Associate Director, Global Total Rewards

Company Introduction

WorldStrides is the global leader in educational travel and experiential learning. The company was founded in 1967 to provide middle school travel programs to Washington, D.C. and has grown to provide a wide range of programs for more than half a million students annually to over 100 countries around the world. WorldStrides offers experiential learning programs in educational travel, performing arts, language immersion, career exploration, service-learning, study abroad, and sports. Each of these experiences helps students to see beyond the classroom and to see the world – and themselves – in new ways.

Job Description:

We’re looking for a decisive, high-impact, business-minded Total Rewards leader who thrives on shaping modern, data-driven programs and executing with precision. As our Associate Director, Global Total Rewards, you’ll drive the development and optimization of global compensation and benefits strategies that help us attract, retain, and motivate top talent across all regions globally.

You’ll play a critical role in ensuring our global Total Rewards programs are not only market competitive and compliant, but also reflective of our values and meaningful to our team members. You’ll be equally comfortable digging into benchmarking analysis, leading executive conversations, managing vendors, and proposing what's next. This role combines strategy, execution, innovation, and operational rigor.

Responsibilities: 

Global Compensation Strategy & Execution

• Design and evolve our global compensation philosophy and structure, aligned with company goals and market best practices.
• Oversee job leveling, market benchmarking, compensation surveys, and
  competitive pay analyses across regions.
• Lead compensation cycles (merit and bonus), including modeling, analysis, and communications.
• Partner with Recruitment, HR Business Partners, and Finance to ensure consistency and fairness in offers, promotions, and internal pay decisions.
• Serve as a trusted advisor on complex compensation matters including incentive design and executive pay support.
• Lead compensation-related special projects that drive long-term value.

Global Benefits Design & Delivery

• Oversee all health, welfare, retirement, and wellness benefits programs for team members across regions – evaluating, designing, and optimizing offerings to meet evolving needs.
• Manage vendor relationships and renewals, lead the RFP process, and ensure
  strong governance and compliance across all geographies.
• Lead the execution of U.S. benefits activities (e.g., open enrollment, ACA
  compliance, ERISA filings) while expanding benefits offerings in new international markets.
• Monitor legislative and regulatory developments across regions to ensure full
  compliance and proactive adaptation.
• Create and deliver clear, compelling communications that help team members understand the value of their total rewards.

Strategy, Governance & Innovation

• Monitor external trends to recommend new or enhanced offerings aligned with business strategy and team member expectations.
• Build clear, data-driven business cases for new programs or changes – including modeling cost and impact.
• Develop scalable processes and tools that enable transparency, consistency, and effectiveness.
• Ensure readiness for internal audits and external reporting with strong
  documentation and internal controls.

Leadership & Collaboration

• Act as a thought partner to HR leadership and an internal consultant to business leaders on Total Rewards strategy.
• Build strong partnerships with HR Business Partners, Legal, Finance, Payroll,
  Recruitment, and HR Systems to ensure alignment and execution.
• Coach and develop Total Rewards team members and lead with a mindset of
  growth, collaboration, and accountability.

Qualifications:

• 8–10+ years of progressive experience in Total Rewards, including both
  compensation and benefits, ideally in a global environment.
• Experience leading or serving as the #2 in a Total Rewards function.
• Deep understanding of compensation frameworks, benchmarking, incentive plans, and benef