Role : Global Head - Total Rewards
Location : Bengaluru
Reports to : Global CHRO
JOB SUMMARY
Serve at the leader of Ascendion's total rewards function across all geographies — defining compensation philosophy, designing reward frameworks, running compensation cycles, managing benefits programs, and ensuring governance and statutory compliance while positioning Ascendion as a competitive employer in the AI native tech services space.
DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES
- Total Rewards Strategy
- Define and maintain Total Rewards philosophy aligned to business growth and competitiveness
- Design rewards architecture (fixed, variable, benefits, incentives) across geographies
- Align performance, career progression, and compensation
- Own job architecture, leveling, and salary bands
- Define geographic pay, mobility, and deployment policies
- Partner with HR and Finance on talent strategy alignment
- Total Rewards Budgeting & Planning
- Lead annual compensation planning and budgeting
- Partner with Finance on bonus pool sizing and cost planning
- Support workforce planning with compensation insights
- Drive cost optimization across rewards programs
- Contribute to long-range financial planning
- Compensation Program Design & Administration
- Design merit increases, promotions, and hiring pay structures
- Govern joining bonuses, retention bonuses, and bench pay
- Manage annual increment cycle execution
- Handle promotion cycles and off-cycle adjustments
- Design and manage bonus and variable pay programs
- Lead sales incentive plans (SIP)
- Oversee payout execution and payroll coordination
- Manage leadership retention programs
- Benefits Design & Administration
- Define global benefits strategy and policies
- Lead annual benefits renewal and vendor negotiations
- Manage employee communication on benefits
- Ensure statutory compliance across geographies
- Oversee visa-linked benefits with Legal
- Contracts, Governance & Compliance
- Establish compensation policies and approval frameworks
- Manage exceptions and escalations
- Conduct pay equity reviews
- Ensure compliance with labor laws and regulations
- Govern special compensation cases
- Market Intelligence & Analytics
- Lead benchmarking using external surveys
- Analyze labor market trends and pay differentials
- Monitor macroeconomic and regulatory trends
- Develop predictive analytics for attrition and pay
- Translate insights into compensation strategies
- Executive Compensation
- Design executive compensation frameworks
- Support board-level compensation decisions
- Develop long-term incentive strategies
- Align executive pay with performance
- Ensure governance and confidentiality
KEY SKILLS
- Strong command of compensation frameworks — job architecture, grading, benchmarking, and pay bands
- Experience with variable pay design (bonus plans, SIPs) in IT services or consulting environments
- Proficiency in HR ERP / compensation tools(Workday, SuccessFactors, or equivalent)
- Knowledge of multi-country statutory compliance — India labour laws, US H1B / LCA, Philippines
- Data literacy — Power BI, Excel modelling, compensation analytics
- Vendor management experience — benefits brokers, survey vendors, actuaries
REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE
- Postgraduate degreein HR, Finance, or Management
- 15+ yearsof HR experience with at least 10 years specializing in C&B, preferably in a leading IT/Engineering organization
- Exposure to multi-geography compensation across India, US, and Southeast Asia (Philippines and Indonesia)
- Agentic AI Solution / IT services experience preferred
- Working knowledge of US immigration-linked compensation (H1B / L1) preferred
About us
Ascendion is a leader in AI-powered software engineering, helping businesses innovate faster, smarter, and with greater impact. We partner with Global 2000 clients across North America, UK, Europe, and APAC to solve complex challenges in data, experience design, software product engineering, and workforce transformation. Powered by expert engineers, thousands of AI agents, and our Engineering to the Power of AI™ (Engineering AI) method, we deliver measurable outcomes that build trust, unlock value, and accelerate growth. Learn more at ascendion.com
Our culture
At Ascendion, our culture is built on a foundation of core values that guide everything we do. We are proud to be Great Place to Work® certified™, a testament to our commitment to creating an inclusive and supportive environment where high-performing innovators with bold ideas and a passion for technology can thrive. We believe in allyship in action, supporting not only our clients and one another but also our local communities through volunteering efforts. We foster a collaborative and joyful environment where diverse perspectives drive innovation; successes are celebrated, and everyone is empowered to succeed.
