[Hiring] Sales Operations Manager @Zillow

Role Description

The Sales Operations Manager is responsible for the design, implementation, and ongoing management of sales compensation plans that drive performance, align with company objectives, and are grounded in accurate, durable data. This role partners closely with Sales, Sales Finance, FP&A, and Data Analytics to ensure compensation plans are well-designed, clearly understood, and effectively measured.

This is a highly cross-functional role that combines analytical rigor, business partnership, and operational excellence. The ideal candidate brings deep experience in sales compensation design, strong data fluency, and the ability to translate complex concepts into clear, actionable insights for Sales leadership and the broader Sales organization.

About the role

• Design and evolve sales compensation strategies for Sales using historical performance data and business inputs; model plan outcomes and scenarios to assess cost, risk, and behavioral incentives prior to rollout.
• Establish performance targets and plan mechanics that balance motivation, fairness, scalability, and financial discipline.
• Ensure the Sales organization has clear visibility into compensation goals, earnings, and pacing against targets.
• Partner with Data Analytics and Sales Operations to define reporting requirements and dashboards that enable transparency and trust.
• Ensure data sources used to set and measure performance are reliable, durable, and accurate; proactively identify and mitigate data quality issues that could impact compensation outcomes.
• Collaborate closely with Sales, Sales Finance, FP&A, and Data Analytics to drive successful rollout, adoption, and ongoing maintenance of compensation plans.
• Be prepared to provide analytical support for adjacent Sales Operations initiatives as needed, such as: quota setting and capacity modeling, territory design and coverage analysis, headcount planning and productivity analysis.

Success in This Role Looks Like:

• Compensation strategies are well-designed, data-driven, and aligned with company and sales strategy.
• Sales teams clearly understand how they are measured, paid, and pacing toward their goals.
• Compensation-related data is trusted, accurate, and consistently applied.
• Cross-functional partners view the Compensation Lead as a strategic, reliable, and collaborative partner.
• Compensation processes scale effectively as the Sales organization evolves.

Who you are

• 7+ years of experience in sales compensation, sales operations, finance, or a related analytical role.
• Demonstrated experience designing and managing sales strategies for compensation plans for ICs and Managers.
• Strong analytical skills with experience using historical performance data to set targets and model outcomes.
• Deep understanding of sales performance metrics, incentive structures, and common compensation plan components.
• Proven ability to partner cross-functionally and influence without direct authority.
• High attention to detail and a strong commitment to data accuracy and integrity.
• Ability to clearly communicate complex compensation concepts to both technical and non-technical audiences.

Preferred Skills & Experience

• Experience working closely with Sales Finance and FP&A teams.
• Familiarity with compensation systems, CRM platforms, and BI tools.
• Experience in high-growth or scaling sales organizations.
• Strong business judgment and comfort navigating ambiguity.

Benefits

• In California, Connecticut, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Washington state, and Washington DC the standard base pay range for this role is $109,000.00 - $174,000.00 annually.
• In Colorado, Hawaii, Illinois, Minnesota, Nevada, Ohio, Rhode Island, and Vermont the standard base pay range for this role is $103,500.00 - $165,300.00 annually.
• In addition to a competitive base salary, this position is also eligible for equity awards based on factors such as experience, performance, and location.
• Employees in this role will not be paid below the salary threshold for exempt employees in the state where they reside.