Director, Sales Incentive Compensation

Wood Mackenzie

Director overseeing global sales incentive compensation for Wood Mackenzie, a leader in energy analytics. Responsible for strategic design and governance of compensation programs across the organization.

Posted 7/9/2026full-timeHouston • Illinois, Massachusetts, Texas • 🇺🇸 United StatesLeadWebsite

About the role

Key responsibilities & impact

Lead the end-to-end design, modeling, and strategic evolution of global sales incentive compensation programs across all go-to-market roles
Develop compensation frameworks aligned to corporate growth objectives, sales strategy, productivity goals, and financial targets
Serve as the primary internal authority on compensation philosophy, plan design, policy interpretation, and strategic exception management
Partner with executive leadership to evaluate the commercial and financial impact of compensation structures, accelerators, quotas, overlays, bonus programs, and strategic incentives
Drive enterprise-wide consistency and scalability across compensation structures while balancing regional and functional requirements
Reduce dependency on external consultants through development of internal strategic compensation expertise
Lead advanced financial modeling, scenario planning, and stress testing of compensation programs to ensure affordability, scalability, and return on investment
Analyze attainment distributions, compensation leverage, productivity trends, and cost-of-sales performance to support executive decision-making
Provide predictive insights into sales behavior, plan effectiveness, and commercial performance risks
Develop executive-level reporting and analytics to support annual planning, forecasting, and ongoing business reviews
Partner closely with Finance and Revenue Operations to align compensation programs with broader operating plans and revenue expectations
Establish and maintain enterprise compensation governance standards, policies, controls, and approval frameworks
Ensure compensation plans, documentation, and processes are compliant with applicable laws, internal controls, and company policies across all operating regions
Act as the final escalation point for complex compensation interpretation matters and non-standard commercial arrangements
Oversee compensation administration processes to ensure accuracy, transparency, auditability, and operational discipline
Drive continuous improvement, automation, and simplification of compensation processes, systems, and workflows
Serve as a trusted advisor to Sales, HR, Finance, and executive leadership on compensation strategy and organizational performance
Lead alignment discussions across senior stakeholders to ensure compensation programs support evolving business priorities and strategic initiatives
Present compensation recommendations, business cases, and financial analysis to executive leadership teams and governance forums
Build organizational confidence in compensation programs through clear communication, education, and transparent decision-making
Attract, lead, develop, and mentor high-performing compensation and analytics talent while fostering accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement

Requirements

What you’ll need

10+ years of progressive experience in Sales Compensation, Revenue Operations, Commercial Finance, Total Rewards, or related disciplines
Demonstrated ownership of complex global go-to-market compensation programs within high-growth or subscription-based business environments
Deep expertise in incentive compensation strategy, economic modeling, quota design, and commercial performance management
Strong executive presence with demonstrated ability to influence senior stakeholders and drive cross-functional alignment
Prior evidence of shifting the function from an administrative cost centre to a strategic commercial partner
Advanced analytical and financial modeling capabilities with the ability to translate complex data into strategic business recommendations
Strong commercial acumen and sound judgment in balancing growth objectives, financial discipline, and organizational behavior
Experience leading compensation governance, policy interpretation, and exception management within complex organizations
Advanced proficiency with sales, compensation, and analytics platforms including Salesforce, Xactly, Varicent, PowerBI, and advanced Excel modeling
Exceptional communication, presentation, and stakeholder management skills
Ability to operate with a high degree of discretion, professionalism, and integrity in handling sensitive business and compensation matters
Bachelor’s degree in business, finance, economics, or related discipline required; MBA or advanced certifications preferred

Benefits

Comp & perks

Flexible working hours
Professional development opportunities

ATS Keywords

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Applicant Tracking System Keywords

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Hard Skills & Tools

Incentive Compensation DesignEconomic ModelingQuota DesignCommercial Performance ManagementData AnalysisFinancial Analysis

Soft Skills

Stakeholder ManagementInfluencing SkillsLeadershipCollaborationCommunication

Certifications

MBAAdvanced Certifications