Principal Compensation Consultant

Role Description

At Alera Group, we help organizations design compensation strategies that attract, retain, and reward top talent. We’re seeking a Principal Consultant, Compensation to help lead and grow our compensation consulting practice through senior client advisory work, business development, and strategic contribution. This is a high-impact consulting role for an experienced compensation professional who thrives in client-facing environments, brings strong technical expertise, and is energized by building trusted relationships that drive meaningful business growth.

Responsibilities

• Client Advisory & Consulting Leadership
  • Serve as a senior advisor to clients on compensation strategy, design, and execution.
  • Lead complex consulting engagements including executive compensation, incentive design, job architecture, pay philosophy, and pay equity analysis.
  • Act as the primary relationship owner for strategic client engagements.
  • Present insights and recommendations to executive leadership teams and boards.
  • Translate complex compensation concepts into clear, actionable guidance.
• Business Development & Relationship Growth
  • Expand existing client relationships and identify new consulting opportunities.
  • Re-engage prior clients and support growth of the compensation consulting pipeline.
  • Partner on proposals, scoping, pricing, and solution development.
  • Participate in client presentations and business development discussions.
  • Leverage market presence and relationships to support practice growth.
• Quality Oversight & Practice Development
  • Ensure consulting deliverables meet high standards of accuracy, insight, and client readiness.
  • Contribute to the evolution of compensation tools, methodologies, and best practices.
  • Serve as a thought partner on complex compensation matters.
  • Stay current on market trends, regulatory updates, and emerging compensation practices.
• Collaboration & Team Contribution
  • Work closely with consulting peers and firm leadership in a highly collaborative environment.
  • Provide informal mentorship and guidance to other consultants.
  • Contribute to internal knowledge sharing and intellectual capital development.

Qualifications

• Required
  • 10+ years of experience in compensation consulting or human capital advisory roles.
  • Deep expertise in compensation design, including executive and incentive compensation.
  • Proven success in senior client-facing consulting roles.
  • Demonstrated business development experience (expanding accounts and generating new work).
  • Strong executive presence and communication skills.
  • Ability to operate independently while collaborating effectively in team environments.
• Preferred
  • Experience with consulting firms such as Mercer, Aon, Willis Towers Watson, Gallagher, or similar.
  • Direct experience advising executive leadership teams and boards.
  • CCP certification or advanced compensation credentials (preferred, not required).
  • Advanced degree in a related field.

Benefits

• Medical, dental, life, and disability insurance.
• 401(k) with company contribution.
• Generous paid time off.
• Additional benefits designed to support work-life balance.