Senior Director - Total Rewards

• Contract: Contracting 1 year (after possibility to go intern)
• Location: Basel (2 days a week HO)

Our client is a global life-sciences and manufacturing leader with a complex, multinational footprint. The organization operates in a dynamic, fast-growing environment where innovation, operational excellence, and people-centric culture are core drivers of success. As part of the global HR Leadership Team, this role plays a critical part in building scalable, transparent, and competitive reward structures that support business growth and talent strategy, without directly naming the company. 

• Drive and execute the global Total Rewards strategy across all regions, partnering closely with Heads of HR, HR Business Partners, and senior leadership.
• Offer expert consultation to leadership teams on compensation, benefits, and governance; ensure alignment with global frameworks while adapting to local market needs.
• Lead communication, education, and rollout of Total Rewards programs that reinforce a pay-for-performance culture.
• Act as the internal expert and champion for Pay Transparency, building policies and tools that enable clarity and compliance.
• Oversee compensation components of M&A activities, ensuring smooth integration and alignment with the global compensation structure.
• Serve as a strategic advisor on reward policies, programs, market trends, and competitive positioning to support attraction, retention, and employee motivation.
• Manage annual reward cycles, including benchmarking, salary range development, grading, and market analysis.
• Ensure compliance with global and regional compensation regulations, including navigating local nuances.
• Lead and mentor a small team while working effectively in a complex matrix environment.
• Deliver high-quality analytical insights, reporting, and presentations to support strategic decision-making (Excel & PowerPoint proficiency expected).
• Execute parallel, complex projects with strong planning, governance, and stakeholder alignment.
• Perform additional strategic duties as required.

Professional Experience:

• 15+ years of experience in Total Rewards, Compensation & Benefits, HR operations, or related fields, ideally across both consulting and large multinational settings.
• Proven track record leading global Total Rewards programs, annual cycles, benchmarking, and governance.
• Strong project management experience in international, cross-functional, and matrix environments.
• Experience with compensation integration in M&A scenarios.
• Preferred: background in redesigning U.S. benefits programs and interfacing with payroll/vendor systems.
• Ability to work independently, navigate ambiguity, and operate effectively in fast-paced, service-oriented environments.

Skills & Competencies

• Strong business acumen with a strategic mindset and commercial orientation.
• Outstanding partnering, consulting, influencing, and relationship-building skills across cultures and seniority levels.
• Advanced analytical, reporting, and presentation capabilities (Excel, PowerPoint).
• Ability to distill complex concepts into clear, compelling communication.
• Innovative, forward-thinking problem-solver with resilience and strong time-management skills.
• Demonstrated leadership capability: coaching, mentoring, and talent development.
• Customer-focused mindset with a proactive approach to stakeholder needs.

Education:

• Bachelor’s degree required; Master’s preferred.
• Fields of study: HR, Business Administration, Economics, Finance, Tax, or similar.