Compensation Manager

About the Opportunity

A leading professional services organization is seeking a Compensation Manager to join its Human Resources team. This individual will play an important role in the development, analysis, and administration of compensation programs across the business, partnering with stakeholders to ensure programs remain competitive, effective, and aligned with organizational objectives.

This is a broad compensation role offering exposure to base pay, incentive compensation, market benchmarking, job evaluation, and annual compensation processes. The successful candidate will combine strong analytical capabilities with practical compensation expertise and the ability to translate complex data into actionable insights. This opportunity would suit a compensation professional looking to take ownership of key processes while contributing to the ongoing evolution of compensation programs within a complex, global organization.

Key Responsibilities

Compensation Programs & Strategy

• Support the design, development, implementation, and ongoing administration of compensation programs, including base salary, variable compensation, and incentive arrangements.
• Analyze existing compensation structures and recommend enhancements to support business objectives, talent attraction, and retention.
• Partner with HR and business stakeholders to provide guidance on compensation matters and promote consistent, effective practices across the organization.
• Contribute to broader compensation initiatives, including equity-based compensation, executive compensation, and performance management programs.

Incentive Compensation

• Support the design, implementation, and ongoing evaluation of sales incentive and variable compensation plans.
• Analyze incentive plan performance, assess cost implications, and contribute to forecasting and recommendations for program enhancements.
• Partner with relevant stakeholders to ensure incentive structures are aligned with business priorities and are administered accurately.

Market Benchmarking & Job Evaluation

• Conduct compensation benchmarking and market pricing analyses using external salary surveys and relevant market data.
• Support job evaluation, role leveling, and internal pay assessments to promote consistency and competitive positioning.
• Evaluate compensation trends and prepare analysis to inform salary decisions and broader pay practices.
• Assess applicable job classification and exemption requirements in accordance with relevant employment regulations.

Annual Compensation Cycle

• Coordinate and support the annual compensation review process, including salary increases, incentive allocations, and related compensation activities.
• Prepare data, analytical reports, and recommendations to support compensation decisions.
• Partner with HR and business leaders to facilitate accurate, timely, and consistent execution of compensation processes.

Reporting, Governance & Compliance

• Develop compensation analyses, reports, presentations, and other materials for internal stakeholders and senior leadership.
• Support responses to regulatory requests, client questionnaires, and other compensation-related information requests.
• Maintain appropriate documentation and controls to support accurate administration and compliance with applicable laws and regulations.
• Identify opportunities to improve compensation processes, reporting, and analytical capabilities.

Qualifications & Experience

• Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Finance, Business, or a related discipline, or equivalent practical experience.
• Demonstrated experience in compensation, total rewards, or a related analytical HR function.
• Experience supporting compensation program design, administration, benchmarking, and annual compensation processes.
• Strong analytical skills, including the ability to interpret complex data, identify trends, and develop actionable recommendations.
• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel and PowerPoint, with experience preparing reports and presentations for stakeholders.
• Strong attention to detail, organizational skills, and the ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines.
• Effective communication and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to explain compensation concepts clearly to varied audiences.
• Sound judgment and discretion when working with confidential employee and compensation information.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience designing, analyzing, or administering sales incentive and variable compensation programs.
• Exposure to compensation forecasting, financial modeling, or cost analysis.
• Familiarity with job evaluation methodologies, market pricing tools, and salary survey data.
• Experience supporting compensation programs within a global or complex organizational environment.
• Familiarity with compensation management systems and HR platforms.

What Makes This Opportunity Interesting?

This role offers the opportunity to contribute across a broad compensation portfolio, combining hands-on analytical work with program development and stakeholder partnership. The successful candidate will have visibility across several areas of compensation and the opportunity to help inform decisions that support the organization's wider people and business objectives.