Consultant, Executive Compensation

Southern Company • Atlanta, GA

3d

About The Position

This position provides direct support to senior leadership and prepares materials for the Compensation and Talent Development Committee for review and approval of compensation programs. As part of Southern Company’s Compensation Team, the role helps execute the company’s compensation philosophy, focusing on the design and management of executive compensation programs and short- and long-term incentive programs for all employees. The consultant analyzes emerging issues and coordinates with internal and external partners to develop solutions and innovations for compensation programs.

The Total Rewards team’s mission is to improve the lives of employees and retirees by strategically optimizing the employee experience. This role contributes through engagement, analysis, and strategic perspective.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in economics, finance, accounting, human resources, or a related field.
• At least 5 years of relevant compensation, finance, consulting, or governance experience, including at least 3 years directly supporting executive compensation programs.
• Experience preparing Compensation Committee materials and contributing to public-company executive compensation disclosures, including CD&A and related compensation tables.
• Experience analyzing and supporting the design and administration of executive annual and long-term incentive programs, including equity-based awards.
• Ability to conduct executive compensation benchmarking, analyze proxy and survey data, and model incentive outcomes and alternative program designs.
• Ability to manage multiple projects and recurring deadlines independently, maintain accurate supporting documentation, and exercise sound judgment with confidential information.
• Strong PowerPoint skills and ability to translate analysis into concise, decision-ready recommendations.
• Advanced Excel skills, including complex formulas, lookup functions, pivot tables, scenario analysis, and data reconciliation.
• Working knowledge of executive compensation governance, SEC disclosure requirements, and relevant tax and accounting considerations, with ability to collaborate with subject-matter specialists.
• Excellent communication skills and ability to communicate complex analysis to different audiences.
• Strategic perspective and strong business acumen.
• Experience improving compensation processes through reporting tools, automation, or approved AI-enabled tools, with appropriate confidentiality and validation controls.
• Ability to use creative thinking to solve complex problems.
• Demonstrated attention to detail.
• Takes initiative and personal responsibility for work.
• Demonstrates intellectual curiosity and a desire to investigate and thoroughly understand assignments and responsibilities.
• Innovative and willing to share thoughts and ideas.
• Highly motivated and able to work with minimal supervision.
• Ability to work closely with others toward a common goal.

Nice To Haves

• MBA or relevant advanced degree.
• Certified Executive Compensation Professional (CECP) designation.

Responsibilities

• Prepare analysis and presentations for the Board’s Compensation and Talent Development Committee, identifying alternatives, financial implications, risks, and key decision points; coordinate input and reviews with Legal, Finance, Accounting, and other stakeholders.
• Evaluate executive compensation market practices and trends, and assess regulatory, legislative, and shareholder developments and their implications for compensation strategy and design.
• Develop and coordinate the annual Compensation Discussion & Analysis (CD&A) and related executive compensation tables, including supporting analyses, data validation, and cross-functional review.
• Partner in evaluating and designing executive compensation and broad-based short- and long-term incentive programs; benchmark programs and model incentive outcomes and alternative designs to inform recommendations.
• Conduct pay-for-performance analyses to evaluate the relationship between executive compensation outcomes and company performance.
• Support the preparation and validation of annual Total Rewards Statements for executives.
• Partner with HR Delivery and other Total Rewards teams to research and resolve executives’ compensation questions and concerns.
• Build cross-functional relationships and coordinate assigned projects, deliverables, and timelines with internal partners and external advisers.
• Support equity and short-term incentive plan governance and administration, including documentation, data reconciliation, and coordination of reviews and approvals.
• Research compensation-related accounting, tax, securities law, and governance issues, partnering with subject-matter specialists to assess program implications.
• Streamline executive compensation processes, reporting, and documentation through standardization and appropriate automation while maintaining confidentiality, data accuracy, and effective controls.

Benefits

• Competitive base salary.
• Annual incentive awards for eligible employees.
• Health, welfare, and retirement benefits designed to support physical, financial, and emotional/social well-being.
• May be eligible for additional compensation, such as an incentive program, subject to the applicable plan terms and conditions.

What This Job Offers

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