Senior Compensation Director, Executive Comp and Governance

Ecolab•Saint Paul, MN

About The Position

The Senior Director, Executive Compensation & Enterprise Compensation Governance will play a critical leadership role in shaping compensation programs that support Ecolab’s growth strategy, leadership agenda, and pay-for-performance culture. This role combines deep executive compensation expertise with enterprise-level program leadership. It is responsible for bringing disciplined analysis, strong governance, and practical business judgment to compensation decisions for Ecolab’s most senior leaders and Board of Directors. Beyond executive compensation, the role will own the core infrastructure that enables consistent, market-informed, and compliant compensation practices across the enterprise, including job architecture, market pricing, salary survey strategy, annual merit planning, pay transparency, and pay equity. The successful candidate will be a credible advisor, clear communicator, and collaborative leader who can translate complex compensation matters into sound recommendations, build trust with senior stakeholders, and lead a high-performing team through priorities that are visible, dynamic, and strategically important to Ecolab.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Finance, Business, Economics, or related field
10+ years of progressive compensation experience, including previous experience with Executive Compensation and Board of Directors.
Experience leading compensation strategy, market pricing, compensation benchmarking, and enterprise compensation programs
Proven analytical capability with experience interpreting compensation data and translating findings into actionable recommendations
Ability to influence senior executives and directors through strong communication, judgment, and business credibility
Strong understanding of SEC disclosure requirements, public company governance standards, equity compensation, and shareholder expectations
Previous team management experience
Compensation related experience at a publicly traded Fortune 500 company

Nice To Haves

Master's degree in Business Administration, Human Resources, Finance, or related field
Deep expertise and experience in executive compensation, Board compensation, proxy reporting, and Board governance practices
Experience with pay transparency, pay equity, and global compensation frameworks
Experience preparing Compensation Committee and Board-level compensation materials
Experience partnering directly with Compensation Committees and Boards of Directors
Experience leading and developing compensation professionals
Certified Compensation Professional (CCP) designation or other relevant business/HR certification

Responsibilities

Set direction for and deliver executive compensation programs that reinforce Ecolab’s business strategy, leadership expectations, and pay-for-performance philosophy
Develop practical, data-driven recommendations for senior leader compensation decisions, including annual pay actions, incentives, equity awards, promotions, transitions, retention needs, and other critical talent moments
Assess market practices, shareholder perspectives, regulatory developments, and internal business needs to keep executive compensation programs competitive, responsible, and aligned with long-term value creation
Create clear, decision-ready materials for the Compensation Committee and Board that frame key issues, alternatives, implications, and recommended actions
Advance executive and director compensation governance through thoughtful program design, benchmarking, policy stewardship, documentation, and continuous improvement
Lead high-quality public company compensation disclosures, including CD&A, executive compensation tables, pay versus performance disclosure, director compensation disclosure, pay ratio reporting, and related governance content
Partner with Legal, Finance, Investor Relations, external advisors, and senior leaders to support Say-on-Pay strategy, investor engagement preparation, and responses to evolving governance expectations
Manage enterprise compensation infrastructure, including job architecture, career frameworks, leveling, market pricing, salary survey participation, pay transparency, and pay equity practices
Provide leadership for Ecolab’s global market pricing system and related processes to improve consistency, usability, and decision quality across the organization
Oversee annual merit and compensation planning with a focus on sound governance, financial discipline, manager effectiveness, and a positive employee experience
Lead, engage, and develop a talented team, fostering strong technical capability, ownership, and collaboration
Build strong partnerships across Total Rewards, HR Business Leads, Finance, Legal, Investor Relations, and business leadership to ensure compensation programs are well connected to enterprise priorities