Lead Compensation Consultant - Compensation Design

Wells Fargo Bank•Charlotte, NC

2d•Hybrid

About The Position

Wells Fargo is seeking a Lead Compensation Consultant within their Total Rewards organization to support enterprise compensation program design. This role will lead the strategy, design, stakeholder engagement, and implementation of compensation programs and pay practices that support business objectives. The Lead Compensation Consultant will partner closely with Compensation Executives, Human Resources, Talent Acquisition, Risk, Legal, Product, and business leaders to deliver scalable, compliant, and employee‑focused compensation solutions. The Lead Compensation Consultant works as part of a highly collaborative Compensation Design team, partnering closely with peer consultants and cross‑functional stakeholders to deliver integrated, enterprise‑ready compensation solutions. In this role, you will Lead and execute end-to-end enterprise-wide compensation design initiatives and programs from problem definition through implementation and post-implementation evaluation applying sound judgment and decision making in multifaceted, ambiguous, and high‑impact situations, and ensuring designs effectively span and operate across nuanced and varied organizational contexts. Translate complex business requirements into clear compensation design recommendations, using data and insights to guide and support enterprise-wide program strategies and executive decision-making, in accordance with enterprise governance and approval frameworks. Lead and deliver stakeholder engagement and change management for compensation design initiatives across the enterprise, including developing and presenting tailored materials and messaging for identified audiences, and driving alignment, enabling timely decisions and ensuring successful implementation. Develop execution‑ready design documentation and implementation deliverables (e.g., design principles, requirements, process flows, guidance materials) that enable build, rollout, and ongoing sustainment of compensation solutions. Navigate enterprise‑scale, multidimensional compensation challenges that span business, operational, technical, and regulatory considerations, requiring thoughtful evaluation of trade‑offs, intangibles, and unprecedented scenarios. Contribute to the development of enterprise pay policies, processes, guidelines, and standards to support business objectives and appropriately balance risk. Partner with Risk, Legal, and Compliance to identify, assess, and mitigate regulatory, operational, and reputational risks associated with compensation design and pay practices. Collaborate with HR Product and Technology, Compensation Delivery, and other operational teams to ensure designs are practical, scalable and ready for system implementation. Partner closely with Compensation, HR, Talent Acquisition, and cross‑functional teams to align compensation designs with broader organizational and operational objectives. Monitor outcomes and effectiveness of implemented designs and identify opportunities for continuous improvement and process efficiency. Serve as a trusted subject matter expert, influencing peers and stakeholders through thoughtful consultation, executive presence, and strong judgment.

Requirements

5+ years of compensation experience, or equivalent demonstrated through one or a combination of the following: work experience, training, military experience, education
Demonstrated expertise owning, executing, and driving end-to-end compensation design initiatives to include from discovery and problem definition through design, governance, build/configuration partnership, testing, engagement, rollout, and post-implementation validation and support.
Strong stakeholder engagement, facilitation, and change management capability, including developing and delivering executive‑ready, audience‑tailored communications and materials, and influencing outcomes across cross-functional teams in a matrixed environment.
Demonstrated ability to design, evaluate, and provide credible challenge to compensation programs and structures to ensure competitiveness, equity, financial soundness, and alignment with company strategy, risk, and regulatory expectations.
Proven success in influencing, collaborating, problem-solving and driving decision-making across all levels of cross-functional stakeholder teams, including Compensation, HR, Talent Acquisition, Product Risk, Legal and other business leaders, to achieve alignment and adoption of compensation solutions.
Ability to synthesize data, research, and market insights into clear, actionable recommendations, including analyzing compensation trends and using data to inform design decisions and enterprise‑wide program strategies.
Proven strength managing and executing multiple large-scale projects in a fast-paced, global environment, including navigating ambiguity, balancing competing priorities, improving processes, leveraging technology and artificial intelligence for efficiency, and building effective partnerships across all organizational levels, to meet tactical and strategic deliverables and timelines.
Working knowledge of compensation‑related risk, governance, and compliance, including experience assessing pay practices for risk, recommending mitigation strategies, supporting regulatory or audit reviews, and partnering effectively with Risk, Legal, and Internal Audit teams.
Experience partnering with HR Product, Technology, Compensation Delivery, and operational teams to translate compensation designs into scalable, system‑ready solutions that can be consistently implemented and sustained.
Demonstrated ability to improve and evolve compensation frameworks and processes, identifying opportunities to streamline delivery, leverage technology and automation (including AI‑enabled tools), and enhance efficiency, transparency, and execution effectiveness.
Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, including comfort presenting to senior leaders, articulating technical and strategic topics clearly, and influencing decision‑making through executive presence.
Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Office tools, particularly Excel and PowerPoint, with experience leveraging Copilot or similar tools to support analysis, storytelling, and execution efficiency.

Nice To Haves

Compensation or broader Human Resources function experience, ideally within a large, matrixed organization with multiple business groups and broad geographic reach.

Responsibilities

Lead and execute end-to-end enterprise-wide compensation design initiatives and programs from problem definition through implementation and post-implementation evaluation.
Translate complex business requirements into clear compensation design recommendations, using data and insights to guide and support enterprise-wide program strategies and executive decision-making.
Lead and deliver stakeholder engagement and change management for compensation design initiatives across the enterprise.
Develop execution‑ready design documentation and implementation deliverables (e.g., design principles, requirements, process flows, guidance materials).
Navigate enterprise‑scale, multidimensional compensation challenges that span business, operational, technical, and regulatory considerations.
Contribute to the development of enterprise pay policies, processes, guidelines, and standards.
Partner with Risk, Legal, and Compliance to identify, assess, and mitigate regulatory, operational, and reputational risks associated with compensation design and pay practices.
Collaborate with HR Product and Technology, Compensation Delivery, and other operational teams to ensure designs are practical, scalable and ready for system implementation.
Partner closely with Compensation, HR, Talent Acquisition, and cross‑functional teams to align compensation designs with broader organizational and operational objectives.
Monitor outcomes and effectiveness of implemented designs and identify opportunities for continuous improvement and process efficiency.
Serve as a trusted subject matter expert, influencing peers and stakeholders through thoughtful consultation, executive presence, and strong judgment.