Compensation Manager

For more than 50 years, Photronics has been a global leader in photomask technology, powering the innovation behind the world's most advanced devices. Our success is built on collaboration, quality, and the dedication of our people.


We are seeking a Compensation Manager to lead the development, administration, and continuous improvement of our global compensation programs and frameworks. This role is responsible for driving compensation strategies, ensuring market competitiveness, supporting organizational growth, and delivering data-driven compensation guidance across the business.

This is a highly visible role that partners closely with SVP, CAO, HR, Finance, Talent Acquisition, Legal, and business leaders globally. The ideal candidate combines strong analytical capability with strategic thinking, operational rigor, and the ability to influence and advise stakeholders at all levels of the organization.

Location : Photronics - Brookfield, CT. This is an on-site position, and we are not open to remote candidates at this time.

Responsibilities:

Global Compensation Strategy & Program Management

• Lead the design, implementation, administration, and continuous improvement of global compensation programs, salary structures, and pay practices.
• Manage and evolve global job architecture, leveling methodologies, and compensation frameworks to support organizational scalability and consistency.
• Conduct market pricing, competitive benchmarking, and compensation analyses using survey data and external market intelligence to ensure competitive and equitable pay positioning.
• Partner with HR Business Partners, Talent Acquisition, Finance, and business leadership to provide strategic compensation guidance for new hire offers, promotions and transfers, organizational changes, retention strategies, off-cycle compensation adjustments
• Lead annual compensation planning activities, including merit cycles, bonus planning and modeling, promotion increases, and budgeting support
• Provide recommendations and insights on compensation trends, internal equity, geographic differentials, and evolving market conditions.
• Ensure compensation programs align with company philosophy, business objectives, and compliance requirements across global regions.

Equity & Executive Compensation Support

• Manage and support global equity compensation programs including Restricted Stock Units (RSUs), stock options, Employee Stock Purchase Plans (ESPP)
• Oversee grant processing, vesting administration, reporting, reconciliations, and audit support activities.
• Partner with Finance, Payroll, Legal, and external administrators to ensure accurate reporting, governance, compliance, and documentation.
• Support executive compensation analysis, compensation committee materials, and broader public-company compensation requirements as needed.
• Monitor equity utilization, burn rates, and program effectiveness while providing reporting and recommendations to leadership.

Compensation Analytics & Governance

• Lead compensation analytics, workforce reporting, and dashboard development to support strategic decision-making.
• Conduct pay equity, internal alignment, and compensation risk analyses; identify trends and recommend corrective actions where appropriate.
• Develop financial and compensation modeling to support organizational planning, incentive design, and structural compensation changes.
• Establish and maintain strong compensation governance, documentation, controls, and process consistency.
• Ensure data integrity across HRIS, payroll, compensation, and equity administration systems through validation, reconciliation, and audit practices.
• Deliver executive-ready reporting and presentations with clear, concise recommendations and business insights.

Leadership & Cross-Functional Partnership

• Serve as a trusted advisor to HR and business leadership on compensation philosophy, market competitiveness, and pay-related decision making.
• Support and mentor HR team members and managers on compensation practices, leveling methodologies, and compensation-related processes.
• Drive process improvements, automation opportunities, and scalable compensation operations aligned with organizational growth.
• Contribute to broader HR transformation initiatives, including HRIS/compensation system optimization and global process standardization.

Qualifications

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

• Strong expertise in compensation strategy, market benchmarking, salary structure design, and compensation governance.
• Demonstrated ability to translate complex compensation data into actionable business recommendations.
• Strong analytical capability with exceptional attention to detail and accountability for data accuracy.
• Experience managing or supporting equity compensation administration and reporting within a publicly traded company environment preferred.
• Knowledge of global compensation practices, job architecture, and leveling methodologies.

• Advanced proficiency in Excel; Pivot tables, XLOOKUP/VLOOKUP, Index/Match, Data modeling, Scenario analysis
• Experience with HRIS, compensation management systems, and reporting tools preferred.
• Strong communication and stakeholder management skills with the ability to influence at multiple organizational levels.
• Ability to balance strategic thinking with operational execution in a fast-paced environment.

Experience

• 8+ years of progressive compensation experience, ideally within a global, multinational, or publicly traded organization.
• Experience managing compensation programs, compensation cycles, and market benchmarking initiatives required.
• Prior experience partnering directly with senior leadership and cross-functional business stakeholders preferred.
• Experience supporting compensation transformation, process standardization, or organizational scaling initiatives is highly desirable.

Education

• Bachelor's degree in Finance, Human Resources, Business Administration, Statistics, or a related field required.

• Certified Compensation Professional (CCP) certification strongly preferred.

Why Photronics:

• Be part of a global technology leader driving innovation for the world's biggest tech companies.
• Work in a collaborative, growth-focused environment where your expertise will have a real impact.
• Enjoy stability, challenge, and opportunity at a company with more than 50 years of proven success
• Competitive salary and annual bonus program.
• Equity compensation eligibility.
• Full suite of health and welfare benefits
• 401k with company match.

Equal Opportunity Statement: We are committed to equal employment opportunity regardless of race, color, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, citizenship, marital status, disability, gender, gender identity or expression, or veteran status. We are proud to be an equal opportunity workplace. We are committed to providing reasonable accommodation for team members' disabilities and religious beliefs or practices.

Agency Notice: Photronics does not accept unsolicited resumes or outreach from search firms or employment agencies. Please, no phone calls or emails to any employee regarding this opening. Resumes submitted outside of our approved agency engagement process will be considered the sole property of Photronics, and no fees will be paid if such candidates are hired. Only agencies with a valid agreement in place with Photronics and assigned to this role may submit candidates.