Lead Sales Incentive Compensation Analyst

Transamerica • Cedar Rapids, IA

2d • $86,000 - $100,000 • Hybrid

About The Position

Lead the design, governance, and execution of complex sales incentive compensation programs in partnership with Human Resources, Finance, and Sales Leadership. This role serves as a subject-matter expert and strategic advisor on incentive plan design, execution, automation, and risk, ensuring accurate, timely, and compliant compensation outcomes across sales organizations. The position supports a broad population of internal employee wholesalers and oversees the administration of firmwide revenue sharing agreements with significant annual financial impact.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Finance, Accounting, Business Administration, or equivalent experience
• Seven years of progressive experience in sales compensation, incentive administration, finance, accounting, or a related analytical role
• Advanced understanding of sales incentive plans, compensation structures, contracts, and sales processes
• Hands-on experience with Anaplan or other commission/incentive compensation systems
• Demonstrated ability to analyze large, complex datasets and synthesize insights for decision-makers
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, and critical-thinking skills applied to ambiguous or high-impact compensation issues
• Proven ability to influence and partner with senior stakeholders across Total Rewards, HR, Finance, Payroll, Sales Operations, and Sales Leadership
• Exceptional attention to detail, judgment, and accountability in high-stakes financial processes
• Advanced proficiency in Excel; working knowledge of Word and PowerPoint

Nice To Haves

• Experience with compensation analytics, modeling, or payout forecasting
• Exposure to compensation governance, audit support, or regulatory considerations
• Prior experience acting as a lead analyst or subject-matter expert within a compensation function
• Experience administering third-party revenue sharing or distribution fee agreements, preferably in asset management, insurance, or financial services

Responsibilities

• Provide end-to-end ownership of sales incentive compensation programs, including plan design support, operational execution, governance, and ongoing optimization in partnership with Total Rewards.
• Lead the monthly and periodic commission payment lifecycle, ensuring accuracy, auditability, and timely submission to Payroll while proactively managing risks and exceptions. Covers over 200 internal employee wholesalers on a monthly cycle.
• Administer firm revenue sharing agreements with distribution partners, including calculation, reconciliation, and timely payment of millions of dollars in contractual payments, ensuring accuracy and compliance with contractual terms.
• Serve as the primary escalation point for complex compensation issues, disputes, and interpretation of plan documents, exercising judgment and providing clear, defensible resolutions.
• Act as a strategic advisor to Sales Leadership and HR partners, translating compensation mechanics into business-aligned insights and recommendations.
• Drive automation, scalability, and process efficiency by defining technical requirements, partnering with Sales Operations and Sales Reporting, and influencing roadmap priorities.
• Own data integrity and control frameworks supporting incentive compensation, ensuring consistency, quality, and governance of sales and payout data.
• Lead plan revision cycles and policy enhancements, identifying opportunities to improve design effectiveness, operational efficiency, and employee understanding.
• Draft, review, and validate incentive plan documents, ensuring clarity, compliance, and alignment with enterprise compensation philosophy.
• Develop and deliver clear communications and training on compensation plans, mechanics, and policies for sales employees, managers, and leaders.
• Mentor and provide informal leadership to junior analysts, sharing best practices and elevating team capability.

Benefits

• Competitive Pay
• Bonus for Eligible Employees
• Pension Plan
• 401k Match
• Employee Stock Purchase Plan
• Tuition Reimbursement
• Disability Insurance
• Medical Insurance
• Dental Insurance
• Vision Insurance
• Employee Discounts
• Career Training & Development Opportunities
• Paid Time Off starting at 160 hours annually for employees in their first year of service.
• Ten (10) paid holidays per year
• Be Well Company holistic wellness program, which includes Wellness Coaching and Reward Dollars
• Parental Leave – fifteen (15) days of paid parental leave per calendar year to eligible employees with at least one year of service at the time of birth, placement of an adopted child, or placement of a foster care child.
• Adoption Assistance
• Employee Assistance Program
• Back-Up Care Program
• PTO for Volunteer Hours
• Employee Matching Gifts Program
• Employee Resource Groups
• Inclusion and Diversity Programs
• Employee Recognition Program
• Referral Bonus Programs

What This Job Offers

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