Assistant Vice President - Corporate Rewards

Job Description: The AVP Rewards & Benefits will lead the design, implementation, and management of all employee rewards programs, including compensation, benefits, and incentive plans. This role partners with Global Rewards and HR teams to ensure competitive, equitable, and compliant reward practices that attract, retain, and motivate talent.As the AVP Rewards & Benefits, you will oversee the end-to-end management of the organization’s compensation and benefits programs. You will ensure that policies are market-competitive, aligned with business strategy, and compliant with local legislation. This role involves collaborating with Global Rewards, HR, Finance, and Compliance teams to deliver strategic reward initiatives, manage long- and short-term incentives, and optimize operational efficiency. You will also lead employee benefits benchmarking, manage vendor relationships, and provide actionable insights through reporting and analysis, ultimately supporting a high-performing culture and strong employee value proposition.

Key Responsibilities:

Design, implement, and manage compensation, benefits, and incentive programs.

Partner with Global Rewards to review and update C&B policies for internal equity and market competitiveness.

Benchmark salary, benefits, and participate in industry surveys and forums.

Drive annual processes such as Merit Increases, Bonus, and Equity programs.

Evaluate and design hiring ranges with Recruitment, HRBP, and business leaders.

Manage STI (Bonus, P4P, Sales Commission) and LTI (Equity) plans, monitoring effectiveness.

Ensure compliance with regulations and company policies in compensation and benefits decisions.

Develop dashboards and reports, partnering with HR Business Partners and management for recommendations.

Work with Finance on budgeting and job pricing.

Manage data processes and resolve errors with HR shared services as needed.

Lead employee benefit benchmarking and alignment (Pension Fund, Medical Aid, Leave benefits).

Oversee day-to-day management of benefit brokers to maintain industry-comparable offerings.

Sign off monthly Pension Fund files for processing.

Build and maintain strong relationships with internal and external stakeholders.

Investigate and resolve escalated employee issues in collaboration with HR leaders.

Requirements:

+/- 10 years’ experience in Compensation & Benefits and a minimum of 3 years in a leadership role.

Strong analytical skills with advanced Excel; Exposure to Tableau, Power BI, or Qlik Sense.

Proven ability to influence stakeholders in a global environment.

Deep knowledge of remuneration, benefits, and compliance frameworks.

Experience in ITES, KPO, or Analytics industries (Preferred).

Track record of driving cost efficiencies and operational improvements.

Strong communication, negotiation, and relationship- building skills.

Strategic mindset with a focus on operational excellence.

*** In alignment with the Employment Equity Act, preference will be given to applicants from historically underrepresented groups and in line with EXL’s EE targets ***

Responsibilities: Key Responsibilities

• Design, implement, and manage compensation, benefits, and incentive programs.
• Partner with Global Rewards to review and update C&B policies for internal equity and market competitiveness.
• Benchmark salary, benefits, and participate in industry surveys and forums.
• Drive annual processes such as Merit Increases, Bonus, and Equity programs.
• Evaluate and design hiring ranges with Recruitment, HRBP, and business leaders.
• Manage STI (Bonus, P4P, Sales Commission) and LTI (Equity) plans, monitoring effectiveness.
• Ensure compliance with regulations and company policies in compensation and benefits decisions.
• Develop dashboards and reports, partnering with HR Business Partners and management for recommendations.
• Work with Finance on budgeting and job pricing.
• Manage data processes and resolve errors with HR shared services as needed.
• Lead employee benefit benchmarking and alignment (Pension Fund, Medical Aid, Leave benefits).
• Oversee day-to-day management of benefit brokers to maintain industry-comparable offerings.
• Sign off monthly Pension Fund files for processing.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with internal and external stakeholders.
• Investigate and resolve escalated employee issues in collaboration with HR leaders.

Qualifications: Qualifications & Requirements

• 10+ years’ experience in Compensation & Benefits with at least 3 years in a leadership role.
• Strong analytical skills with advanced Excel proficiency; familiarity with Tableau, Power BI, Qlik Sense.
• Excellent written, verbal communication, influencing, and presentation skills.
• Strong stakeholder management experience in a global setting.
• Knowledge of remuneration and benefits, local legislation, and HR statutory compliance.
• Experience in ITES, KPO, or Analytics industries preferred.
• Proven ability to implement cost-saving initiatives and improve operational efficiency.
• Effective conflict management, negotiation, and relationship-building skills.
• Strategic and commercial thinking with the ability to drive operational excellence.

*** In alignment with the Employment Equity Act, preference will be given to applicants from historically underrepresented groups/ aligned with our EE targets ***