Vice President, Total Rewards

Upwork ($UPWK) is the world’s work marketplace. We serve everyone from one-person startups to large, Fortune 100 enterprises with a powerful, trust-driven platform that enables companies and talent to work together in new ways that unlock their potential. Last year, more than $3.8 billion of work was done through Upwork by skilled professionals who are gaining more control by finding work they are passionate about and innovating their careers. We are seeking a Vice President, Total Rewards to lead Upwork’s global compensation, benefits, and rewards strategy. This high-impact role will be responsible for designing and executing programs that attract, retain, and engage top talent while ensuring alignment with our business objectives and values. You will work closely with the executive team and the compensation committee to shape Upwork’s executive compensation strategy, and drive a culture of fairness, transparency, and innovation in total rewards. This is an exciting opportunity to play a pivotal role in a company that is redefining the future of work. Your leadership will ensure our total rewards programs remain competitive, compliant, and aligned with Upwork’s vision, empowering employees at all levels to thrive. Your Responsibilities: • Develop and lead a comprehensive global total rewards strategy, including compensation, benefits, equity, and recognition programs. • Oversee executive compensation, including the design and administration of base salary structures, annual and long-term incentive programs, and equity compensation. • Serve as the key partner to the Compensation Committee, preparing and delivering materials on executive compensation, pay-for-performance alignment, and total rewards governance. • Ensure Upwork’s rewards programs are competitive, equitable, and aligned with market trends and business objectives. • Lead the design and implementation of broad-based compensation programs, including salary structures, job leveling frameworks, and incentive plans. • Oversee global benefits strategy to enhance employee well-being and overall experience. • Drive data-driven decision-making through benchmarking, analytics, and insights on compensation, benefits, and workforce trends. • Support total rewards integration during mergers and acquisitions, including due diligence, compensation benchmarking, benefits harmonization, and retention planning. • Ensure compliance with all relevant global compensation and benefits regulations and governance best practices. • Partner with Finance, Legal, HR, and senior leadership to ensure alignment of total rewards programs with business and financial strategies. • Lead, mentor and develop a high-performing team, fostering collaboration, innovation, and excellence. What it takes to catch our eye: • Extensive experience leading global total rewards programs, including compensation, benefits, and equity, ideally in a high-growth or technology company. • Proven expertise in executive compensation design, strategy, and administration, with experience presenting to Boards of Directors and Compensation Committees. • Strong understanding of market trends, regulatory requirements, and governance in executive and broad-based compensation. • Demonstrated success in building and implementing pay-for-performance strategies and incentive programs. • Deep analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to leverage data for strategic decision-making. • Exceptional stakeholder management skills, with experience influencing senior executives and Board members. • Experience managing and developing high-performing teams, fostering professional growth and engagement. • Passion for creating inclusive, equitable, and innovative rewards programs that support a diverse, remote-first workforce. Come change how the world works. At Upwork, you’ll shape talent solutions for how the world works today. We’re a remote-first organization working together to create exciting remote work opportunities for a global community of professionals. While we have physical offices in San Francisco and Chicago, currently we also support hiring of corporate full-time employees in 15 states in the United States. Please speak with a member of our recruitment team to determine whether you are located in a state in which we are hiring corporate full-time employees. Our vibrant culture is built on shared values and our mission to create economic opportunities so that people have better lives. We foster amazing teams, put our community first, and have a bias toward action. We encourage everyone to bring their whole selves to work and grow together through development opportunities, mentorship, and employee resource groups. Oh yeah, we’ve also got amazing benefits. Check out our Life at Upwork page to learn more about the employee experience. Upwork is proudly committed to recruiting and retaining a diverse and inclusive workforce. As an Equal Opportunity Employer, we never discriminate based on race, religion, color, national origin, gender (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical condition), sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, status as a protected veteran, status as an individual with a disability, or other applicable legally protected characteristics. The annual base salary range for this position is displayed below. The range displayed reflects the minimum and maximum salary for this position, and individual base pay will depend on your skills, qualifications, experience, and location. Additionally, this position is eligible for the annual bonus plan or sales incentive plan and eligibility to participate in our long term equity incentive program. Annual Base Compensation $240,750—$447,500 USD To learn more about how Upwork processes and protects your personal information as part of the application process, please review our Global Job Applicant Privacy Notice Apply Job!