[Hiring] Principal Compensation Partner @Avalara

Role Description

The Principal Compensation Partner is a global, director-level individual contributor and a principal compensation subject matter expert for Avalara, supporting the Sales organization. This role sets the direction for global compensation strategy and designs the programs that bring it to life, focusing on compensation and incentive programs that drive GTM performance. The Principal Compensation Partner turns complex data into clear, compelling narratives that guide decisions, advising executives and senior leaders on the company’s most complex, sensitive, and high-impact compensation matters. This role ensures global compensation programs are competitive, equitable, compliant, and aligned with business strategy and talent objectives. This role operates with a high degree of independence, leads through influence rather than direct authority, and shapes compensation practices across the entire enterprise.

Responsibilities

• Use analysis and storytelling to drive decisions: turn complex compensation, market, and business data into clear, compelling narratives and executive-ready recommendations that shape decisions by senior leaders.
• Serve as the lead compensation partner and trusted advisor to the Sales organization, advising Sales, Customer Success, Marketing, and Sales Operations leaders on pay strategy, role structure, and talent attraction and retention for GTM roles.
• Partner with GTM, Finance, and Sales Operations on the design, governance, and annual refresh of sales incentive programs, ensuring they motivate the right behaviors and align with business goals.
• Drive global compensation strategy and philosophy in partnership with People leadership, ensuring programs support business strategy, talent attraction and retention, and financial objectives.
• Own and evolve Avalara’s sales job architecture framework and leveling governance, setting standards for job evaluation, EEO and FLSA classification, and internal equity.
• Partner with Finance on sales compensation budgeting, forecasting, and cost modeling, using advanced scenario analysis to evaluate the financial and talent impact of program decisions.
• Conduct advanced compensation analysis to identify trends, risks, and opportunities, and present findings with clear insight and a recommended course of action.
• Lead and influence cross-functional, enterprise-wide initiatives by building alignment among senior stakeholders.
• Coach, mentor, and develop compensation team members and other senior individual contributors, setting standards for quality, analytical rigor, and storytelling.
• Optimize AI tools used across compensation to improve insight generation, modeling, and executive reporting.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business, Finance, Economics, or a related field.
• 15+ years of progressive compensation experience, including within a technology company.
• Significant experience supporting a sales or go-to-market organization, including sales compensation or incentive plan design and administration.
• Extensive experience designing and leading global compensation programs in a complex, multi-region environment.
• Proven experience advising executives and senior leaders on complex, high-stakes compensation decisions.
• Demonstrated track record of using data analysis and storytelling to influence senior-level decisions.
• Experience leading large-scale, cross-functional initiatives with measurable business impact.
• Experience coaching and developing compensation professionals.
• Demonstrated experience using AI tools to enhance data analysis, reporting, modeling, or process efficiency.

Requirements

• Exceptional analytical and data storytelling skills, with the ability to distill complex data into clear narratives and visuals.
• Expert knowledge of compensation principles, job architecture, market pricing methodologies, and incentive and equity program design.
• Strong understanding of sales compensation principles, including pay mix, quota setting, and commission structures.
• Deep experience conducting market benchmarking using survey providers such as Radford, Mercer, and WTW.
• Experience using Workday or similar Human Capital Management systems.
• Advanced Excel skills, including modeling, scenario analysis, and executive-level reporting.
• Strategic thinking and strong problem-solving skills, with the ability to anticipate business needs.
• Knowledge of global compensation regulations and emerging legislative trends.
• Ability to exercise sound judgment and discretion in highly ambiguous situations.
• Exceptional executive communication skills, with the ability to build credibility with senior leaders.

Preferred Qualifications

• Certified Compensation Professional (CCP) designation.
• Experience supporting compensation programs in a public company environment.
• Experience in a high-growth or technology company, particularly a SaaS or subscription-based business.
• Experience partnering with Sales Operations and Finance on sales incentive plan design and analytics.
• Experience leading global compensation program design and structure, including through M&A integration.
• Experience conducting pay equity analysis and regulatory reporting.
• Advanced degree in Human Resources, Business, Finance, or a related field.

Benefits

• In addition to a great compensation package, paid time off, and paid parental leave, many Avalara employees are eligible for bonuses.
• Health benefits vary by location but generally include private medical, life, and disability insurance.
• Avalara strongly supports diversity, equity, and inclusion, with a total of 8 employee-run resource groups.