Sr. Manager, Sales Commissions

SailPoint•Austin, TX

About The Position

The Sr Manager, Sales Commissions is accountable for the accurate calculation, accounting, and payment of sales commissions in a public company, SOX-compliant environment. Reporting to the Corporate Controller, this role owns commission-related accounting judgments, internal controls, and audit support, while partnering closely with Sales Operations to ensure compensation plans are executed in accordance with approved terms. This position requires a strong technical accounting foundation, rigorous control mindset, the ability to operate effectively in a highly regulated reporting environment, and the ability to understand complex sales commissions structures.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Accounting or Finance.
8+ years of progressive accounting experience, including commission or incentive compensation accounting.
Strong understanding of sales compensation plans, commission structures, and crediting models.
Experience working closely with Sales Operations and Finance teams.
Strong knowledge of U.S. GAAP and internal control frameworks (SOX).
Hands-on experience supporting external audits and internal audit testing.
Proven ability to own complex accounting processes in a public company environment.
Proven track record showing experience with system integrations and optimization to reduce manual processes
Experience in high-growth or complex sales environments (SaaS, global sales teams).
Advanced Excel skills and experience with commission systems (e.g., Xactly).
Strong technical accounting judgment
SOX and internal controls leadership
Audit readiness and documentation rigor
Cross-functional influence, communication and execution
High attention to detail with ability to scale processes
Process optimization and systems thinking
Ability to manage complexity and ambiguity

Responsibilities

Sales Commission Accounting
Own all accounting for sales commissions, including expense recognition, accruals, deferrals, amortization, true-ups and technical memos.
Ensure commissions are accounted for in accordance with U.S. GAAP, including ASC 606 capitalization and amortization of incremental contract acquisition costs.
Review and approve commission-related journal entries and supporting schedules.
Reconcile commission expense, accrual, and deferred commission balances; investigate and resolve variances timely.
Ensure accurate and complete commission balances are reflected in monthly, quarterly, and annual financial statements.
Coordinate closely with FP&A on commission forecasting, accrual assumptions, and variance analysis.
Support disclosures related to sales commissions and contract acquisition costs.
Ensure commission accounting timelines align with corporate close and reporting deadlines
SOX Controls & Compliance
Maintain SOX-compliant internal controls over commission calculation, accounting, and payout.
Serve as control owner for commission-related processes, including documentation, evidence retention, and remediation of deficiencies.
Perform and review key control activities, including management reviews, reconciliations, and approval workflows.
Partner with Internal Audit to support walkthroughs, testing, and remediation efforts.
Ensure changes to compensation plans or systems are assessed for accounting and control impacts.
Sales Commission Administration (Operational Oversight)
Oversee the end-to-end commission calculation and payout process to ensure alignment with approved compensation plans.
Partner closely with Sales Operations to translate compensation plans, crediting rules, and plan changes into accurate commission calculations.
Manage commission exceptions, adjustments, and dispute resolutions in conjunction with Sales Operations.
Cross-Functional Partnership
Partner closely with Sales Operations to operationalize compensation plans, quotas, and crediting rules.
Collaborate with Sales Leadership to support plan design changes, new product incentives, and sales structure updates.
Work with Payroll and HR to ensure accurate employee data, plan assignments, and payouts.
Coordinate with IT or system administrators to maintain and enhance commission systems and tools.
Systems & Process Improvement
Own the commission tool end to end (accounting and controls perspective and sales facing), including system logic, data integrity, and auditability.
Lead implementations and enhancements of our commission tool to reduce manual steps and drive automation for the commissions accounting and operations processes.
Drive process improvements to strengthen controls, scalability, and efficiency.
Leadership
Manage and develop commission team members.
Establish clear accountability, review standards, and escalation protocols.
Promote a culture of compliance, precision, automation, and continuous improvement.
Strategic Leadership & Business Partnership
Act as a strategic advisor to the Corporate Controller, Sales Operations, and Sales Leadership on sales compensation structure, financial impact, and risk.
Evaluate the accounting, control, and financial statement implications of new compensation plans.
Provide forward-looking insights on commission expense trends, payout and plan efficiency, and scalability to support planning and decision-making.
Partner with FP&A to improve commission forecasting accuracy and alignment with long-range planning.
Influence compensation plan design by balancing sales incentives with financial discipline, auditability, and operational feasibility and efficiency.
Identify and proactively mitigate risks related to commission structures, system changes, and process complexity.
Drive the commission function toward greater automation, standardization, and scalability to support company growth and evolving public company requirements.
Contribute to broader finance transformation initiatives, including system implementations, policy development, and process modernization.

Benefits

Health and wellness coverage: Medical, dental, and vision insurance
Disability coverage: Short-term and long-term disability
Life protection: Life insurance and Accidental Death & Dismemberment (AD&D)
Additional life coverage options: Supplemental life insurance for employees, spouses, and children
Flexible spending accounts for health care, and dependent care; limited purpose flexible spending account
Financial security: 401(k) Savings and Investment Plan with company matching
Time off benefits: Flexible vacation policy
Holidays: 8 paid holidays annually
Sick leave
Parental support: Paid parental leave
Employee Assistance Program (EAP) and Care Counselors
Voluntary benefits: Legal Assistance, Critical Illness, Accident, Hospital Indemnity and Pet Insurance options
Health Savings Account (HSA) with employer contribution