Operations
Hi! I’m Rachel and I lead People Operations here at Ashby. I recently joined and I’m excited that we're expanding our team! The People Operations Team provides support to Ashby employees through the development and implementation of programs, policies, and services that contribute to a productive and inclusive working environment. We ensure that the work we do aligns with our Operating Principles https://www.ashbyhq.com/blog/culture/ashbys-operating-principles#operating-principles and strengthens the environment we're building at Ashby. Our approach is to do things differently – we prioritize what truly fits our team and enhances how we work together. By embracing creativity and customization, we aim to create a people-first culture that drives both individual and organizational success.
We review all applications, and there isn’t a benefit to applying quickly. Take your time, look at the application questions and please submit before the application deadline! We aren’t able to take calls outside of the interview process, so reaching out to the team won’t push your application forward.
ABOUT THE ROLE
We’re looking for an experienced Total Rewards leader to build and own Ashby’s total rewards function through our next phase of growth.
This is a builder’s role. Some of the foundation is in place; a lot of it isn’t. You’ll set the philosophy, design the frameworks, build the infrastructure, and run the work day to day. It’s a chance to shape how a company rewards its people rather than administer decisions someone else made.
It’s also unusually analytical, and unusually creative. Ashby’s Total Rewards philosophy is principled and intentionally not one-size-fits-all: approaches vary by function, because different parts of the business compete in different talent markets. Total Rewards partners closely with leadership to provide the structure, documentation, guidance, and governance that keep those approaches equitable, competitive, and scalable. The upshot is that the most interesting problems here don’t have off-the-shelf answers. How do you price a role that survey data doesn’t cover? How do you keep a flexible system fair and explainable? How do you tell, early, that one talent market has moved while the others haven’t? You’ll need real fluency with data, the discipline to structure a problem before you solve it, and the confidence to invent the model when no model exists.
A lot of this work looks less like administering a program and more like a well-run strategy engagement: frame the question, get the data, build the model, pressure-test the answer, and bring leaders a recommendation with the tradeoffs made explicit. The difference is that here you also go implement it.
You’ll partner closely with People Ops, Finance, Talent Acquisition, Legal, and functional leaders to design programs that support how Ashby attracts, retains, and rewards exceptional people — building a more scalable approach while preserving the flexibility each part of the business needs.
We’re looking for someone who has built and scaled Total Rewards in high-growth, VC-backed SaaS companies and is energized by all three of philosophy, systems, and execution — someone who would rather go build the analysis than wait for it.
This role starts as an individual contributor and is expected to grow into people management as the function scales.
YOU'LL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR
Building Ashby’s compensation infrastructure
Bands, leveling alignment, market positioning, review cadences, benchmarking methodology, and clear guidance for offers, promotions, refreshers, and market adjustments — globally, and in partnership with founders, executives, and functional leaders. Some areas are mature; others are still forming. You’ll bring structure to the ambiguity with frameworks that are principled, practical, and hold up under scrutiny. You will be responsible for helping leaders reason through tradeoffs, bringing them a clear recommendation and the logic behind it, and documenting the non-standard rather than handing anyone a rule book.
Reading the market and helping Ashby adapt quickly
Combine market data, internal data, and outside signals to allow us to respond quickly and at scale when conditions change. Build the mechanisms that catch market movement across the whole company, not just the functions with the loudest signals: find the gaps in survey coverage, spot which teams are repricing faster than others, form a view on why, and turn what you see into a recommendation.
Owning Total Rewards strategy end-to-end
Compensation, equity, benefits, and perks. With founders and company leaders, define the philosophy, principles, and long-term direction for how we reward people globally. Evaluate our programs continuously and make recommendations that balance market competitiveness, internal equity, business needs, and long-term sustainability — framed the way a good strategy memo is framed: the options, the tradeoffs, and where you land.
Leading benefits strategy and administration
Own global benefits end to end: strategy, selection, renewals, plan design, competitiveness assessment, broker and vendor management, and the systems and processes behind a strong employee experience.
Leading equity program infrastructure
Partner with Finance and company leadership to bring structure, consistency, and scalability to equity practices, support program administration, and help employees understand how equity fits within the broader Total Rewards picture.
Building scalable systems and operations
Improve the systems, workflows, documentation, and operational processes behind Total Rewards. You will work in tools like CandorIQ, Pave, and OpenComp. You will use automation, AI, and good operational design to get roles to market quickly, support pay decisions efficiently, and keep the underlying data trustworthy.
Acting as a trusted cross-functional partner
You’re the subject matter expert for Total Rewards at Ashby. You’ll help leaders navigate rewards