Compensation & Sales Performance Management (SPM) Administrator

J.D. Power•Edison, NJ

1d•$144,000 - $150,000•Remote

About The Position

This role plays a critical part in driving revenue performance and operational excellence across the organization. By designing and managing scalable sales compensation programs, the Compensation & SPM Administrator ensures incentives align with business goals, enable accurate forecasting, and promote the right sales behaviors. This position safeguards financial accuracy and compliance, reduces risk, and delivers transparent reporting that builds trust with sales teams and leadership. As a key partner to Sales, Finance, HR, and Revenue Operations, this role helps create a high-performing, data-driven, and growth-ready sales organization.

Requirements

3-5 years of progressive experience in sales compensation administration, revenue operations, or sales operations roles
Proven track record as the business owner for SPM platform administration in complex, multi-business unit organizations
Deep expertise with enterprise SPM platforms (Xactly, SAP Commissions, Varicent, CaptivateIQ, or similar) including plan configuration, calculation rules, and workflow design
Demonstrated success designing and administering sales compensation plans that drive desired behaviors and align to business strategy
Strong understanding of Lead to Cash business processes and data integrations across CRM, CPQ, ERP, and HRIS systems
Experience managing commission calculations, dispute resolution, and payment processes with exceptional attention to accuracy and detail
Proven ability partnering with Finance, FP&A, Sales Leadership, and HR teams to translate business objectives into compensation structures
Analytical mindset with strong Excel/data analysis skills and ability to troubleshoot complex calculation scenarios
Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Finance, Accounting, Information Systems, or related field required
Business-level fluency in SPM platforms (Xactly, SAP Commissions, or similar) - deep enough to configure plans, design rules, and troubleshoot calculations, but partnering with IT on technical integrations
Strong understanding of sales compensation principles including quota setting, territory design, plan structures, payout curves, and incentive mechanics that drive performance
Experience defining business requirements for compensation data integrations across Salesforce CRM, CPQ systems, NetSuite ERP, and Workday HRIS
Ability to partner effectively with technical teams on data mapping, API integrations, and system architecture discussions while maintaining business ownership
Working knowledge of commission calculation logic, proration rules, clawback provisions, and complex compensation scenarios
Strong analytical skills with advanced Excel expertise for modeling compensation scenarios, performing reconciliations, and validating calculation accuracy
Understanding of revenue recognition principles and how booking data flows from CRM through CPQ to compensation calculations
Experience with data visualization and reporting tools (Tableau, Power BI, Excel dashboards) sufficient to define attainment tracking and compensation reporting requirements
Ability to translate complex compensation plans into clear documentation, user-friendly communications, and training materials for sales teams
Understanding of when to own compensation design decisions vs. partner with Finance, Legal, or IT on policy, compliance, or technical integration matters
Strong attention to detail and process discipline to ensure accuracy in high-stakes financial calculations affecting sales team earnings

Nice To Haves

Experience with compensation plan consolidation or post-acquisition harmonization valued but not required
SPM platform certifications valued but not required - compensation design expertise and business acumen more important than technical certifications

Responsibilities

Sales Compensation Plan Design & Administration Own end-to-end design and administration of sales compensation plans across J.D. Power's business units, ensuring alignment to revenue targets and strategic business objectives
Configure and maintain compensation rules, plan structures, and payout logic and recommend an SPM infrastructure
Manage the quota allocation models that drive desired sales behaviors and territory coverage across customer success and sales teams
Document compensation plan terms, eligibility criteria, performance metrics, and calculation methodologies for transparency and auditability
Partner with Sales Leadership and FP&A to translate strategic priorities into executable compensation structures during annual planning cycles
Commission Calculation & Payment Execution Execute accurate and timely commission calculations for sales teams, ensuring data integrity across complex calculation scenarios
Manage monthly commission processing workflows including data validation, calculation runs, dispute resolution, and payment coordination
Partner with EBA and Finance to identify and integrate compensation data from JD Power’s systems to support seamless Lead to Cash workflows
Establish audit controls and reconciliation processes to ensure compensation payment accuracy and financial compliance
Develop and maintain calculation testing protocols and validation checkpoints to prevent errors before payments are processed
Coordinate with Finance and Payroll teams to ensure timely commission disbursement aligned to company payment schedules
Attainment Tracking, Reporting & Dispute Management Track sales performance attainment against quotas and produce compensation reporting for sales representatives, managers, and executive leadership
Build dashboards and analytics that provide real-time visibility into commission earnings, quota achievement, and payout forecasts
Design intuitive attainment reports that empower sales teams to understand their performance and earning potential throughout the period
Own dispute resolution processes, investigating calculation discrepancies, resolving data quality issues, and ensuring fair outcomes for sales representatives
Partner with Revenue Operations teams to ensure accurate opportunity data, closed-won bookings, and revenue recognition flow into SPM calculations
Establish SLAs for dispute resolution and maintain documentation of calculation methodologies to support audit inquiries
SPM Platform Optimization & Cross-Functional Partnership Serve as primary business owner of the SPM platform, defining system requirements, configuration enhancements, and integration priorities
Drive SPM system implementation including workflow automation, user experience improvements, and reporting capability enhancements
Partner with Corporate IT's Enterprise Business Applications team on technical integration architecture
Collaborate with HR and Legal to ensure compensation plan compliance with labor regulations, tax requirements, and company policies
Lead user enablement initiatives including training programs, documentation, and self-service resources for sales teams and managers
Evaluate emerging SPM technologies and capabilities to ensure J.D. Power maintains best-in-class compensation administration infrastructure