Head of Total Rewards / C&B: skills & capabilities the market requires
Based on 442 real Head of Total Rewards / C&B job postings, here is what companies actually require for this role today: the capabilities that define it, the hard skills named most often, the scope expected, typical experience and pay. The market leans hardest on Strategic Leadership (74%) and Executive Communication (65%).
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Core capabilities for a Head of Total Rewards / C&B
- Strategic Leadership — required in 74% of postings
- Executive Communication — required in 65% of postings
- Risk, Security & Compliance — required in 58% of postings
- Data & Analytics — required in 55% of postings
- Stakeholder Management — required in 43% of postings
- Operational Excellence — required in 42% of postings
- Cross-functional Leadership — required in 36% of postings
Most-required hard skills
- Benefits Administration
- Data Analysis
- Vendor Management
- Pay Equity Analysis
- Compensation Program Design
- Regulatory Compliance
- Market Benchmarking
Leadership & soft skills
- Communication
- Strategic Thinking
- Leadership
- Cross-Functional Collaboration
Scope, experience & pay
Head of Total Rewards / C&B roles expect deal / M&A experience in 5% of postings, IPO or capital markets in 5%, and transformation in 17%. Typical stated experience: 10 years. Pay signal from postings (base): $200K–$246K.
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