Group Head of Total Rewards

Irwin & Dow is partnering with a highly respected international organisation to appoint a Group Head of Total Rewards, based in Abu Dhabi. This is a senior leadership role responsible for defining and delivering a global rewards strategy across a complex, multi-country workforce. Reporting to the Group CHRO, you will shape and lead the organisation’s Total Rewards philosophy, ensuring all compensation, benefits, and incentive frameworks are commercially aligned, externally competitive, internally equitable, and fully compliant across diverse international markets. A key strategic partner to the CHRO, CFO, senior leadership team, and the Board Nomination & Remuneration Committee, you will provide expert guidance on executive compensation, reward governance, workforce cost optimisation, and pay-related risk. The role requires strong executive presence, commercial acumen, and the ability to influence at the highest level of a global organisation. You will oversee the full rewards agenda, including compensation design, job architecture and grading frameworks, executive remuneration, global benefits strategy, incentive structures (STI/LTIP), payroll governance, and advanced reward analytics. A central focus will be the harmonisation of reward practices across multiple geographies, balancing global consistency with local market and regulatory requirements.

The successful candidate will bring 12–15 years’ experience in Total Rewards / Compensation & Benefits, including significant leadership within multinational environments. You must have a minimum of 3–5 years’ UAE experience and currently be based in, or willing to relocate to Abu Dhabi. Deep expertise in executive compensation, job evaluation methodologies, salary benchmarking, and incentive design is essential, alongside experience engaging with Board or Remuneration Committee stakeholders. This is a rare opportunity to join a global organisation undergoing continued growth and transformation, offering a highly competitive executive package and the opportunity to significantly shape enterprise-wide reward strategy.