Program Manager, Total Rewards
About SandboxAQ
SandboxAQ is a high-growth company delivering AI solutions that address some of the world's greatest challenges. The company’s Large Quantitative Models (LQMs) power advances in life sciences, financial services, navigation, cybersecurity, and other sectors.
We are a global team that is tech-focused and includes experts in AI, chemistry, cybersecurity, physics, mathematics, medicine, engineering, and other specialties. The company emerged from Alphabet Inc. as an independent, growth capital-backed company in 2022, funded by leading investors and supported by a braintrust of industry leaders.
At SandboxAQ, we’ve cultivated an environment that encourages creativity, collaboration, and impact. By investing deeply in our people, we’re building a thriving, global workforce poised to tackle the world's epic challenges. Join us to advance your career in pursuit of an inspiring mission, in a community of like-minded people who value entrepreneurialism, ownership, and transformative impact.
The Opportunity
At SandboxAQ, we are solving some of the world’s most difficult problems at the intersection of AI and Quantum technology. To do this, we need to attract and retain the world’s best talent. We are looking for our first Total Rewards hire to lead the evolution of our global compensation and benefits programs, reporting to the Head of People Operations and Programs. This is a "player-coach" role where you will build upon the foundational architecture (Job Levels, Salary Bands, Equity Strategy) needed to scale and grow our business.
We need someone who can strategically craft our evolving total reward strategy, and administer it. For now, this is a team of one but you will work closely with an ecosystem that supports your activity. You’ll deliver work in partnership with the greater people function and finance, and you’ll be an excellent collaborator that can drive results with colleagues. You have to be comfortable setting the strategy, as well as executing it. We also want someone that goes far beyond compensation administration, and works to educate employees on the value of their total package, not just the numbers.
Key Responsibilities
Global Compensation Strategy: Design and manage our global compensation philosophy, ensuring we remain competitive in the AI/Deep Tech market. This includes base salary, equity/LTI programs, and variable incentives.
Annual Cycles: Own the end-to-end annual merit, bonus, and equity review process. Partner with Finance, HR Business Partners and Business Leaders on budgeting and provide managers with the tools to make data-driven pay decisions.
Job Architecture: Level up and maintain our scalable job leveling framework and career ladders. Ensure every employee is given the tools to understand their growth path and how their compensation aligns with their impact.
Global Benefits & Wellness: Grow and lead our existing global benefits strategy across multiple countries (US, UK, France, etc.). Manage broker relationships, lead annual renewals, and ensure our perks align with our high-performance culture.
Executive & Equity Design: Partner with Leadership to manage executive compensation and equity pool modeling. Support administration efforts.
Compliance & Transparency: Ensure global compliance (Pay Transparency acts, FLSA, GDPR) and lead the communication strategy to ensure transparency and trust in our rewards programs.
Essential Skills & Experience
Experience: 8+ years in Compensation & Benefits, with at least 3 years in a high-growth tech startup (Series C through Post-IPO preferred).
Analytical Mindset: You are a "data junkie" who can model complex equity scenarios and budget impact with ease. You think through data, but can talk and work with people who don’t. You consider the “so what” of the data, rather than just providing analysis.
Global Intelligence: Familiarity with international labor markets and benefit nuances outside the US, with demonstrated experience administering and executing elements of a global total reward program. You know that a “great benefit” in France looks very different from one in the US, and you design programs and provide recommendations with that in mind.
Communicator: You can distill complex data into a simple narrative and creatively engage stakeholders
Systems Savvy: Experience with our key tools (or similar), including Pave, Radford, Ashby and Rippling.
Comfort with Ambiguity: Our industry and market evolves quickly, and while you enjoy keeping tabs on how the market is evolving and ensuring our strategy is up to date, you are OK with making high-stakes decisions with “just enough” data rather than perfection.
Why Join Us?
We offer a comprehensive and competitive benefits package designed to support your health, financial well-being, and life outside of work.
Compensation: Competitive base salary, performance-based incentives or bonuses (where applicable), and equity participation.
Benefits: Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage for employees and dependents with generous employer premium contributions, retirement savings with company matching, paid parental leave, and inclusive family-building benefits.
Work-Life Balance: Flexible paid time off, company-wide seasonal breaks, and support for flexible work arrangements that enable sustainable performance.
Career Development: Opportunities for continuous learning and growth through on-the-job development, cross-functional collaboration, and access to internal learning and development programs.
SandboxAQ Welcomes All
We are committed to fostering a culture of belonging and respect, where diverse perspectives are actively sought and valued. Our multidisciplinary environment provides ample opportunity for continuous growth - working alongside humble, empowered, and ambitious colleagues ready to tackle epic challenges.
Equal Employment Opportunity: All qualified applicants will receive consideration regardless of race, color, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, citizenship, marital status, disability, gender identity, or Veteran status.
Accommodations: We provide reasonable accommodations for individuals with disabilities in job application procedures for open roles. If you need such an accommodation, please let a member of our Recruiting team know.
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