Head - Total Rewards

you’ll be our: Head - Total Rewards

you’ll be based at: R&D and Corporate Office, Bengaluru (IBC Knowledge Park). Due to a high level of stakeholder management and the need for executive presence, this role will be office-based

you’ll be aligned with: CHRO

you’ll be a member of: POPS (People Operations & Strategy; HR at Ather is called POPS)

What will you be doing at Ather?

We believe the Ather story doesn’t write itself; the people do. Our curious, intelligent, and self-driven people have made our growth story possible, supported by a collaborative culture thoughtfully co-created over several years.

Our total rewards strategy is rooted in the belief that we must create a long-term affiliation of talent using a mix of the best work content, cash, benefits, and long-term incentives. Armed with this core philosophy, the role is pivotal to ensure that we attract the best talent, retain them by offering individual growth in line with the organisation’s growth, and build a workplace where people feel like they belong and are cared for.

You will lead and manage the Total Rewards team and be the custodian who designs, delivers, and sustains programs in the following areas:

Compensation & Benefits

Creation, ownership, and implementation of the Compensation and Benefits (C&B) philosophy in line with the nature and values of Ather

End-t-end design and delivery of pay revision, including compensation benchmarking, pricing framework and approach, executive compensation, and Employee Stock Options (ESOP) philosophy and plans in line with industry trends, regulatory demands, and organisation needs

End-to-end design and delivery of long-term, variable, and short-term incentive plans customised to the organisation's needs, with a focus on retaining critical talent.

End-to-end design and delivery of Ather’s benefits philosophy and associated programs, such as the insurance policy, Employee Assistance Program (EAP), etc.

Continuously evaluate the effectiveness of our C&B programs to ensure they are aligned with our talent philosophy, the organisation’s OKRs (Objectives and Key Results), and market trends to make and execute recommendations for changes

Talent Operations (Payroll & Shared Services)

Ensure error-free payroll every month and driver rigour in payroll compliance, reporting, auditing, and taxation

Drive process excellence, smooth flow of information, and accurate record-keeping across all Shared Services activities

Smooth and accurate administration of all C&B programs and activities, such as pay revision, ESOPs and ESOP management platform, taxation, and benefits programs like employee assistance and insurance.

Collaborate with the People Processes team to ensure Ather’s data sanctity and audit readiness

Represent the team in audits and due diligence in providing data

Enhance C&B experience for team members using state-of-the-art digital interface systems and processes

Workforce Management and People Analytics

Own, develop, maintain, and track POPS AOP and spends year-on-year, in collaboration with other functions in POPS

Craft and implement the Headcount and Cost strategy for Ather, in collaboration with the Talent Acquisition team, Talent Partners, and business leaders

Develop and maintain annual Headcount and Cost forecast and track and reconcile every month, including conversion cost at Ather’s factories

Track resource allocation across the enterprise to align it with the Headcount strategy and related decisions

Create a roadmap for People Analytics at Ather

Design and evangelise dashboards, databases, insights and metrics for POPS in line with the People Analytics roadmap

What kind of experience and skills do you need for this role?

15-20 years of experience in Total Rewards (hands-on experience designing and administering compensation and benefits programs and shared services activities)

Industry network and knowledge of regulations, trends, and practices

Strong knowledge of and administration of equity-based compensation tools such as ESOPs

Prior experience in having handled HR audits and establishing the effectiveness of HR processes and controls

Advanced knowledge of spreadsheets

Excellent analytical skills

Excellent communication and presentation skills

Ability to work independently in a fast-paced environment and with senior leaders and cross-functional teams

Some attributes you bring to this role

Providing insights: First-principle thinker who can get to the root of a problem, derive valuable insights and judgments, and incrementally improve processes

Embracing change: Can cope with the uncertainty and ambiguity of a young organisation and direct that skill in building robust, risk-free systems that can stand the test of time

Interacting with people: Go-getter who can network and interact with a host of people, within and outside Ather, and use this data to shape internal programs

Inviting feedback: Values the importance of acknowledging and seeking criticism, encourages critical thinking, and gathers feedback

Convincing People: Effective negotiator and persuasive communicator who can adopt perspectives that suit the situation while also standing for ideas that support the organisation’s beliefs and values

What should you have graduated in?

An MBA from a Tier 1 or Tier 2 institute with a specialisation in HR

A reputed certification in Total Rewards/C&B is a plus