Senior Director, Global Compensation

Toast

1d•Hybrid

About The Position

Toast creates technology to help restaurants and local businesses succeed in a digital world, helping business owners operate, increase sales, engage customers, and keep employees happy. As the Sr. Director of Compensation, you are the technical lead behind our global pay and equity strategy. This is a role for a hands-on leader who moves between high-level Board governance and building the foundational systems we need for our next phase of growth. You will provide the strategic guardrails and internal equity lens for our most complex leadership hires, manage our public company equity pool and manage the compensation programs across 6k+ Toasters. This is a high-visibility position where your technical accuracy and commercial perspective directly impact our ability to attract and retain the talent driving Toast’s future.

Requirements

You’ve worked at a high-growth public company or a company undergoing significant global expansion, with a track record of building and scaling compensation programs and processes
Deep, hands-on expertise in SEC reporting, public company compensation requirements and the financial mechanics of complex equity programs
Strong executive presence with the ability to influence and advise senior leaders, including the CEO, CFO, CPO and the Compensation Committee, on complex compensation decisions
Strong business acumen, with the ability to align compensation strategies to company performance, financial goals and long-term value creation
Highly analytical, with the ability to use data, modeling and market insights to inform decisions and navigate complex tradeoffs
Experience managing compensation across multiple international jurisdictions, with a strong understanding of regulatory, tax, and cultural considerations that influence pay design
Ability to translate complex financial or compensation models into clear, compelling narratives for non-technical stakeholders
Strong judgment in evaluating talent and calibrating compensation for senior hires in competitive markets
Experience leveraging technology, data and emerging AI tools to improve compensation decision-making, scalability, and efficiency
Player-coach mindset with a willingness to dive into the details and take ownership of critical work in a fast-paced, evolving environment
Experience leading through change and navigating complex stakeholder dynamics with credibility and influence

Responsibilities

Partner with the VP of Total Rewards to shape and executive our compensation strategy - oversee Compensation Committee materials, CD&A and proxy disclosures, ensuring our pay programs are competitive, compliant and aligned to long-term shareholder value
Set the strategy and governance for our equity programs, balancing retention, performance alignment, dilution and stock-based compensation expense with financial and shareholder objectives. Oversee burn rate, SBC forecasting, global grant practices and equity budgeting frameworks to ensure financial discipline and talent competitiveness
Define and evolve Toast’s global compensation philosophy, including salary structures, incentive design and equity mix. Ensure clear linkage between company performance, individual impact and pay outcomes across all levels of the organization
Own market data strategy and internal analytics, including peer benchmarking, pay equity, compensation distribution and retention risk. Deliver actionable insights and scenario modeling to inform executive and Board-level decisions
Ensure the compensation function is deeply connected to business strategy and talent needs. Partner closely with People Success Partners (PSPs) and senior leaders to advise on talent investments, org design and retention. Translate business priorities into compensation actions and ensure consistent, high-quality decision-making across functions
Design and govern annual and mid-year compensation cycles, ensuring scalable, efficient execution. Enable leaders with clear guidance, tools and training to drive differentiated pay decisions
Provide senior-level guidance on Director+ and executive hiring, ensuring offers are aligned with market, internal equity and SBC constraints. Partner with leadership to make high-impact talent investment decisions
Lead the design of incentive programs in partnership with Finance and Sales leadership. Provide compensation expertise in acquisition diligence and integration to ensure alignment with business strategy and financial goals
Define and execute the roadmap for next-generation compensation systems, tools, processes, and data infrastructure. Leverage AI and automation to improve decision quality, streamline workflows and increase efficiency (e.g., improving manager decision-making, market pricing, and insights generation). Continuously evaluate emerging technologies to modernize how compensation is delivered and scaled
Ensure compensation programs meet regulatory requirements and align with best practices. Lead compensation risk assessments and partner with Legal, Finance and Internal Audit as needed
Set vision and priorities for the compensation function. Develop team capabilities, build bench strength and foster a high-performing, strategic organization
Operate as a player-coach, leading by example and stepping into complex analyses, executive compensation decisions and critical deliverables while building and scaling the team
Experience leading through change and navigating complex stakeholder dynamics with credibility and influence