Americas Compensation Manager

Watlow Recruitment Team • St. Louis, MO

1d

About The Position

Watlow is a global technology and manufacturing leader who provides world class engineering expertise through innovative thermal products and systems, enabling our customers to thrive. We are making a positive impact every day as our solutions enrich the lives of people everywhere. We have been providing breakthrough thermal solutions for over 100 years! Our corporate values guide us uncompromisingly to always do the right thing, continually learn and improve, respect everyone, and lead with service and humility.
Guided by our values: Do what is right, Always learning and improving, Respect everyone, and Lead with service and humility; we empower our people to turn ideas into real impact. Joining Watlow means becoming part of a team that embraces challenges, grows together, and shapes the future of technology while making a real difference in the world.
At Watlow’s Global Headquarters in St. Louis, Missouri, we combine a rich legacy with forward-thinking innovation. Our headquarters is a hub for collaboration, advanced engineering, and customer-focused solutions.
In this role, you will lead compensation strategy and execution across North America, shaping equitable, competitive, and scalable compensation programs for the U.S. and Mexico. You will design and implement a comprehensive compensation structure, support global job architecture initiatives, and provide expert guidance to leadership on classification, market trends, salary structures, and total rewards best practices. You will collaborate with senior leadership, HR, and Talent Acquisition partners to ensure consistency, fairness, and alignment with Watlow’s organizational goals, while driving improvements in systems, processes, and compensation governance.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, Finance, or related field (Master’s preferred).
• 3–7 years of experience overseeing total rewards or compensation programs in the U.S. (Mexico is a big plus).
• Demonstrated success developing and managing compensation strategies aligned with organizational objectives.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills; ability to interpret data and identify trends.
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively on a global scale
• Strong project management skills with ability to manage multiple priorities.
• Knowledge of compensation and wage laws

Nice To Haves

• Experience supporting global compensation initiatives preferred.
• Certified Compensation Professional (CCP) highly preferred.

Responsibilities

• Lead Compensation Strategy & Design
• Develop and implement pay bands across the global organization to ensure fairness, equity, and competitiveness.
• Build compensation structures and salary ranges for the U.S. and Mexico using benchmarking and market analysis.
• Provide thought leadership and secure alignment for a company-wide compensation philosophy that scales with organizational growth.
• Lead global job architecture initiatives to standardize compensation fundamentals.
• Drive Program Execution & Market Insights
• Conduct ongoing analysis of compensation trends, market data, and industry best practices.
• Manage global compensation survey participation, analysis, and recommendations.
• Support and/or lead special projects—including acquisitions, organizational restructuring, and system enhancements.
• Enable Leader & HR Effectiveness
• Guide HR, Talent Acquisition, and business leaders on compensation matters, including salary negotiations and job offer strategies.
• Ensure compliance with U.S. and Mexican wage laws, including pay transparency and reporting requirements.
• Partner with leadership to evolve short-term incentive programs that drive performance and engagement.
• Create and maintain job leveling guides to support career progression and internal equity.
• Enhance Systems & Tools
• Coordinate with HRIS on management and optimization of compensation tools (Dayforce).
• Identify and implement improvements, conduct testing, and support incentive and merit administration.
• Configure compensation architecture within HCM tools to support managers and employees.
• Train, Communicate & Influence
• Deliver formal and informal training and presentations related to compensation practices.
• Share compelling data-driven insights with leaders across the enterprise.

Benefits

• Annual Incentive Program
• 401(k) plan that includes a company match on your contribution and an annual company contribution that is tied to company performance
• Wellness incentives
• Employee Personal Assistance Program
• Dental, medical, vision and short-term and long-term disability insurance
• Paid holidays, personal time, and vacation
• Parental leave
• Tuition reimbursement

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Manager