Director, Compensation - Equity Compensation

Overview Director, Compensation - Equity Compensation

Are you interested in joining a team of Executive Compensation and Equity professionals who enable game-changing business results by providing programs and solutions that unleash greatness in our associates? Here at Capital One we bring a data-driven approach to compensation. If you have a passion for analyzing compensation and want to be part of a winning team then this is the job for you! We work in a business-casual, collaborative environment where one’s contributions are recognized, successes are elevated and effort is rewarded. Capital One provides an environment where you can excel in your career while still maintaining a work life balance that others will desire. We nurture a work environment where people with a variety of thoughts, ideas and backgrounds, guided by our shared Values, come together to make Capital One a great company – and a great place to work.

Capital One is looking for a Director, Equity Compensation to join our Executive Compensation team, part of Enterprise Human Resources. This role will oversee the development and delivery of the Company’s global equity compensation programs. The role reports to the Managing Vice President of Executive Compensation. The primary focus is to lead Capital One’s Equity & Special Compensation team, including enterprise wide equity strategy, analysis of equity trends, oversight of equity grants and releases, market intel for external / peer equity practices, risk management activities, and accountability for the relationship with the corporate equity plan provider. This role will also provide leadership to other cross-functional compensation initiatives.

Accountabilities & Responsibilities

• Accountable for developing and delivering all global equity compensation programs, and assessing programs for competitiveness, effectiveness, legal and regulatory compliance, and alignment with shareholder interests. 

• Guide and empower the equity and special compensation team in executing the administration of long-term incentive plans, stock purchase plan, special compensation, and executive compensation initiatives.

• Partner with Corporate Compensation Design and Executive Compensation teams on equity program design elements including award vehicles, eligibility, targets, vesting schedules, and specific terms and conditions.

• Deliver clear, data‑driven materials, analyses, and actionable recommendations to support senior leaders and Compensation Committee discussions in executive-ready presentations with meaningful insights on strategy and investments.

• Equity compensation lead for acquisitions including due diligence, equity award conversion plan options and alignment, conversion execution, and delivery of applicable communications for target company. 

• Develop collaborative working relationships with internal and external partners (including Legal, Accounting, Finance, Payroll, Tax, and third party vendors) to ensure that all actions, plans and programs pertaining to equity compensation complies with internal corporate governance guidelines and external regulatory requirements and reporting. 

• Maintain oversight for stock plan data provided for Forms 10-K and 10-Q, Section 16 filings, and proxy, and facilitate equity plan reserve increases. Gather, organize and prepare equity data for proxy and other required regulatory filings.

• Closely monitor, review, analyze and anticipate changes to proxy advisor policy changes, legislative changes and SEC rules/disclosure. Develop recommendations considering implications from multiple stakeholder viewpoints.

• Governance oversight and evolution of stock ownership requirements for senior executives.

• Provide consultation to Compensation leadership on equity compensation processes, policies, and system solutions to business problems.

• Provide analytical and technical support in the delivery of all equity programs, including overseeing the analysis of plan design alternatives, expense implications, market compensation studies and external benchmarking.

• Facilitate deferred compensation deferrals, including equity awards, for the Board of Directors.

• Identify and implement opportunities to enhance compensation processes and optimize reporting through automation, analytics, and AI-enabled tools.

• Support special projects that enhance compensation processes, program clarity, and capability across the enterprise.

People Leadership

• Lead a team of up to 6 associates

• Lead cross-functional teams to design and deliver enhances to compensation products and experiences

• Inclusive leader focused on creating a culture of belonging through attracting, actively developing, and supporting talent across our function

Key Competencies

• Able to effectively navigate a large matrixed organization to socialize ideas, build consensus, challenge and debate respectfully, and influence others

• Ability to build strong partnerships across many stakeholders and partner groups

• Strong problem solving capabilities leveraging an outside-in lens to develop innovative solutions

• Ability to synthesize complex data to solve complicated problems

• Results-oriented mindset with a high attention to detail and strong professional judgment

• Excellent communication, facilitation and influencing skills, with the ability to explain sophisticated compensation concepts to all levels of the organization

Basic Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree or military experience

• At least 7 years of experience in Equity Design and Administration, Executive Compensation, Finance or a combination

• At least 5 years of people management experience

Preferred Qualifications

• At least 5 years of experience leading large cross-functional initiatives at a Fortune 100 company

• At least 3 years experience with Workday

• At least 3 years of experience in client facing or consulting roles

• Proficient with Microsoft Excel & Google Products (e.g. Sheets, Slides)

• Master’s Degree in Accounting, Statistics, Business Administration, Economics, Finance, or Human Resources

• Certified Equity Professional (CEP)

• Experience using AI and/or technology such as Gemini or Claude Code to generate creative ideas, solve problems, troubleshoot common business problems, and translate them into tangible more efficient work products

At this time, Capital One will not sponsor a new applicant for employment authorization for this position.

The minimum and maximum full-time annual salaries for this role are listed below, by location. Please note that this salary information is solely for candidates hired to perform work within one of these locations, and refers to the amount Capital One is willing to pay at the time of this posting. Salaries for part-time roles will be prorated based upon the agreed upon number of hours to be regularly worked.

McLean, VA: $230,400 - $263,000 for Director, Compensation

Richmond, VA: $209,500 - $239,100 for Director, Compensation

Candidates hired to work in other locations will be subject to the pay range associated with that location, and the actual annualized salary amount offered to any candidate at the time of hire will be reflected solely in the candidate’s offer letter.

This role is also eligible to earn performance based incentive compensation, which may include cash bonus(es) and/or long term incentives (LTI). Incentives could be discretionary or non discretionary depending on the plan.

Capital One offers a comprehensive, competitive, and inclusive set of health, financial and other benefits that support your total well-being. Learn more at the Capital One Careers website . Eligibility varies based on full or part-time status, exempt or non-exempt status, and management level.

This role is expected to accept applications for a minimum of 5 business days.

No agencies please. Capital One is an equal opportunity employer (EOE, including disability/vet) committed to non-discrimination in compliance with applicable federal, state, and local laws. Capital One promotes a drug-free workplace. Capital One will consider for employment qualified applicants with a criminal history in a manner consistent with the requirements of applicable laws regarding criminal background inquiries, including, to the extent applicable, Article 23-A of the New York Correction Law; San Francisco, California Police Code Article 49, Sections 4901-4920; New York City’s Fair Chance Act; Philadelphia’s Fair Criminal Records Screening Act; and other applicable federal, state, and local laws and regulations regarding criminal background inquiries.

If you have visited our website in search of information on employment opportunities or to apply for a position, and you require an accommodation, please contact Capital One Recruiting at View phone number on us.fitly.work or via email at View email address on us.fitly.work . All information you provide will be kept confidential and will be used only to the extent required to provide needed reasonable accommodations.

For technical support or questions about Capital One's recruiting process, please send an email to View email address on us.fitly.work

Capital One does not provide, endorse nor guarantee and is not liable for third-party products, services, educational tools or other information available through this site.

Capital One Financial is made up of several different entities. Please note that any position posted in Canada is for Capital One Canada, any position posted in the United Kingdom is for Capital One Europe and any position posted in the Philippines is for Capital One Philippines Service Corp. (COPSSC).