Principal Compensation Partner

Avalara • UNAVAILABLE, UNAVAILABLE

6d • Remote

About The Position

The Principal Compensation Partner is a global, director-level individual contributor and principal compensation subject matter expert supporting Avalara’s Sales organization. The role sets global compensation strategy and designs programs, with a focus on compensation and incentive programs that drive go-to-market performance. It turns complex data into executive-ready narratives and recommendations, advising executives and senior leaders on high-impact compensation matters. The role ensures global compensation programs are competitive, equitable, compliant, and aligned with business strategy and talent objectives. It operates independently, leads through influence, and shapes compensation practices across the enterprise.

The position serves as the lead compensation partner and trusted advisor for Sales and other go-to-market functions. It partners with leaders across People, Finance, Sales Operations, and other teams on global compensation strategy, sales incentive design, budgeting, forecasting, job architecture, leveling governance, analysis, and enterprise-wide initiatives. It also coaches and develops compensation professionals and optimizes the use of AI in compensation work.

Avalara describes itself as an AI-first company and expects employees to use AI in daily work, improve efficiency, contribute solutions, stay current on trends and best practices, and share knowledge. The company states that benefits vary by location and that many employees are eligible for bonuses. It supports diversity, equity, and inclusion and has eight employee-run resource groups with senior leadership and executive sponsorship.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business, Finance, Economics, or a related field.
• 15 or more years of progressive compensation experience, including experience within a technology company.
• Significant experience supporting a Sales or go-to-market organization, including sales compensation or incentive plan design and administration.
• Extensive experience designing and leading global compensation programs in a complex, multi-region environment.
• Proven experience advising executives and senior leaders on complex, high-stakes compensation decisions.
• Demonstrated track record of using data analysis and storytelling to influence senior-level decisions.
• Experience leading large-scale, cross-functional initiatives with measurable business impact.
• Experience coaching and developing compensation professionals.
• Demonstrated experience using AI tools to enhance data analysis, reporting, modeling, or process efficiency.
• Exceptional analytical and data storytelling skills, including the ability to distill complex data into clear narratives and visuals that drive decisions.
• Expert knowledge of compensation principles, job architecture, market pricing methodologies, and incentive and equity program design.
• Strong understanding of sales compensation principles, including pay mix, quota setting, commission and accelerator structures, and the relationship between incentives and sales performance.
• Deep experience conducting market benchmarking using survey providers such as Radford, Mercer, and WTW, including command of survey methodology and data strategy.
• Experience using Workday or similar Human Capital Management systems.
• Advanced Excel skills, including modeling, scenario analysis, and executive-level reporting.
• Strategic thinking and problem-solving skills, including the ability to anticipate business needs and frame recommendations in terms of business impact.
• Knowledge of global compensation regulations and emerging legislative trends, including pay transparency and pay equity requirements.
• Sound judgment and discretion in ambiguous, sensitive, and high-impact situations.
• Exceptional executive communication skills and ability to build credibility with senior leaders and influence without direct authority.

Nice To Haves

• Certified Compensation Professional (CCP) designation.
• Experience supporting compensation programs in a public company environment, including exposure to executive compensation and Compensation Committee processes.
• Experience in a high-growth or technology company, particularly a SaaS or subscription-based business.
• Experience partnering with Sales Operations and Finance on sales incentive plan design and analytics.
• Experience leading global compensation program design and structure, including through M&A integration or organizational change.
• Experience conducting pay equity analysis and regulatory reporting.
• Advanced degree in Human Resources, Business, Finance, or a related field.

Responsibilities

• Turn complex compensation, market, and business data into compelling narratives and executive-ready recommendations for senior leaders.
• Serve as lead compensation partner and trusted advisor to Sales, Customer Success, Marketing, and Sales Operations leaders on pay strategy, role structure, and talent attraction and retention for go-to-market roles.
• Partner with go-to-market, Finance, and Sales Operations teams on the design, governance, and annual refresh of sales incentive programs, including pay mix, on-target earnings, quotas, commission structures, and plan performance.
• Drive global compensation strategy and philosophy with People leadership, aligning programs with business strategy, talent objectives, and financial goals, particularly for Sales.
• Own and evolve the sales job architecture framework and leveling governance, including job evaluation, EEO and FLSA classification, and internal equity; make final determinations on complex and precedent-setting leveling decisions.
• Partner with Finance on sales compensation budgeting, forecasting, and cost modeling, using scenario analysis to evaluate financial and talent impacts, including the cost and return of go-to-market incentive investments.
• Conduct advanced compensation analysis, identify trends, risks, and opportunities, and present findings with clear insights and recommended actions.
• Lead and influence cross-functional, enterprise-wide initiatives, building senior stakeholder alignment, managing risk, and driving measurable outcomes.
• Coach, mentor, and develop compensation team members and senior individual contributors, setting standards for quality, analytical rigor, and storytelling and sharing expertise across the People organization.
• Optimize and apply AI tools to improve compensation insight generation, modeling, and executive reporting.

Benefits

• Great compensation package.
• Paid time off.
• Paid parental leave.
• Bonuses for many eligible employees.
• Private medical insurance, depending on location.
• Life insurance, depending on location.
• Disability insurance, depending on location.
• Eight employee-run resource groups with senior leadership and executive sponsorship.

What This Job Offers

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