Head of Total Rewards / C&B: skills & capabilities the market requires

Based on 249 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 (84%) and Executive Communication (64%).

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Core capabilities for a Head of Total Rewards / C&B

Strategic Leadership — required in 84% of postings
Executive Communication — required in 64% of postings
Risk, Security & Compliance — required in 63% of postings
Data & Analytics — required in 59% of postings
Stakeholder Management — required in 56% of postings
Cross-functional Leadership — required in 47% of postings
Change & Transformation — required in 43% of postings

Most-required hard skills

Benefits Administration
Pay Equity Analysis
Data Analysis
Regulatory Compliance
Vendor Management
Compensation Program Design
Executive Compensation

Leadership & soft skills

Strategic Thinking
Stakeholder Management
Change Management
Cross-Functional Collaboration

Scope, experience & pay

Head of Total Rewards / C&B roles expect deal / M&A experience in 7% of postings, IPO or capital markets in 8%, and transformation in 23%. Typical stated experience: 10 years. Pay signal from postings (base): $203K–$253K.

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