee Total Rewards Administration (25%)

• Provide strategic oversight of compensation programs, including salary structures, market benchmarking, and pay practices across full-time, part-time, seasonal, and temporary roles. Ensure compensation decisions align with talent philosophy, internal equity, market competitiveness, and evolving pay transparency and regulatory requirements.

• Analyze compensation and benefits data to identify trends, risks, and opportunities, and provide insightful recommendations to leadership.

• Ensure compliance with federal, state, and local benefits regulations.

Guide Benefits Strategy and Vendor Partnerships (20%)

• Oversee the design and administration of employee benefits programs and lead key annual processes such as open enrollment. 

• Manage vendor relationships with benefits brokers, insurance carriers, and external consultants, including contract management and performance oversight, to ensure strong service delivery, cost effectiveness, and alignment with organizational needs.

Lead the Total Rewards Team and Strengthen Operational Excellence (25%)

• Lead and develop a Total Rewards team of three (Director, Compensation Program Manager; Director, Benefits Administrator; Manager, Total Rewards).

• Set priorities and direction for the team, manage workflows, and ensure accurate and timely execution of work.

• Continuously improve systems, processes, and service delivery to streamline operational efficiency and provide high-quality support to leaders and staff.

A WEEK IN THE LIFE

Over the course of any week, the SMD, Total Rewards will:

• Set priorities and direct the team’s work to ensure accurate and timely execution.

• Review and provide partnership where needed on compensation actions, including offers, adjustments, and exceptions.

• Partner with PT leadership to coordinate priorities and advance key initiatives, such as our Total Rewards Refresh project.

• Meet with brokers, vendors, and consultants to manage TR programs and resolve emerging issues.

• Oversee the preparation and communication of rewards related information to staff and leaders.

• Partner with our internal Pre-service hiring team to ensure standard compensation rates for our seasonal staff are reviewed and applied.

• Support the administration of various compensation and benefit programs.

• Monitor compliance requirements (e.g., minimum wage, retirement plans) and ensure critical deadlines are met.

• Provide updates to senior leaders on Total Rewards operations, projects, and risks.

YOUR EXPERIENCE

Your areas of knowledge and expertise that matter most for this role (minimum qualifications):

• 10+ years of progressive experience in Total Rewards, Compensation, Benefits, or HR leadership

• Experience working in complex organizations (ideally 500+ employees), with exposure to enterprise level structures, processes, and cross functional stakeholders

• Deep expertise in total rewards strategy and design, including compensation philosophy, salary structures, and benefits programs

• Proven experience leading enterprise level Total Rewards transformations, aligning rewards to performance, talent strategy, and organizational priorities

• Strong track record of translating strategy into execution, balancing long term design with near term operational delivery

• Advanced analytical capability, including market benchmarking, pay equity analysis, and financial modeling to inform decisions

• Expertise in multi state compensation compliance and pay transparency legislation

• Experience overseeing compensation programs end to end, including structures, benchmarking, and equitable pay practices

• Experience managing benefits strategy and vendor partnerships, including brokers, consultants, and carriers

• Demonstrated ability to lead and develop teams (approximately 5 direct reports), setting priorities and driving accountability

• Strong executive presence and stakeholder management, with the ability to influence senior leaders and navigate complex, highly relational environments

• Track record of leading change initiatives that improve talent systems, employee experience, and organizational outcomes

• Ability to drive operational excellence, ensuring accuracy, compliance, and strong end user experience across programs

BONUS (preferred qualifications)

• Experience in mission driven, nonprofit, or education focused organizations

• Background in organizations undergoing significant transformation or evolution

• Exposure to seasonal or complex workforce models (part time, temporary, cohort based staff)

• Experience leading or supporting a large scale Total Rewards redesign

• Vendor negotiation experience with a focus on cost effectiveness and service quality

• Familiarity with HR systems, compensation tools, or analytics platforms

YOUR COMPENSATION

The applicable salary range for each U.S.-based role is based on where the employee works and is aligned to one of 3 tiers according to a cost of labor index in that geographic area. Starting pay for the successful applicant will depend on a variety of job-related factors, which may include education, training, experience, location, business needs, or market demands. New hires are typically brought into the organization at a salary between the range minimum and the salary range midpoint depending on qualifications, internal equity, and the budgeted amount for the role. The expected salary ranges for this role are set forth below. These ranges may be modified in the future.

Tier A: $125,300 - $171,000

Tier B: $136,600 - $186,400

Tier C: $147,900 - $201,800

You can view which tier applies to where you plan to work here.