Senior Product Manager, Sales Compensation Systems

Guardian Life Insurance•Boston, MA

1d•Hybrid

About The Position

The Senior Product Manager, Sales Compensation Systems, is a newly envisioned leadership role that will redefine the strategic impact of Guardian’s distribution compensation systems. This hybrid position combines the responsibilities of a systems leader and a senior product manager, tasked with setting the future roadmap and vision for Guardian’s compensation technology ecosystem. As Senior Product Manager, Sales Compensation Systems, you will be responsible for defining and driving the product roadmap in alignment with the product vision and OKRs. You will collaborate with Product Owners and Business & Technology stakeholders to gather input and refine priorities. Your role will involve integrating usability studies, and data/AI standards into product requirements to ensure a customer driven, high impact, and compliant design. You will define and maintain end-to-end product journeys, identifying data input/output needs and aligning with value stream goals, while ensuring the customer experience meets standards set by the Customer Advocacy Center of Excellence. Why This Role Matters: This is a transformative opportunity to shape the future of Guardian’s digital compensation systems. The Senior will lead a team that not only ensures operational excellence but also drives innovation, strategic alignment, and digital transformation - positioning compensation as a competitive advantage and a catalyst for growth for Guardian. The ideal candidate will be a strategic, execution-oriented change leader capable of shaping Guardian’s digital future and transforming compensation systems into a core driver of business performance and distribution experience

Requirements

10+ years of experience in sales compensation systems and technology, Product Management or related fields, with at least 5 years in a leadership role.
Expertise in delivering systems for billing/commissions/incentives, and product management.
Proven track record of leading large-scale system implementations and transformation initiatives.
Proven experience in defining and driving product roadmaps, integrating customer research, and ensuring compliance with data/AI standards.
Strong knowledge of product journey mapping, business process improvement, and OKR management.
Deep knowledge of sales compensation technologies, distribution models, and change management methodologies.
Strong project management, stakeholder engagement, and change leadership skills.
Experience with platforms such as Varicent, Xactly, Oracle Financial Systems, or similar.
Strategic mindset with the ability to translate business needs into technical solutions.
Exceptional cross-functional influence, communication, and stakeholder management skills.
Ability to manage multiple tasks and meet deadlines.
Demonstrated ability to lead strategic transformation initiatives and deliver measurable business outcomes.
Required skills: Continuous Improvement Management Objectives and Key Results Product Road Map Product Vision User Research

Responsibilities

Strategic Program Leadership Develop and articulate a forward-looking compensation systems strategy that aligns with the organization’s business objectives and transformation goals.
Lead the creation and execution of multi-year roadmaps, identifying opportunities for innovation, modernization, and adoption of emerging technologies.
Advocate for a culture of strategic thinking and proactive change within the compensation function.
Systems Team & Product Leadership Oversee the compensation systems delivery teams comprising of product owners,business analysts and developers, fostering a high-performance environment and supporting professional development and talent management.
Manage the full product lifecycle for compensation capabilities, from ideation and design through deployment, support, and continuous improvement.
Ensure robust product management practices, including requirements gathering, prioritization, and stakeholder engagement.
Business Process Improvement Drive continuous improvement initiatives to optimize compensation-related business processes, leveraging data analytics, automation, and AI.
Establish and promote a data-driven culture focused on measurable outcomes and operational efficiencies.
Identify and remove process bottlenecks, standardize workflows, and implement best practices across the organization.
Cross-Functional Partnership Build and maintain strong collaborative relationships with HR, Finance, IT, and business leaders to ensure compensation systems meet organizational needs.
Align compensation technology initiatives with enterprise-wide objectives through effective stakeholder management and communication.
Facilitate cross-team workshops and forums to gather input, share progress, and drive consensus on priorities.
Operational Excellence & Innovation Champion operational excellence by implementing workflow enhancements, technology upgrades, and process standardization.
Evaluate and adopt innovative tools and solutions to improve the effectiveness, scalability, and user experience of compensation systems.
Monitor key performance indicators to ensure operational targets are met and drive ongoing improvement.
Change Management & Communication Lead change management initiatives for compensation systems and processes, ensuring stakeholder engagement and adoption.
Develop and deliver communication strategies, training programs, and resources to support successful transitions and continuous learning.
Address resistance and champion a culture of change and adaptability.
Governance & Compliance Oversee governance processes to ensure compliance with internal policies, external regulations, and industry standards.
Implement effective risk mitigation and quality control measures throughout compensation system operations and deployments.
Maintain up-to-date documentation and audit trails for system changes and enhancements.
Deployment & Delivery Lead end-to-end deployment & delivery for compensation systems, ensuring timely execution, budget adherence, and quality outcomes.
Develop and maintain comprehensive documentation, status reporting, and success metrics.
Coordinate with distribution teams to ensure alignment, localization, and seamless rollout of compensation systems across Group distribution.