Director, Variable Compensation Operations

Workday•Pleasanton, CA

4d•Hybrid

About The Position

Your work days are brighter here. We’re obsessed with making hard work pay off, for our people, our customers, and the world around us. As a Fortune 500 company and a leading AI platform for managing people, money, and agents, we’re shaping the future of work so teams can reach their potential and focus on what matters most. The minute you join, you’ll feel it. Not just in the products we build, but in how we show up for each other. Our culture is rooted in integrity, empathy, and shared enthusiasm. We’re in this together, tackling big challenges with bold ideas and genuine care. We look for curious minds and courageous collaborators who bring sun-drenched optimism and drive. Whether you're building smarter solutions, supporting customers, or creating a space where everyone belongs, you’ll do meaningful work with Workmates who’ve got your back. In return, we’ll give you the trust to take risks, the tools to grow, the skills to develop and the support of a company invested in you for the long haul. So, if you want to inspire a brighter work day for everyone, including yourself, you’ve found a match in Workday, and we hope to be a match for you too. About the Team The Workday Finance team balances critical thinking with operational excellence that helps guide and scale team operations to support the company strive towards $10B of revenue and beyond. We are a diverse group of workmates with an invaluable combination of experience that fosters a collaborative environment, drives innovative solutions, and able to mix in a little fun along the way. About the Role As the Director, Variable Compensation Operations, you will lead a global team of managers and analysts. Responsible for engaging in the design of Variable Compensation plans teams in designing, implementing, paying, accounting and controlling our global sales commission plans in alignment with our sales strategy, sales objectives, and compliance with GAAP and Sox requirements.

Requirements

10+ years in variable compensation/operations, with 5+ years in leadership.
Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, or other Business-related field
Experience of running and implementing enterprise level Incentive Compensation Management systems.

Nice To Haves

Software and/or internet industry experience is a plus.
Xactly commission system experience is desired.
Strong management experience of managing a global team of managers and analysts.
Excellent interpersonal skills with ability to engage with and push back on sales executives and sales management.
Self-motivated with strong time management and organizational skills.
A proven track record of managing multiple projects and initiatives in varying size and scope simultaneously.
Ability to adapt to the rapid business and organizational changes that accompany a high-growth environment.

Responsibilities

Administration: Oversee accurate commission calculations, payouts, and dispute resolution processes.
Technology & Systems: Manage variable compensation tools (CaptivateIQ, Xactly) and CRM (Salesforce) for tracking, reporting, and optimization.
Reporting & Analytics: Produce variable compensation performance reporting, analyze plan effectiveness, and provide insights to leadership.
Cross-Functional Collaboration: Partner with Finance, HR, Sales Leadership, and Legal to integrate plans and ensure alignment.
Process Improvement: Refine sales processes, tools, and sales job design for greater efficiency and productivity.
Compliance: Ensure adherence to regulatory requirements and internal policies, including a focus on sox compliant processes and controls
Lead a global team of managers and analysts in supporting the operation, design, disbursement and accounting for variable compensation plans.
Lead the team in defining the strategy for variable compensation Operations, focusing on people development, system selection and implementation, and optimizing processes
Work collaboratively across all functions engaged in Variable Compensation (Revenue Operations, Sales, FP&A, People & Purpose) to ensure Variable Compensation procedures are effective.
Work with Finance to assess and provide critical insights into variable commission plan effectiveness assessment through data analysis of relevant compensation, HR, and attainment data.
Define the technology strategy to ensure the right tools and systems are in place to effectively and efficiently administer variable compensation plans
Work with different stakeholders on all strategic compensation initiatives, accounting policy, booking policies
Focus on improving our internal processes to align with Workday’s compensation philosophy and strategy with strong financial processes and controls.