Director, Sales Incentive Compensation

About this role

Wood Mackenzie is the global leader in analytics, insights and proprietary data across the entire energy and natural resources landscape.

For over 50 years our work has guided the decisions of the world’s most influential energy producers, utilities companies, financial institutions and governments.

Now, with the world’s energy system more complex and interconnected than ever before, sector-specific views are no longer enough. That’s why we’ve redefined what’s possible with Intelligence Connected.

By fusing our unparalleled proprietary data with the sharpest analytical minds, all supercharged by Synoptic AI, we deliver a clear, interconnected view of the entire value chain. Our trusted team of 2,700 experts across 30 countries breaks siloes and connects industries, markets and regions across the globe.

This empowers our customers to identify risk sooner, spot opportunities faster and recalibrate strategy with confidence – whether planning days, weeks, months or decades ahead.

Wood Mackenzie Intelligence Connected

WoodMac.com

Wood Mackenzie Brand Video

Wood Mackenzie Values • Inclusive – we succeed together • Trusting – we choose to trust each other • Customer committed – we put customers at the heart of our decisions • Future Focused – we accelerate change • Curious – we turn knowledge into action

Role Purpose   The Sales Incentive Compensation Director serves as the enterprise authority for global go-to-market compensation strategy, plan architecture, and incentive governance. The role is responsible for designing commercially effective compensation programs that drive predictable revenue outcomes, reinforce strategic priorities, and support long-term organizational growth.   Operating as a senior strategic partner to executive leadership, the Director leads the development, financial modeling, governance, and optimization of all variable compensation programs across the global commercial organization. The role requires deep expertise in sales compensation strategy, strong executive presence, and the ability to influence complex cross-functional decisions across Sales, Finance, HR, and Revenue Operations.   Success in the role requires balancing commercial competitiveness, financial discipline, operational scalability, and organizational alignment while driving confidence through clear executive-level communication, analytical rigor, and disciplined governance.     Key Responsibilities   Compensation Strategy & Plan Architecture   • Lead the end-to-end design, modeling, and strategic evolution of global sales incentive compensation programs across all go-to-market roles • Develop compensation frameworks aligned to corporate growth objectives, sales strategy, productivity goals, and financial targets • Serve as the primary internal authority on compensation philosophy, plan design, policy interpretation, and strategic exception management • Partner with executive leadership to evaluate the commercial and financial impact of compensation structures, accelerators, quotas, overlays, bonus programs, and strategic incentives • Drive enterprise-wide consistency and scalability across compensation structures while balancing regional and functional requirements • Reduce dependency on external consultants through development of internal strategic compensation expertise

  Financial Modeling & Commercial Analytics   • Lead advanced financial modeling, scenario planning, and stress testing of compensation programs to ensure affordability, scalability, and return on investment • Analyze attainment distributions, compensation leverage, productivity trends, and cost-of-sales performance to support executive decision-making • Provide predictive insights into sales behavior, plan effectiveness, and commercial performance risks • Develop executive-level reporting and analytics to support annual planning, forecasting, and ongoing business reviews • Partner closely with Finance and Revenue Operations to align compensation programs with broader operating plans and revenue expectations

  Governance, Policy & Operational Oversight   • Establish and maintain enterprise compensation governance standards, policies, controls, and approval frameworks • Ensure compensation plans, documentation, and processes are compliant with applicable laws, internal controls, and company policies across all operating regions • Act as the final escalation point for complex compensation interpretation matters and non-standard commercial arrangements • Oversee compensation administration processes to ensure accuracy, transparency, auditability, and operational discipline • Drive continuous improvement, automation, and simplification of compensation processes, systems, and workflows

  Executive Partnership & Organizational Leadership   • Serve as a trusted advisor to Sales, HR, Finance, and executive leadership on compensation strategy and organizational performance • Lead alignment discussions across senior stakeholders to ensure compensation programs support evolving business priorities and strategic initiatives • Present compensation recommendations, business cases, and financial analysis to executive leadership teams and governance forums • Build organizational confidence in compensation programs through clear communication, education, and transparent decision-making • Attract, lead, develop, and mentor high-performing compensation and analytics talent while fostering accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement

  Qualifications & Experience   • 10+ years of progressive experience in Sales Compensation, Revenue Operations, Commercial Finance, Total Rewards, or related disciplines • Demonstrated ownership of complex global go-to-market compensation programs within high-growth or subscription-based business environments • Deep expertise in incentive compensation strategy, economic modeling, quota design, and commercial performance management • Strong executive presence with demonstrated ability to influenc

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