Senior Manager, Commissions

Chainguard

8h • $174,000 - $205,000 • Remote

About The Position

Chainguard is seeking a Senior Manager, Commissions to build redundancy and enhance the commission function. This role involves designing, calculating, validating, and administering sales compensation. The ideal candidate will partner with Sales, Finance, and Partnerships to strengthen the commission structure and prepare it for future growth. This is not an entry-level position; fluency in commission design, plan mechanics, and payout economics is required. The role will own the technical and analytical aspects of commissions, including calculation, reporting, and payout validation, while also contributing to compensation plan design. The Senior Manager will advise on accelerators, gates, multipliers, and mega deal structures, aiming to optimize the commission pay rate. Additionally, this role includes mentoring a Senior Financial Analyst and serving as a backup for the commission function. This is a foundational hire with significant growth potential, focused on establishing scalable processes and infrastructure.

Requirements

• Experience owning commissions at a high-growth software company, ideally supporting a sales organization of 300 to 400+ representatives.
• Proven experience in commission design, not just calculation and execution, including familiarity with accelerator structures, plan optimization, and payout economics.
• Experience structuring commissions for mega deals and other complex, large transactions.
• Experience with commission management and administration tools is required.
• Comfort operating in a fast-paced environment where the business expects quick turnaround without compromising accuracy.
• Strong executive presence and the ability to engage in peer-level conversations with Sales and Finance leadership on compensation strategy.

Nice To Haves

• Experience with EverStage is a plus but not required.
• Experience managing global compensation programs across multiple plan types and geographies is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Own hands-on commission calculation, validation, and reporting, including stepping into operational work when needed.
• Partner directly with functional leaders across Sales, Solutions Engineering, and Partnerships to evaluate compensation plans.
• Advise on compensation plan design, including accelerator gates, multiplier structures, and payout mechanics, and provide data-backed recommendations.
• Own commission structuring for mega deals (e.g., $4M to $5M+).
• Help drive the commission pay rate from approximately 50% of net new bookings toward a 20-25% benchmark.
• Manage global commission plans across approximately five plan types (Account Executives, Solutions Engineers, Partnerships, BDRs, and Renewals) across multiple geographies.
• Mentor and develop the Senior Financial Analyst.
• Play a key role in compensation plan design and strategy discussions.
• Build scalable processes, documentation, controls, and infrastructure to support the commission function's growth.

Benefits

• Flexible & Remote-First Culture: Work remotely with team meetup opportunities, bi-annual destination summits, and a monthly stipend for coworking spaces, phone and internet costs.
• Stock options upon hire and promotion, with participation in secondary offerings and 10 years to exercise options.
• 100% Covered Health Insurance: Premiums for health, vision, and dental insurance are covered for employees and dependents.
• Flexible Time Off: Take the time needed to recharge and reset.
• 18 Weeks Paid Parental Leave: 18 weeks for birthing parents and 12 weeks for non-birthing parents.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior
• Education Level: No Education Listed