Director, Variable Compensation Administration

About this role

Job Type:

Full time   Exempt/Non Exempt:  

Salary Job Description:

  Location Details: This position can work remotely from a home office for day-to-day operations. Will travel to Dearborn, MI or Tampa, FL once a quarter.

Position Schedule: Monday – Friday 9am-5pm

Position Summary: Responsible for leading the administration function supporting the organization's variable compensation programs. Accountable for end-to-end administration accuracy and service delivery outcomes. Executes approved plan designs; does not determine plan structure of strategy. Oversees the operational processes, controls, and teams responsible for incentive compensation administration, participant support, appeals management, testing and validation, operational reporting, and issue resolution activities. Ensure programs are administered accurately, consistently, and in accordance with approved plan provisions, policies, and business requirements. Through a combination of subordinate leadership and individual contributors, establishes service standards, operational controls, and administration practices that support an effective participant experience while maintaining appropriate compliance and governance requirements. Partners closely with Payroll, Finance, HR Systems, Compliance, and business teams to support the successful administration of enterprise variable compensation programs.

Key Responsibilities: Leadership & Team Management • Lead and develop the administration function through subordinate leadership and individual contributors.

• Establish team priorities, service standards, operational goals and roadmaps, and performance expectations.

• Build organizational capability through coaching, development planning, talent management, and succession planning.

Variable Compensation Administration • Oversee administration of variable compensation programs and approved plan provisions.

• Direct participant support activities, inquiries, issue resolution, escalations, and administration requests.

• Maintain administration procedures, controls, and documentation standards.

Appeals & Issue Resolution • Oversee compensation appeals and exception processes.

• Own risk identification, mitigation planning, and issue resolution related to compensation processes, data quality, system configurations, and program administration to minimize business and compliance risks.

• Identify trends and implement process improvements.

Testing & Operational Controls • Lead testing, validation, and quality assurance activities supporting compensation programs, annual compensation cycles, and system enhancements to ensure accuracy, compliance, and operational effectiveness.

• Establish and maintain robust operational controls, governance standards, and audit-ready documentation to support regulatory compliance, data integrity, and process consistency.

• Maintain quality assurance processes and operational controls.

• Partner closely with HR Systems, Payroll, Finance, and internal stakeholders to ensure seamless compensation administration, operational readiness, and successful implementation of system and process changes.

Reporting & Operational Effectiveness • Oversee operational reporting and administration metrics.

• Monitor service levels, administration performance, and process effectiveness.

• Drive continuous improvement initiatives by evaluating control effectiveness, monitoring process performance, and implementing enhancements that strengthen audit readiness, operational efficiency, and stakeholder confidence.

Cross-Functional Partnership • Partner with Payroll, Finance, HR Systems, Compliance, and business teams to support administration requirements.

• Provide administration expertise and operational guidance related to compensation programs.

• Support implementation of compensation program changes and new initiatives.

Supervisory Responsibilities (briefly describe, if applicable, or indicate None): • Oversee and direct the work of a manager and professional staff responsible for variable compensation administration activities.

• Select, hire, train, develop, coach, and manage assigned personnel in accordance with company policies and procedures.

• Establish performance expectations, operational goals, and development plans for assigned team members.

Qualifications: Required Education (include minimum education and any licensing/certifications): • Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Human Resources, Finance, Accounting, Economics, Mathematics, or a related field.

Experience: • Eight or more years of progressive experience in variable compensation administration • Five or more years of leadership experience managing compensation professional staff and/or leaders. • Experience in: • Leading operational teams responsible for participant support, issue resolution, appeals management, testing, validation, and administration activities. • Administering complex variable compensation, commission, incentive, or bonus programs. • Developing and implementing operational processes, controls, and service delivery standards. • Operating within Varicent, Workday, or similar compensation administration technologies. • Partnering with Payroll, Finance, HR Systems, Compliance, and business teams to support operational objectives.

Expert Knowledge of: • Variable compensation administration principles, practices, and processes. • Incentive compensation, commission, and bonus program administration. • Operational controls, quality assurance, and risk management practices. • Testing, validation, and administration support methodologies. • Compensation payment processes and operational workflows. • Reporting, data management, and administration metrics. • Payroll, Finance, Compliance, and HR Systems business processes. • Sales compensation, agent compensation, and incentive compensation environments. • Process improvement and operational effectiveness principles.

Advanced Skills: Foundational Leadership Ski

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