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Crucial Hire

Director Total Rewards

Crucial Hire, Chicago, Illinois, United States, 60290

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Director of Total Rewards & People Operations Base pay range

$160,000 – $180,000

per year.

What You’ll Own (And Be Accountable For)

Total Rewards

— architect and lead a firm-wide strategy aligned to partner economics and growth goals.

Compensation

— own base pay, bonus design, incentives, and partner‑aligned compensation.

Lead annual comp cycles end‑to‑end: benchmarking, job architecture, budgeting, incentive planning.

Oversee benefits strategy with discipline around experience, compliance, and cost.

Partner deeply with Finance, Legal, and senior leadership on complex, high‑stakes comp decisions.

People Operations & Payroll

Lead multi‑state payroll and people operations with zero tolerance for sloppiness.

Ensure consistency, compliance, and credibility across jurisdictions.

Be the calm, steady presence when things get messy.

Systems, Data & Workday

Own Workday HCM post‑implementation and ongoing optimization.

Build people analytics leaders can actually use (not just admire).

Establish data governance that holds up under scrutiny — internally and externally.

Leadership & Influence

Trusted advisor to the CPO, COO, Finance, and partner groups.

Translate numbers into narratives partners understand — and respect.

Lead and develop a high‑performing Total Rewards / People Ops team.

Hands‑on when needed; strategic always.

Who This Role Is

Actually

For

Have

10+ years

in Total Rewards / People Operations.

Have owned

comp, incentives, benefits, payroll, and HR systems .

Have operated in

professional services or partner‑driven environments .

Understand how compensation decisions shape behavior, not just budgets.

Can sit with strong personalities and

hold the line without burning bridges .

Have led or owned a

Workday implementation .

Prefer clarity, accountability, and substance over buzzwords.

Location Reality (Read This Carefully)

Core leadership team is based on the East Coast.

Role is

hybrid and highly visible .

Travel is part of the job —

purposeful, not performative .

Why This Is Worth a Conversation

Real authority — not window dressing.

Direct access to decision‑makers.

Compensation complexity that actually uses your brain.

A leadership team ready to listen — and invest.

A moment of change where the right leader leaves a real mark.

Seniority level: Director Employment type: Full‑time Job function: Accounting/Auditing, Finance, and Human Resources Industries: Law Practice, Accounting, and Professional Services

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