Director, Total Rewards

Unison Risk Advisors

$125K — $150K *
Business Services
8 - 10 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • Bachelor's degree in HR, Business, Finance, Economics, or equivalent experience.
  • 8+ years of total rewards experience focused on both compensation and benefits.
  • Experience in designing and administering sales/producer compensation, including commission structures.
  • Proven success in automating compensation processes and implementing controls.
  • Hands-on experience managing benefits, including renewals and compliance.
  • People leadership experience is essential.
  • Advanced Excel skills with strong modeling ability.

Responsibilities

  • Take ownership of producer compensation for Oswald, transferring knowledge and history from Finance.
  • Document and simplify existing compensation plans and commission structures.
  • Ensure accurate and timely commission calculations and payouts for producers.
  • Act as the key contact for producer compensation queries and disputes.
  • Build and govern a comprehensive compensation framework for the enterprise including policies and structures.
  • Manage annual merit and incentive cycles, advising leadership on compensation strategies.
  • Oversee the benefits portfolio and lead annual renewals and employee communications.

Benefits

  • Opportunity to lead and innovate in compensation and benefits management.
  • Collaborative partnership with executive leadership and multiple departments.
  • Professional growth through leading a Total Rewards team.
  • Focus on automating and streamlining processes for efficiency.
  • Engagement with compliance and governance across benefits and compensation.
Full Job Description
Position Summary

The Director, Total Rewards owns compensation, benefits, and recognition for Unison Risk Advisors (URA). Two priorities define the role. First, assume full ownership of Oswald producer compensation, currently administered in Finance through manual spreadsheets, and rebuild it as an automated, controlled, and auditable program. Second, build the compensation governance framework for URA that makes pay decisions consistent and defensible. The role also owns the benefits portfolio end to end and leads the Total Rewards Partner. It reports to the Chief People Officer and partners closely with Platform Presidents, Finance, HR Operations, Talent Business Partners, and Legal.
Key Responsibilities

Producer Compensation (Primary Priority)
• Assume ownership of producer and sales compensation for Oswald from Finance, including a full transfer of knowledge, plan logic, and calculation history from the current owner.
• Document existing plans, commission structures, splits, production credit rules, and exceptions, then rationalize and simplify where the business allows.
• Own accurate, on time producer commission and incentive calculations and payouts.
• Serve as the point of contact for producers on plan mechanics, statements, and disputes.
• Partner with Finance on funding, accruals, forecasting, and reconciliation, maintaining the transparency and controls Finance requires.

Compensation Governance
• Build the enterprise compensation governance framework: pay philosophy, job architecture, leveling methodology, salary structures, and pay decision guardrails.
• Document policies, approval thresholds, and exception handling so decisions are consistent and defensible.
• Own the annual merit, promotion, and incentive cycle, including budget modeling and manager tools.
• Advise leaders on offers, retention, internal equity, and organizational changes.
• Ensure compliance with FLSA, pay transparency laws, and pay equity obligations.

Benefits
• Own the benefits portfolio: health and welfare, retirement, leave, and wellbeing programs.
• Lead annual renewals and open enrollment, including plan design modeling, cost sharing recommendations, and employee communication.
• Manage broker, carrier, and administrator relationships and hold them to service standards.
• Analyze cost, claims, and utilization trends to identify design and cost containment opportunities.
• Own benefits compliance and governance, including ACA and ERISA requirements.

Leadership and Insight
• Lead, coach, and develop the Total Rewards Partner, setting priorities and quality standards.
• Review analytical work before it reaches leadership and ensure every analysis carries a clear recommendation.
• Deliver executive ready reporting on pay competitiveness, incentive performance, and benefits cost.
• Own the design and effectiveness of recognition programs.

Accountability
• Producer compensation is accurate, on time, automated, and auditable.
• Compensation governance is documented, consistently applied, and defensible.
• Benefits programs perform on cost, compliance, and employee understanding.
• The Total Rewards Partner develops and delivers quality work.
• Sensitive pay data is handled with strict confidentiality and sound judgment.

Qualifications

Required
• Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Business, Finance, Economics, or a related field, or equivalent experience.
• Eight or more years of total rewards experience with depth in both compensation and benefits.
• Direct experience designing and administering sales or producer compensation for client facing teams, including commission structures, splits, and production credit.
• Demonstrated success automating a manual compensation process, including tool selection, implementation, and controls.
• Experience building compensation structure and governance where little existed.
• Hands on benefits ownership, including renewals, open enrollment, broker management, and compliance.
• People leadership experience.
• Advanced Excel and strong modeling skills; experience with HRIS and compensation or commission platforms.
• Credibility with Finance and the ability to present clearly to executives.

Preferred
• Insurance brokerage, risk advisory, or professional services experience.
• Familiarity with book of business economics, new business versus renewal treatment, and validation of production credit.
• Experience in a multi entity or acquisitive organization, including harmonizing pay programs after acquisition.
• CCP, CBP, SHRM-SCP, or SPHR certification.

Key Competencies
• Builds structure and process
• Systems and automation mindset
• Analytical rigor and financial credibility
• Executive presence and clear communication
• Coaches and develops others
• Sound judgment and integrity

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