Director of Total Rewards

About Ropes & Gray

Ropes & Gray is a preeminent global law firm. The firm has been ranked in the top three on The American Lawyer's prestigious A-List for eight consecutive years and #1 on Law.com's UK A-List twice in the past three years - rankings that honor the "best of the best" law firms.The firm has approximately 2,500 lawyers and professionals serving clients in major centers of business, finance, technology, and government in Boston, Chicago, Dublin, Hong Kong, London, Los Angeles, Milan, New York, Paris, San Francisco, Seoul, Shanghai, Silicon Valley, Singapore, Tokyo and Washington, D.C.The firm has consistently been recognized for its leading practices in many areas, including asset management, private equity, M&A, finance, real estate, tax, antitrust, life sciences, health care, intellectual property, litigation & enforcement, privacy & cybersecurity, and business restructuring.Ropes & Gray is an equal opportunity employer.

Overview

JOB SUMMARY:

The Director of Total Rewards is a strategic leader with a vision to make the firm’s rewards program a defining reason that talented attorneys and professionals join and stay at Ropes & Gray. The Director is responsible for the design, execution, and continuous evolution of the firm's global total rewards programs, including benefits, compensation, leaves and accommodations, recognition, retirement, and well-being, and oversees a global benefits budget of more than $50 million. Reporting to the Chief Human Resources Officer (CHRO) and serving as a trusted advisor to firm leadership, the Director influences the firm's rewards philosophy and develops innovative, responsive strategies that align with business and talent objectives.

The Director leads a team with deep functional expertise, maintaining a collaborative, service-oriented and forward-looking perspective on market trends, competitive offerings, employee preferences and emerging technologies. With a commitment to operational excellence and innovation, the Director selects and manages programs, offerings, technologies and vendors, while ensuring competitive, valuable, cost-effective benefits and the secure handling of protected health information (PHI) and other personal data. Above all, the Director of Total Rewards elevates the firm’s supportive and positive culture, and the health and well-being of the firm community.

Responsibilities

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

Strategy and Leadership

• Develop and execute a global Total Rewards strategy that aligns with the firm's business objectives, talent acquisition, and talent retention priorities. Present annual plans and recommendations for in-the-moment competitive strategies to firm leadership.
• Lead the continuous evolution of the firm’s offerings and vendor engagements, to support the health, and well-being of our people.
• Drive operational excellence, accuracy, security and efficiency across service delivery structures, benefits technology, and increasingly AI-enabled benefits administration.
• Evaluate, develop and manage the Total Rewards global operating model, consulting with key leaders and stakeholders in each market to deliver statutory and supplemental benefits that are compliant, competitive, and consistently governed to meet all reporting and data privacy obligations.
• Lead, mentor, and develop a global team of direct reports who each oversee core and ancillary benefits, rewards and recognition, leaves and accommodations, and well-being. Develop the capabilities—including AI, technology, and analytics—and foster a culture of innovation and continuous improvement.
• Oversee a global benefits budget of more than $50 million with sound financial strategy, responsibly funding offerings with cost forecasting, benchmarking, cohesive plan design, and analysis of emerging cost drivers.

Benefits and Compensation

• Ensure that the firm's market-leading suite of ancillary and flexible benefits support our global, multigenerational workforce by assessing utilization, cost, and fit, and evaluating personalized models and inclusive family-building, caregiving, and fertility benefits.
• Oversee the compensation framework for the firm's global business support organization, driving competitive base and variable pay for every field within the business support organization and local market.
• Oversee the firm's pay equity and pay transparency, including regular equity analyses, compliant disclosures in applicable jurisdictions, and directing the Rewards team and HR Business Partners in supporting firmwide compensation conversations with training and individual support.
• Oversee the firm’s global well-being strategy, addressing mental health, emotional resilience, physical wellness, and work-life integration in support of the firm's culture and values, including mental health parity and the effectiveness of Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs).
• Collaborate, as appropriate, with the Senior Manager of Retirement Benefits within the Finance function on matters of shared interest involving the firm’s retirement programs, particularly as they relate to Total Rewards, broader employee benefits initiatives, and related cross-functional coordination

Leaves, Accommodations and Compliance

• Ensure leaves of absence and accommodations are administered compliantly, consistently, and with care across all offices, including FMLA, ADA, U.S. state paid leave and statutory leave in non-U.S. jurisdictions, supported by effective platforms and vendors.
• Ensure compliance with applicable U.S. and international laws and regulations related to total rewards practices, including ERISA, HIPAA, ACA, FMLA, ADA, state leave laws, mental health parity requirements, and data privacy laws such as GDPR.
• Monitor industry trends, regulatory developments, and emerging best practices in related HR technology, AI, and employee well-being to proactively recommend operational and programmatic improvements.

Technology, Vendors, and Data Security

• Ensure the firm partners with benefits vendors that lead in service, technology enablement, AI, and digital security, by leading RFPs and vendor selection and holding vendors accountable for meeting service and security standards.
• Partner with Information Security, HRIS, and Information Services to govern benefits technology, data integrations, and automation, and to protect PHI and other personal data globally through vendor security assessments, access controls, and HIPAA and GDPR compliance.
• Deliver intuitive digital and AI-enabled experiences, including self-service tools, portals, personalized total rewards statements, and intelligent benefits assistants, that help employees and managers complete enrollment, life events, leave, and benefits questions with secure, personalized support.

Analytics, Communication, and Change Management

• Guide the firm’s data-driven decision making by overseeing relevant metrics, and establishing and monitoring KPIs for effectiveness, utilization and employee feedback.
• Ensure that employees and managers worldwide understand the firm’s offerings through clear communications, training, digital resources, and change management practices. Drive adoption of new programs and tools, close perception gaps, and show how feedback shapes program decisions.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to celebrate our industry-leading suite of benefits with our workforce and candidates. Provide rewards content for recruiting materials, career sites, job offers, and employer brand campaigns.

Qualifications

EDUCATION, EXPERIENCE AND SKILLS REQUIRED

• Bachelor's degree required; advanced degree preferred.
• Minimum of 10 years of progressive experience in total rewards leadership roles, including global team and budget oversight, with demonstrated strategic advisory experience at the senior leadership level; experience in a global law firm or professional services environment preferred.
• Demonstrated success leading Total Rewards operating model transformation, including organizational design, selecting and implementing relevant technologies, exploring self-service and AI-enabled or agentic tools, and managing vendors with a focus on technology enablement and security.
• Understanding of responsible AI principles and emerging AI regulations as applied to HR.
• Deep expertise in benefits cost management, including modeling, renewals, funding arrangements, and evaluating ROI for ancillary benefits.
• Experience managing benefits and rewards programs across multiple countries and regions, including global and regional vendor engagements, and statutory and supplemental benefits.
• Subject matter expertise in accommodations and leaves of absence, including ADA, FMLA, U.S. state leave laws, and non-U.S. statutory leave.
• Strong analytical skills, with experience using data analytics tools and dashboards to measure benefits utilization and inform program decisions.
• Demonstrated ability to develop, present, and execute multi-year total rewards strategies that align with business, talent, and organizational objectives.
• Knowledge of U.S. and international laws and regulations related to total rewards practices, including pay transparency and pay equity laws, ERISA, HIPAA, ACA, FMLA, ADA, state leave laws, mental health parity requirements, wellness program compliance, and data privacy laws such as GDPR, with experience partnering with Information Security and HR Information Services on benefits data governance.
• Experience designing or overseeing holistic well-being programs, including mental health initiatives, EAPs, and resilience and mindfulness resources preferred.
• Proven ability to design employee- and manager-facing communications that simplify complex total rewards information and drive engagement and adoption.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Professional certification such as CCP, CBP, CEBS, or SHRM-SCP preferred.

Compensation and Total Rewards Package

Ropes & Gray is proud to offer a comprehensive Total Rewards package to our business support team members. The firm also offers comprehensive health and well-being benefits, personal and professional development, career growth opportunities and a collegial and supportive culture. The anticipated pay range for this role is listed below and represents our good faith and reasonable estimate of the starting salary range at the time of posting. In addition, this role is eligible for a discretionary bonus based on performance. The actual offered rate for this position will be determined based on job-related, non-discriminatory factors, including qualifications and experience, geographic location, education, external market data and consideration of internal equity.

Boston and New York: $211,400 - $338,300

Working Conditions

This position requires hybrid on-site presence as an essential function of the role. Consistent and predictable on-site presence is required for ongoing business continuity, professional development and effective collaboration with colleagues and management.