Senior Commissions Forecasting & Design Lead

Accountabilities:

• Own the end-to-end commissions forecasting process in partnership with FP&A and Sales Operations, including the forecast calendar, model architecture, assumptions, source data, forecast submissions, and change-control processes.
• Produce monthly, quarterly, and annual commissions forecasts, analyzing and explaining actuals-to-forecast and forecast-to-plan variances across segments, roles, plan components, headcount movements, attainment levels, and timing.
• Establish forecasting inputs and operating rhythms with Sales Operations, Finance, People, Payroll, and business leaders, clearly documenting ownership, deadlines, assumptions, validation requirements, and supporting evidence.
• Support the design and continuous evolution of sales compensation programs across multiple segments, roles, geographies, and pay periods, translating go-to-market strategy into measurable compensation mechanics.
• Develop and maintain analytical models and scenario analyses covering quotas, crediting rules, accelerators, kickers, draws, SPIFFs, MBOs, ramping structures, exceptions, behavioral incentives, payout volatility, costs, fairness, and implementation complexity.
• Partner with Sales Leadership, GTM Strategy and Operations, Finance, People, Legal, Payroll, and Business Technology to align requirements, trade-offs, approvals, timelines, and implementation decisions.
• Co-own compensation-design workstreams for major initiatives such as annual plan redesigns, new-product incentives, role or segment changes, and compensation-system migrations.
• Translate approved compensation designs into clear business requirements, decision logs, process documentation, test cases, and implementation-ready specifications.
• Review system outputs and reporting to ensure alignment with compensation policies and intended plan behavior, investigating root causes when results are inaccurate, delayed, or difficult for sellers and managers to understand.
• Establish practical governance for plan changes, exceptions, approvals, and effective dates, maintaining a clear and reusable audit trail.
• Create and deliver enablement for sales leaders, managers, and compensation partners, explaining complex compensation mechanics clearly and supporting adoption through documentation, resources, and ongoing communication.
• Develop recurring reporting on attainment, payout behavior, plan participation, exception trends, forecast accuracy, and overall compensation-program effectiveness.
• Partner with FP&A on forecast submissions, executive commentary, scenario analysis, and reconciliation between forecast assumptions, approved plan designs, and operating data.
• Improve the seller and manager experience through clearer plan documentation, compensation statements, self-service resources, office hours, and streamlined intake processes.
• Support audit and IPO-readiness activities by ensuring plan logic, approvals, controls, documentation, and supporting evidence are complete, accurate, and reusable.
• Mentor analysts and collaborate with systems and operations partners while operating as a senior individual contributor without formal people-management responsibility.

Requirements

• 6+ years of experience in FP&A, sales compensation, incentive compensation, Sales Operations, Revenue Operations, Finance, or a closely related analytical discipline, including significant ownership of commissions or variable-compensation forecasting.
• Demonstrated experience designing, optimizing, or materially changing sales compensation plans within a complex, multi-segment organization.
• Strong FP&A, analytical, and financial-modeling capabilities, with the ability to work comfortably with large datasets and build transparent forecast, bridge, variance, and scenario models.
• Deep understanding of compensation mechanics, including quota allocation, attainment, crediting, accelerators, kickers, draws, ramping, clawbacks, SPIFFs, and exception management.
• Proven ability to partner with FP&A and senior stakeholders while building alignment across Sales, Finance, Operations, People, and Technology teams.
• Strong written communication skills, with the ability to develop clear policy language, business requirements, process documentation, decision records, and executive-ready recommendations.
• Strong systems orientation and experience with an incentive compensation management platform such as Xactly, Varicent, CaptivateIQ, Everstage, Anaplan, or an equivalent solution.
• Excellent verbal and presentation skills, with the ability to explain sophisticated compensation mechanics and financial implications to non-specialist audiences.
• High ownership, exceptional attention to detail, sound judgment, and comfort operating in ambiguous, fast-changing environments.
• Experience supporting a global SaaS, technology, or subscription-based business is preferred.
• Familiarity with Salesforce, Workday, Snowflake, SQL, or business intelligence tools is an advantage.
• Experience designing compensation programs for both new-logo and account-management organizations is preferred.
• Experience creating enablement programs, compensation hubs, FAQs, self-service resources, or similar employee-facing materials is a plus.

Benefits

• U.S.-based compensation varies by geographic zone, with the following salary ranges:
  • San Francisco, California: $132,000–$182,000 USD.
  • Los Angeles, San Diego, New York City Area, and Seattle/Washington D.C.: $115,000–$158,000 USD.
  • Other U.S. locations: $114,000–$157,000 USD.
  • Compensation may vary based on factors such as education, work experience, certifications, and geographic location, and certain roles may also include restricted stock units.
  • Health, pharmacy, optical, and dental benefits for eligible employees.
  • Paid time off and sick time off.
  • Short-term and long-term disability coverage.
  • Life insurance benefits.
  • 401(k) contribution, subject to eligibility requirements.
  • Remote work opportunity within the United States.
  • An inclusive workplace committed to diversity, equal opportunity, and welcoming people with different backgrounds, experiences, abilities, and perspectives.
  • Opportunities to collaborate across FP&A, Sales Operations, Finance, People, Legal, Payroll, Business Technology, and senior business leadership.