At Colibri, culture is a critical part of our collective success, and we live our values everyday: Love, Joy,
Boldness, Teamwork and Curiosity. These values guide our interactions with each other, our customers,
and the community as a whole.
We have a rich and storied history. Colibri is one of the pioneers of online professional education,
introducing some of the first web-based professional education courses in 2001. Today, the company’s
family of brands are the leading online professional education platforms in their respective end-markets.
We proudly serve >1 million customers annually and employ more than 1,500 mission-aligned
professionals. To learn more, please visit: www.colibrigroup.com
Position Summary
The Director of Total Rewards is responsible for designing and leading a comprehensive total rewards strategy that drives business performance, supports organizational growth, and ensures a competitive and equitable employee experience across compensation, benefits, and payroll.
This role operates as a strategic partner to executive leadership, shaping programs that align with company goals while balancing market competitiveness, internal equity, cost management, and regulatory compliance. You will lead the design, implementation, and continuous evolution of compensation, benefits, and payroll programs across a complex, multi-division organization.
This is a highly visible role with enterprise impact, including ownership of annual compensation cycles, benefits strategy, vendor partnerships, M&A due diligence, and long-term rewards planning.
What You’ll Do
Total Rewards Strategy & Leadership
- Develop and evolve a comprehensive total rewards strategy aligned to business objectives, growth plans, and talent priorities
- Ensure programs are competitive, equitable, and scalable across a multi-division organization
- Serve as a strategic advisor to executive leadership on compensation, benefits, and workforce planning decisions
Compensation Strategy & Program Design
- Lead the design, implementation, and communication of all compensation programs, including base salary structures, annual merit cycles, variable pay, commissions, and executive compensation
- Ensure alignment between compensation strategy and company performance, financial goals, and talent strategy
- Oversee salary planning processes and ensure consistent, data-driven decision-making
Benefits Strategy & Program Management
- Develop and manage health and welfare benefit strategies, balancing employee experience with cost effectiveness
- Oversee plan design, vendor partnerships, implementation, and ongoing optimization
- Ensure programs remain competitive and aligned with employee needs and market trends
Payroll Leadership & Operational Excellence
- Establish and oversee payroll processes, ensuring accuracy, compliance, and efficiency in routine processing and reporting
- Identify opportunities to improve payroll operations, systems, and delivery through process optimization and automation
- Ensure alignment with internal financial requirements and regulatory standards
Governance, Compliance & Program Effectiveness
- Evaluate and continuously improve compensation and benefits programs to ensure market competitiveness, compliance, and alignment with business goals
- Maintain compliance with all applicable regulations (e.g., FLSA, ERISA, COBRA, HIPAA, FMLA, PPACA)
- Implement governance structures to ensure consistency and risk mitigation
Vendor Strategy & External Partnerships
- Partner with external consultants and vendors to benchmark programs, stay current on market trends, and optimize offerings
- Manage vendor relationships to ensure quality, cost-effectiveness, and alignment with company strategy
M&A & Strategic Initiatives
- Lead total rewards due diligence for mergers, acquisitions, and new ventures
- Assess and integrate compensation and benefits programs to support successful transitions
Communication & Employee Experience
- Develop and execute a comprehensive communication strategy for compensation and benefits programs
- Enhance transparency, understanding, and engagement across the organization
- Ensure messaging supports broader company strategy and growth
What You’ll Bring
- 7-10 years of experience in total rewards, including compensation, benefits, and payroll
- 5–7 years of leadership experience, ideally within complex or multi-division organizations
- Deep expertise in compensation strategy, including salary structures, incentive design, and executive compensation
- Strong experience designing and managing health and welfare benefit programs
- Knowledge of payroll operations, compliance, and process optimization
- Strong understanding of regulatory requirements (FLSA, ERISA, COBRA, HIPAA, FMLA, PPACA, etc.)
- Experience working in private equity-backed or high-growth environments preferred
- Demonstrated ability to drive process improvement and operational excellence
- Strong business acumen and ability to align rewards strategy with organizational performance
- Experience supporting M&A or business transformation initiatives
Colibri Group welcomes applicants from all backgrounds and experiences, and we understand that not every candidate will meet every requirement listed in the job description. Research has shown that women and people of color may be less likely to apply to jobs unless they feel they meet every qualification, and we want to actively combat this bias in our hiring process. If you're excited about the role and believe you have the skills and experience to contribute to our team, we encourage you to apply, even if your background doesn't align perfectly with every qualification listed. We are committed to building a diverse and inclusive workplace, and we believe that diversity of perspectives and experiences is essential to our success. You may be just the right candidate for this role or another position within our organization. Don't hesitate to take the leap and apply today!
We may use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to support parts of the hiring process, such as reviewing applications, analyzing resumes, or assessing responses. These tools assist our recruitment team but do not replace human judgment. Final hiring decisions are ultimately made by humans. If you would like more information about how your data is processed, please contact us.