Director, Total Rewards

Who are we?

Cohere is the leading security-first enterprise AI company. We build cutting-edge foundation AI models and end-to-end products that are designed to solve real-world business problems.

We’re training and deploying frontier models for enterprises who are building AI systems. We believe that our work is instrumental to the widespread adoption of AI and we are looking for folks that want to be part of that.

We obsess over what we build. Each one of us is responsible for contributing to increasing the capabilities of our models and the value they drive for our customers. Cohere is a team of researchers, engineers, designers, and more, who are all passionate about their craft.

We are a global technology company co-headquartered in Toronto and San Francisco, with key offices in London, New York City, Montreal, Seoul, Germany and Paris. Join us!

Role Overview

At Cohere, we believe exceptional talent deserves exceptional rewards.

As our Director, Total Rewards, you'll own and evolve the strategy that helps us attract, retain, and motivate some of the world's most sought-after people working at the forefront of AI. Total Rewards is a strategic lever that enables us to compete for exceptional talent in one of the most competitive markets in the world.

You'll join as the founding member of our Total Rewards function, with the opportunity to shape not only our philosophy, programs, and operating model, but also the future of the team itself. You'll start as an individual contributor with significant ownership, and as the company continues to grow, you'll have the opportunity to build and lead a world-class Total Rewards team.

Partnering closely with senior leaders across the business, you'll influence our compensation philosophy, equity strategy, global benefits, and executive reward programs. While you'll inherit a strong foundation, you'll have the autonomy to evolve our approach, challenge conventional thinking, and ensure our rewards strategy continues to scale alongside one of the world's leading frontier AI companies.

This is a highly visible, high-impact role with significant ownership. You'll be a trusted advisor to leaders across the company, influencing some of our most important people and business decisions while helping shape the employee experience at one of the world's leading frontier AI companies.

What You'll Own

Own and evolve our Total Rewards strategy

Lead the vision, strategy, and roadmap for Total Rewards, ensuring our philosophy and programs continue to evolve alongside our business and support our next stage of global growth.

Shape how we reward exceptional talent

Design and continuously refine our global compensation and equity programs to attract and retain world-class talent across research, engineering, go-to-market, and corporate functions.

Design globally scalable benefits

Build and evolve a thoughtful benefits strategy that provides a consistent employee experience globally while allowing flexibility to meet local market needs.

Be a trusted advisor

Partner closely with executives, Finance, People, and business leaders on compensation decisions, organizational changes, executive hiring, and reward strategy, providing thoughtful guidance grounded in data and market insight.

Keep us ahead of the market

Monitor compensation, benefits, and industry trends to ensure our programs remain competitive, innovative, and aligned with our philosophy and values.

Build for scale

Continuously improve our systems, processes, and operating model so our Total Rewards function can support the company's rapid global growth.

We'd Love to Hear From You If...

• You have 10+ years of experience leading Total Rewards in fast-growing technology companies.

• You've built, evolved, or significantly transformed global compensation and benefits programs.

• You have deep expertise in compensation philosophy, equity programs, executive compensation, and global benefits.

• You're comfortable advising senior leaders and influencing complex business decisions.

• You combine strong commercial judgment with analytical rigor and enjoy solving complex problems through data.

• You thrive in high-growth environments where priorities evolve quickly and you're excited by the opportunity to build and continuously improve.

• You're an exceptional communicator who can explain complex reward concepts with clarity and influence.

Why This Role?

• Own one of the most strategic Total Rewards agendas in AI. Reward is one of the ways we compete for talent, and you'll play a central role in shaping that strategy.

• Work alongside exceptional people. Help attract and retain some of the world's leading researchers, engineers, and operators building frontier AI.

• Influence at the highest levels. Partner directly with senior leadership on some of the company's most important talent and business decisions.

• Shape what comes next. You'll inherit a strong foundation with the freedom, ownership, and trust to evolve it as we continue to scale globally.

• Build with impact. The work you do will directly influence how we grow, compete, and create an exceptional employee experience.

Location

This role can be based remotely or from one of our office locations. We care most about hiring exceptional people regardless of location.

Compensation

Cohere is committed to fair and transparent pay practices. The salary range listed for this role reflects the expected base compensation. Actual compensation will depend on factors including location, level, skills, experience, and market data.

Base salary: $190,000–$300,000 USD, plus equity and a comprehensive benefits package.

Full-Time Employees at Cohere enjoy these Perks:

• A weekly lunch stipend of $75/£75 or equivalent in your local currency for lunch.

• Full health and dental benefits, including a separate budget for mental health.

• RRSP matching, 401K, Pension Scheme.

• 100% Parental Leave top-up for up to 6 months, for either parent.

• Annual enrichment benefits:

  Arts & culture, fitness/wellness, quality time, and a workspace improvement credit.

  Education & learning stipend for conferences, courses, and coaching.

• 6 weeks of paid vacation (30 working days!)

• Budget for traveling to other offices if you are remote, plus an annual company offsite.

How and Where We Work:

• Cohere is remote-friendly. We have offices in Toronto, San Francisco, New York City, London, Paris, Montreal, and more coming soon.

• For those in the office: a daily lunch program, plenty of snacks, and regular community and social events.

• For those not near an office: a co-working benefit so you can work alongside others in your city.

• Everyone receives a $500 home office stipend to set up your workspace properly.

If any of the above doesn’t line up exactly with your experience, we still encourage you to apply.

We strive to create an inclusive work environment for all; we welcome applicants from all backgrounds and are committed to providing equal opportunities. Should you require any accommodations during the recruitment process, please submit an Accommodations Request Form, and we will work together to meet your needs.

We may use AI-enabled tools to screen and assess applicants against the criteria for this position. This helps our recruiters identify potentially qualified candidates, but it doesn't limit the applications our recruiters may review or consider.

Beware of Scams: Cohere will never ask for payment or third-party services (e.g., CV writing) as part of our hiring process. All legitimate roles are listed on the Cohere careers page and LinkedIn only, with all communications from Cohere employees coming from an @cohere.com or @cw.cohere email alias. If jobs are viewed on other sites then please verify these through our official careers page.