Director, Total Rewards

About the role

The Director, Total Rewards will serve as a strategic leader responsible for designing, implementing, and managing compensation, benefits, and recognition programs.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic direction for the development, implementation, and administration of salary structures, short-term incentives, and long-term incentive plans, ensuring competitiveness and compliance.
• Maintain and refine the company’s job classification and job leveling frameworks, ensuring consistency, pay equity, and transparency across the organization.
• Lead Essex’s compensation survey participation and market benchmarking efforts, analyzing market data and recommending program updates to maintain alignment with industry trends.
• Oversee the annual compensation review cycle, ensuring fairness, internal equity, and market competitiveness.
• Administer health, welfare, retirement, and wellness programs, ensuring accurate policy interpretation, regulatory compliance, and effective communication to employees.
• Direct open enrollment efforts, including auditing enrollment data, resolving discrepancies, and driving successful implementation of benefit changes.
• Guide special projects, such as compensation analyses, bonus plan design, and incentive program enhancements, ensuring timely delivery and measurable impact.
• Provide strategic oversight of headcount planning and budgeting, partnering with senior leadership and Finance to align workforce planning with long-term business objectives and financial targets.
• Serve as a consultative partner to senior leaders, providing insights and recommendations on compensation, benefits, and incentive strategies to support business objectives.
• Partner with recruitment teams to ensure competitive and compelling compensation packages are offered to attract and retain top talent.
• Collaborate with performance management teams to ensure reward programs are aligned with performance outcomes and career development frameworks.
• Stay ahead of emerging market trends, regulatory changes, and workforce expectations to propose and implement program enhancements that reinforce Essex’s culture and values.
• Provide vision, leadership, and development for a team of four, fostering growth and engagement while building organizational capability.

  Requirements

  • Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, Finance, or related field; HR certification (CCP, CEBS, or similar) a plus.
  • 10+ years of progressive experience in compensation and benefits, with at least 5 years in a leadership role.
  • Direct experience managing total rewards programs in California is required (Washington a plus), with proven expertise in state-specific employment laws, pay transparency requirements, and benefits compliance.
  • Demonstrated success designing and leading total rewards strategies in a complex, multi-location organization.
  • Deep understanding of compensation methodologies, executive compensation, incentive design, benefits strategy, and compliance requirements.
  • Strong analytical and financial modeling skills with the ability to translate data into actionable insights.
  • Proven ability to influence and advise senior leaders on sensitive compensation and benefits matters.

  Qualifications

  • Proficiency with market pricing tools such as Market Pay or PayScale is preferred, and experience in Workday is a plus.
  • Ability to navigate and adapt to evolving market conditions, workforce expectations, and regulatory environments.
  • Strong communication skills, capable of simplifying complex concepts and presenting effectively to executives.
  • Proven ability to lead multiple initiatives, prioritize effectively, and deliver results under tight deadlines.
  • Must be able to operate in a fast-paced work setting. Requires the ability to multitask and adapt quickly to changing priorities.
  • Requires the ability to sit at a desk or workstation for extended periods. Involves the use of standard office equipment such as computers, phones, and printers.
  • The position includes in-person work requirements consistent with the hybrid policy located at Essex's corporate offices in Woodland Hills, Irvine, Bellevue or San Mateo.

  Skills

  • Strategic mindset with the ability to balance competitive market practices and fiscal responsibility.
  • Collaborative, solutions-oriented leadership style that builds trust and engagement across teams.
  • A passion for designing programs that not only reward performance but also reinforce Essex’s culture and values.
  • High integrity and discretion when managing sensitive and confidential information.
  • The ability to think innovatively while maintaining compliance and governance standards.

  Benefits

  • Competitive salaries.
  • Experience career growth.
  • Eligible for benefit packages that include medical, dental, vision, paid parental leave, 401k employer match, excellence rewards, wellness programs, and much more.
  • 12 paid holidays and 15 PTO days.
  • Eligible for a housing discount of 20%.
  • Great communities in which to live, work and invest.
  • Purpose-driven company, promoting an internal culture of growth and opportunity by engaging, enabling, and empowering our teams.
  • New hires generally start between $142,000.00 - $177,000.00 per year.
  • The final salary offer will be determined after reviewing relevant factors, including but not limited to skill sets; relevant experience; internal equity; and other business and organizational needs.
  • This role is also eligible to participate in Essex’s discretionary Annual Bonus program that is commensurate with the level of the position.