Director, Total Rewards

Who are we? Cohere is the leading security-first enterprise AI company. We build cutting-edge foundation AI models and end-to-end products that are designed to solve real-world business problems. We’re training and deploying frontier models for enterprises who are building AI systems. We believe that our work is instrumental to the widespread adoption of AI and we are looking for folks that want to be part of that. We obsess over what we build. Each one of us is responsible for contributing to increasing the capabilities of our models and the value they drive for our customers. Cohere is a team of researchers, engineers, designers, and more, who are all passionate about their craft. We are a global technology company co-headquartered in Toronto and San Francisco, with key offices in London, New York City, Montreal, Seoul, Germany and Paris. Join us! Role Overview The Director, Total Rewards will have the unique opportunity to build and scale the global total rewards program at Cohere. This role is critical to establishing a global compensation and benefits framework that aligns with our company’s values, growth objectives, and competitive positioning in the tech industry. You’ll lead the design, implementation, and optimization of total rewards programs that support a diverse, distributed workforce. Key Responsibilities - Build the Function: Enhance, design and launch global total rewards programs (vision, strategy, and roadmap) and align them with Cohere’s global growth goals. - Global Compensation Strategy: Implement a competitive, equitable, and scalable compensation structure for all roles across regions, including pay and equity. - Benefits & Perks: Design and manage a comprehensive, globally consistent benefits package that meets the diverse needs of Cohere’s employees, including health, wellness, retirement, and unique perks. - Market Research & Benchmarking: Conduct regular market analysis to ensure Cohere’s total rewards offerings remain competitive and aligned with industry standards. - Compliance & Governance: Ensure all total rewards programs comply with local labour laws, regulations, and tax requirements across multiple jurisdictions. - Stakeholder Collaboration: Partner with People, Finance, and leadership teams across the organization to align total rewards strategies with business objectives and budget constraints. - Communication & Education: Develop and deliver clear, engaging communications to employees about total rewards programs, ensuring transparency and understanding. - Data-Driven Decision Making: Use analytics to measure the effectiveness of total rewards initiatives and identify opportunities for improvement. Qualifications - Experience: 10+ years in a total rewards role, with a proven track record of building and scaling total rewards functions at fast growing tech companies. - Global Expertise: Experience designing and managing total rewards programs for a global, distributed workforce across multiple regions. - Technical Skills: Strong analytical skills, proficiency in HRIS systems, and familiarity with industry leading compensation benchmarking tools. - Knowledge: Deep understanding of compensation philosophies, benefits regulations, and best practices in the tech industry. - Mindset: Strategic thinker with a passion for creating equitable, motivating, and scalable rewards programs. Alignment with Cohere’s values of innovation, collaboration, and integrity. Note: This role can be based remotely or from one of our office locations - there is no minimum in-office requirement. We care most about hiring exceptional people regardless of location, though please check the location listed on the posting for guidance around the core time zone or working hours alignment expected for the role. Cohere is committed to fair and transparent pay practices. The salary range listed for this role reflects the expected base compensation. Actual compensation offered will be determined by factors such as location, le