Senior Compensation Operations Manager

 About The Role

Hi there! We're seeking a strategic and operationally excellent Senior Compensation Operations Manager to own the design, implementation, and governance of our enterprise sales compensation program. This senior-level individual contributor role reports to the VP of Revenue Operations and serves as the architect and steward of compensation strategy across our diverse go-to-market organization.You'll partner with GTM Leadership, Finance, and People Operations to build world-class compensation programs that attract talent, drive the right behaviors, and align with business objectives. You'll manage the full lifecycle of compensation—from design through implementation, compliance, analytics, and continuous improvement—across Account Executives, Sales Engineers, Sales Leaders, Partner Managers, Customer Success Managers, Technical Account Managers and other functions on variable compensation plans.Note: This role focuses on compensation design and operations. Our Finance team manages commission accounting and invoice processing in Xactly.What You Will DoCompensation Strategy & Design

• Own the strategic design of annual sales compensation programs for all eligible roles and adjust for market conditions, competitive landscape, and business priorities
• Benchmark compensation against market data and peer software companies; conduct pay equity analysis and recommend adjustments to ensure competitiveness and fairness
• Design commission structures, accelerators, quotas, and incentive mechanics that drive desired sales behaviors and align with revenue goals
• Design and own SPIFF and other incentive programs outside of the official incentive plan
• Lead cross-functional design reviews with Sales, Finance, and executive leadership to validate programs before launch

Program Implementation & Operations

• Manage the end-to-end program launch calendar; coordinate cross-functional efforts and communicate timelines, changes, and deadlines to stakeholders
• Build and maintain the primary source of truth for all compensation program documentation, including plan documents, commission schedules, quota assignments, and policy guidelines
• Configure compensation programs in Xactly and SFDC; validate data integrity, test calculations, and ensure system configurations reflect approved plan design
• Develop training materials and lead training sessions for sales teams on compensation plan mechanics, commission calculations, and incentive rules

Governance & Compliance

• Ensure compensation programs comply with applicable laws, regulations, and company policies across all geographies where we operate
• Manage exceptions, disputes, and appeals related to commissions, quotas, and incentive payouts; work with VP RevOps, Finance and HR to resolve efficiently and fairly
• Maintain audit trails and documentation for all material compensation decisions and changes

Analytics & Reporting

• Build dashboards and reports to monitor role based performance metrics, compensation spend, payout distributions, plan attainment, and ROI on incentive investments. Including SPIFF reporting metrics
• Conduct post-program analysis (win/loss, attainment distribution, program metrics) and deliver insights to leadership on plan effectiveness
• Recommend program adjustments mid-year based on market shifts, business performance, and feedback from sales leaders

Cross-functional Collaboration

• Partner with VP of RevOps to align compensation with business strategy and sales priorities; maintain regular feedback loops with Sales Leaders
• Work directly with Commission Accounting on attainment data, payouts, calculations and discrepancies
• Collaborate with Finance on budgeting, forecasting, and year-end reporting of incentive spend
• Work with People Operations on equity, total rewards strategy, and talent retention initiatives
• Communicate compensation strategy and changes to the broader organization with clarity and confidence

Required QualificationsWhat You Will Bring to the Role

• 8+ years of progressive experience in sales compensation, incentive design, or related revenue operations roles (within software, SaaS, or enterprise sales environments preferred)
• Demonstrated expertise in designing and managing compensation programs for multiple sales roles and structures
• Advanced proficiency with sales compensation platforms (Xactly, Anaplan, SAP SuccessFactors, or equivalent); strong data analysis and Excel skills
• Deep understanding of CRM systems (Salesforce preferred) and comfort configuring objects, fields, and reporting for incentive programs
• Strong project management and cross-functional collaboration skills; ability to influence without authority and manage competing priorities
• Excellent communication and presentation skills; comfort translating complex compensation concepts for diverse audiences (sales teams, executives, finance, HR)
• Meticulous attention to detail; strong analytical and problem-solving abilities
• Familiarity with GDPR, CCPA, and other employment law considerations affecting compensation (particularly for global organizations)

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience managing compensation programs across multiple geographic regions with different regulatory requirements
• Background in financial analysis, FP&A, or accounting; understanding of revenue recognition impacts on compensation timing
• Exposure to Customer Success, Services, or other non-traditional sales comp models
• Certification in compensation (e.g., WorldatWork CECP, GRP) or related HR disciplines
• Experience at a high-growth or publicly traded software company