Application Guide

How to Apply for Director of Global Benefits

at Workiva

🏢 About Workiva

Workiva is at the forefront of integrated ESG reporting, helping organizations streamline climate impact and compliance. Its focus on transparency and sustainability makes it a mission-driven workplace where your work directly contributes to global environmental goals. As a remote-first company with a strong culture of innovation, Workiva offers flexibility and a chance to shape global benefits in a rapidly evolving industry.

About This Role

As Director of Global Benefits, you will architect and execute a multi-year benefits strategy that aligns with Workiva’s culture and financial goals, impacting employees worldwide. You’ll serve as a strategic advisor to regional HR leaders and executives, driving data-driven decisions on benefit trends and cost mitigation. This role offers the opportunity to lead a high-performing team and negotiate with global brokers to optimize spend, directly influencing employee satisfaction and retention.

💡 A Day in the Life

A typical day might start with a global team stand-up to review upcoming benefit renewals, followed by a meeting with the CFO to discuss budget allocations for new wellness initiatives. You’d then analyze employee feedback data to identify benefit gaps, negotiate with a carrier for a new mental health program, and wrap up by mentoring a junior team member on regulatory compliance in the EU.

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🎯 Who Workiva Is Looking For

  • A seasoned Total Rewards leader with 10+ years of experience, including 5+ years managing teams in a global public company, preferably in SaaS.
  • Expert in global benefit regulations (e.g., GDPR, local labor laws) and experienced with Workday or similar HCM systems for data-driven insights.
  • Strategic yet hands-on, with a proven ability to influence executives and cross-functional partners (Finance, Legal, People & Culture) without direct authority.
  • Data-savvy and negotiation-savvy, able to balance cost optimization with employee-centric benefit design in a remote-first environment.

📝 Tips for Applying to Workiva

1

Highlight your experience with Workday benefits modules in your resume, as Workiva relies heavily on Workday for HCM.

2

Quantify your impact in previous roles—e.g., 'Reduced benefits cost by 15% while increasing employee satisfaction scores by 20%.'

3

Tailor your cover letter to mention ESG or sustainability, showing alignment with Workiva’s mission.

4

Emphasize any experience with US and international benefit regulations, especially in countries where Workiva operates (e.g., UK, Germany, Netherlands).

5

If you have experience leading remote teams or implementing benefits for a distributed workforce, mention it prominently.

✉️ What to Emphasize in Your Cover Letter

['Your strategic vision for global benefits and how it aligns with Workiva’s culture and financial objectives.', 'Specific examples of leading a benefits team and negotiating with brokers/carriers to improve spend-to-value.', 'Your ability to influence senior stakeholders (e.g., CFO, CHRO) using data and trends.', 'Your passion for sustainability and how benefits can support employee well-being in an ESG-focused company.']

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🔍 Research Before Applying

To stand out, make sure you've researched:

  • → Read Workiva’s latest ESG report and understand their sustainability goals to connect benefits to their mission.
  • → Review Workiva’s culture page and employee reviews on Glassdoor to understand their remote work policies and benefit preferences.
  • → Learn about Workiva’s HCM ecosystem (Workday) and any recent upgrades or integrations.
  • → Research the competitive landscape for global benefits in SaaS companies, especially for remote-first roles.

💬 Prepare for These Interview Topics

Based on this role, you may be asked about:

1 Walk me through how you would design a multi-year global benefits roadmap for a remote-first SaaS company.
2 Describe a time you influenced an executive to adopt a new benefit strategy. What data did you use?
3 How do you stay current with global benefit regulations, and how have you ensured compliance in a previous role?
4 Tell me about a time you managed a benefits budget. How did you optimize cost while maintaining employee satisfaction?
5 How would you foster professional growth and operational excellence within your benefits team?
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⚠️ Common Mistakes to Avoid

  • Don’t focus solely on US benefits; this role requires global knowledge, so mention international experience.
  • Avoid vague statements like 'I’m a strategic leader.' Provide concrete examples of strategy execution and measurable outcomes.
  • Don’t overlook the importance of Workday experience. If you lack it, emphasize your ability to learn quickly and adapt to new HCM systems.

📅 Application Timeline

This position is open until filled. However, we recommend applying as soon as possible as roles at mission-driven organizations tend to fill quickly.

Typical hiring timeline:

1

Application Review

1-2 weeks

2

Initial Screening

Phone call or written assessment

3

Interviews

1-2 rounds, usually virtual

✓

Offer

Congratulations!

Ready to Apply?

Good luck with your application to Workiva!

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