Senior Director, Rewards Systems and Intelligence

In close alignment with the Health, Wellness, and Belonging and Strategic Insights and Optimization teams, this position catalyzes continuous process improvements and ensures effective communication throughout all phases of program development, with a strong emphasis on measurable outcomes, risk mitigation, and employee experience improvement. 

Reporting directly to the Associate Vice Chancellor of Enterprise Rewards Solutions, the Senior Director works across segments and functions to simplify processes, deliver scalable solutions and advance delivery speed and reduce friction for stakeholders. 

The Senior Director will have full people-manager supervision over functions including global mobility, payroll, international tax, and employee value proposition (EVP). This role presents a unique opportunity to shape and oversee payroll compliance, tax withholding accuracy, and regulatory adherence across Vanderbilt’s expanding footprint, including all current and future entities, offices, and campuses in Tennessee, California, New York, Florida, and other applicable state jurisdictions. 

Key Functions and Expected Performance: 

• Lead strategy implementation and operationalize enterprise rewards programs including payroll, tax, global mobility, and EVP by translating strategic direction into actionable processes, tools, and delivery plans that ensure consistency, accuracy, and measurable impact; maintain deep expertise in multi-state payroll compliance, ensuring adherence to state-specific wage, tax and labor regulations. 
• Advance continuous improvement and innovation within enterprise rewards operations, in collaboration with Strategic Insights and Optimization, by modernizing workflows, implementing data-informed enhancements, and ensuring programs remain responsive to evolving workforce requirements and the future of work. 
• Measurably activate Vanderbilt’s EVP through rewards program execution, communications, analytics, and experience-centered service design, in collaboration with People, Culture and Belonging COEs, Vanderbilt business units, Marketing and Communications (MARCOM), and other key partners to align messaging and rewards strategy to the employee experience. 
• Develop, in partnership with enterprise rewards programs leadership, dashboards and monitoring mechanisms that track exceptions, error rates, cycle performance, and emerging compliance trends, enabling early identification of risks and rapid remediation. 
• In collaboration with OGC and Internal Audit, conduct regular audits of enterprise rewards programs to identify operational gaps, strengthen internal controls, and ensure readiness for internal, external, and regulatory reviews, including payroll and tax compliance audits across all applicable state jurisdictions where Vanderbilt has an office or campus presence. 
• Implement corrective actions and process improvements that mitigate compliance risks across enterprise rewards programs, ensuring continuous institutional adherence to federal and state requirements including multi-state wage laws, payroll tax regulations and benefits compliance. 
• Modernize, in partnership with Strategic Insights and Optimization, employee-facing communication, digital tools, and service resources to improve understanding, transparency, and engagement with enterprise rewards and immigration programs, ensuring accessibility and consistency across the employee lifecycle. 
• Advise, in alignment with the AVC, on vendor relationships including benefits administrators, immigration counsel, and related service partners by evaluating performance, negotiating improvements, and ensuring cost-effective, high-quality service delivery that aligns with operational needs. 
• Coordinate with legal and stakeholder groups to operationalize immigration procedures, provide audit-ready documentation, and translate regulatory changes into clear, actionable processes that support institutional advocacy and policy positions. 
• Lead AI adoption by applying data, technology and generative AI to drive high-quality core operations. 
• Other duties as assigned to drive the institutional and divisional vision and mission.

Supervisory Relationships: 

This position does have supervisory responsibility; this position reports administratively and functionally to the Associate Vice Chancellor of Enterprise Rewards Solutions.

Education and Certifications 

Bachelor’s or an equivalent combination of education, relevant military experience, and relevant skills is necessary. 

Experience and Skills: 

12 years of experience is necessary. 

A passion for AI and tools to revolutionize ways of working is necessary. 

Demonstrated adaptability in dynamic wor