Director, Compensation

Leidos•Reston, VA

1d•$139,100 - $251,450•Hybrid

About The Position

Leads the strategy, design, governance, and execution of enterprise-wide compensation programs in a highly matrixed, complex organization. This role is responsible for end-to-end compensation operations, including annual pay planning, incentive programs, job architecture, market benchmarking, and compensation systems administration with a strong emphasis on Workday optimization and operational excellence. The Director, Compensation serves as a strategic advisor to HR and business leadership, ensuring compensation programs support business growth, talent strategy, compliance requirements, and organizational effectiveness across a large-scale enterprise environment.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, Finance, or related field; advanced degree preferred combined with 12+ years of related experience.
Extensive progressive compensation experience, including leadership responsibility within large, complex, highly matrixed organizations
Deep expertise in compensation operations, annual pay planning, job architecture, salary administration, and incentive programs
Strong experience leading compensation programs in enterprise environments with complex organizational structures and multiple business units
Hands-on experience administering and optimizing compensation processes within Workday
Demonstrated success leading compensation transformations, process improvements, and scalable program implementations
Experience supporting executive compensation processes and senior leadership decision-making
Strong analytical and problem-solving capabilities with the ability to synthesize large data sets into strategic recommendations
Deep understanding of compensation regulations, market practices, and pay equity principles
Exceptional communication and presentation skills with the ability to influence senior leaders and cross-functional stakeholders
Proven ability to operate effectively in fast-paced, dynamic environments while managing competing priorities
Strong business acumen and ability to align compensation strategy with organizational objectives
Demonstrated leadership experience managing and developing high-performing teams
Advanced proficiency in compensation analytics, reporting tools (Microsoft Excel and Power BI)

Nice To Haves

Certified Compensation Professional (CCP) designation
Experience within government contracting, defense, aerospace, engineering, or similarly complex regulated industries
Experience supporting geographically dispersed and hybrid workforces
Familiarity with compensation practices related to cleared talent populations and technical labor markets

Responsibilities

Lead the development and execution of enterprise compensation strategies aligned with business objectives, workforce planning, and talent priorities
Direct all compensation operations and core programs, including annual merit planning, promotions, bonus administration, market pricing, salary structures, off-cycle compensation actions, M&A due-diligence and harmonization
Oversee enterprise-wide compensation governance to ensure consistency, scalability, competitiveness, and compliance across business units and functions
Serve as the organization’s subject matter expert on compensation programs, including short-term incentive plans, recognition programs, and specialized compensation structures
Partner with executive leadership and HR stakeholders to support compensation decision-making for key talent, critical roles, and organizational changes
Support executive compensation processes and collaborate with senior leadership on compensation committee materials, analyses, and reporting as needed
Lead the design, implementation, and ongoing evolution of the company’s job architecture, leveling framework, and career progression models
Ensure alignment between compensation structures, job families, career paths, and workforce planning initiatives
Drive consistency and governance across job evaluations, leveling decisions, and organizational design changes in a highly matrixed environment
Partner with Talent Acquisition, HR Business Partners, Total Rewards Partners and Enablement and business leaders to support competitive and equitable hiring and internal mobility practices
Own compensation systems strategy and administration with deep operational expertise in Workday compensation modules and related HR technologies
Lead system configuration, process optimization, testing, reporting, and enhancements related to compensation programs and annual pay cycles
Partner with HRIS, Finance, Payroll, and HR System teams to ensure data integrity, process efficiency, and scalable compensation operations
Develop and maintain dashboards, analytics, and reporting capabilities to support business insights and compensation governance
Ensure compliance with applicable federal, state, and local pay regulations, pay transparency requirements, and audit standards
Analyze market trends, industry benchmarks, and competitive pay practices to provide strategic recommendations to leadership
Conduct complex compensation analyses to support workforce planning, retention strategies, pay equity initiatives, and business transformation efforts
Translate data and insights into clear, actionable recommendations for senior leaders and cross-functional stakeholders
Lead compensation-related due diligence and integration support for mergers, acquisitions, and organizational restructuring initiatives
Build strong partnerships across HR, Finance, Legal, Talent Acquisition, and business leadership teams to drive effective compensation outcomes
Lead, mentor, and develop a high-performing compensation team, fostering operational excellence, strategic thinking, and strong internal client support
Influence and drive alignment across diverse stakeholder groups within a highly collaborative and matrixed enterprise environment
Develop communication strategies and materials that help employees and leaders understand compensation programs and pay decisions