Director, Total Rewards and Operations

ABOUT COOLIT SYSTEMS INC.

Founded in Calgary, Alberta in 2001, CoolIT Systems is the leading Direct Liquid Cooling technology provider for data centers, supercomputers, and desktop computers. We design and manufacture solutions used by the largest tech companies globally.
Recognized as one of “The Americas’ Fastest Growing Companies 2023” by Financial Times and honored with the Deloitte Fast 50 Clean Technology award in 2022, as well as the Deloitte Fast 500 distinction in both 2021 and 2022, CoolIT's rapid growth is capturing global attention.
As demand for generative AI, high performance computing and cloud solutions rapidly expands, there has never been a more exciting time to join our team.

WHAT YOU’LL DO:
Role:
We are seeking a talented Director, Total Rewards and Operations to join our People team. We are looking for someone with strong communication skills and is passionate about shaping the organization's people strategy while fostering a culture of continuous learning, inclusivity, and organizational effectiveness. You will be responsible for the design, delivery, and continuous improvement of comprehensive total rewards programs that align with business objectives and enhance the overall employee experience. This role serves as a strategic partner to the business and senior leadership, providing expertise in compensation, benefits, wellness, and incentive programs while ensuring market competitiveness, internal equity, and regulatory compliance. The position supports data-driven decision-making through market research and analytics, leads compensation and benefits cycles, develops clear communication strategies to promote understanding of total rewards offerings, and contributes to special projects and continuous improvement initiatives through cross-functional collaboration.

Responsibilities:

Total Rewards (Payroll and Benefits):

• Support the continued development and execution of total rewards strategies that align with business goals and enhance employee experience.
• Lead the design, and ongoing evolution of enterprise compensation and total rewards programs.
• Provide governance on merit, salary, and incentive modeling assumptions in partnership with Finance to support budgeting, forecasting, and workforce planning.
• Lead the assessment of external market data and internal equity to maintain competitive reward structures across Canada, the U.S and Asia.
• Provide executive accountability for payroll outcomes, ensuring accuracy, compliance, internal controls, and risk mitigation across all jurisdictions.
• Oversee vendors and consultants' strategy, contract and performance across compensation, benefits, payroll, and HR technology, including contract negotiations, renewals, and service level performance.
• Monitor regulatory changes and ensure compliance with pay equity, tax, and employment legislation.
• Oversee payroll reconciliations and ensure accurate and timely posting to the general ledger.

Human Resources Strategy and Operations:

• Provide strategic HR guidance to senior leaders on workforce planning, engagement, and organizational design.
• Serve as executive business owner for HR Technology & Analytics.
• Partners with Director Talent & Development, HR Business Partners and business leaders to provide guidance on job evaluations, salary recommendations, and incentive programs.
• Assist in the design and administration of annual compensation cycles, including merit, bonus, and equity programs.
• Analyze data and prepare reports to support decision-making and ensure compliance with internal policies and external regulations.
• Oversee HR reporting and metrics to support strategic decision-making and continuous improvement.
• Champion HR technology and digital tools to enhance efficiency and employee experience.
• Ensure compliance with international labor laws and partner with legal teams to manage risks.

Team Leadership & Organizational Influence:

• Lead and develop a high-performing, collaborative team across HR and payroll functions.
• Set team goals, monitor performance, and manage branch operations and budgets.
• Serve as a key driver of change management and cultural alignment within the organization.
• Establish and maintain partnerships with internal departments and external stakeholders to enhance HR and total rewards impact globally.

WHO YOU ARE:
Basic Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Education, Psychology, Business Administration, or a related field.
• Minimum of 10 years of progressive experience in human resources, total rewards, or organizational development.
• At least 5 years of direct team leadership experience, including cross-functional and strategic influence.
• Demonstrated experience leading and governing the Total Rewards function, including program design, vendor and consultant management, financial modeling, and regulatory compliance.
• Experience in compensation design, payroll governance, benefits strategy, HR systems, and vendor management.
• Strong knowledge of international labor laws and compliance.
• Ability to lead change and support organizational transformation.
• Data-driven mindset with experience in HR analytics.
• Familiarity with tools such as UKG, Mercer, or equivalent HR and compensation systems.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Master’s degree and/or HR Certification (e.g., SHRM-SCP, SPHR).
• Experience working in global organizations or across multiple locations.
• Experience providing shared executive oversight of HR technology, partnering with HRIS, analytics, and IT leaders to enable rewards, payroll, and core HR processes is considered an asset.

Skills:

• Strategic thinking with strong business acumen.
• Exceptional interpersonal and leadership skills.
• High emotional intelligence and sound judgment.
• Ability to influence across all levels of the organization.
• Comfort with ambiguity and ability to adapt to change quickly.
• Commitment to fostering an inclusive, high-performance culture.

WHY COOLIT?

We strive to be an employer of choice and as such we believe in rewarding our employees with career and development opportunities that will maintain and strengthen our culture while aligning to our vision and values.

We are a company that is full of vibrant, innovative people who love what we do.

Benefits:

• Vacation and flex days, and paid company-wide shutdown during the holiday season.
• Comprehensive benefits including Dental, Drugs, Optical, Paramedical and Health Spending. These costs are covered by CoolIT and are enacted from your first day.
• Dress for your day – in a casual yet professional environment.
• Retention rewards like “The Big Coffee Break” that reward tenure with additional vacation time and a monetary bonus.
• Employee ownership program.
• Company-funded RRSP contributions to support your long-term financial goals.

We thank every candidate in advance, however, only those selected for an interview will be contacted.
Successful candidates for this position will be required to undergo background checks including criminal records check and education.