Director, Compensation and Benefits

A leading financial services firm in New York City is seeking a Director of Compensation & Benefits to lead the development and execution of its compensation and benefits strategy. This is a senior-level role with significant responsibility for compensation programs, executive compensation, benefits, governance, and related analysis.

The successful candidate will have substantial experience in a public-company environment and a strong understanding of compensation practices within financial services or another complex, highly regulated organization.

Responsibilities

• Lead the firm's compensation and benefits strategy across the organization.
• Oversee annual compensation planning, salary structures, incentive programs, and merit processes.
• Partner with senior leadership and HR leadership on compensation decisions and organizational strategy.
• Manage executive compensation processes, including benchmarking, analysis, and governance.
• Oversee employee benefits strategy, vendor relationships, plan design, and annual renewals.
• Develop compensation analyses and recommendations for senior management and relevant committees.
• Ensure compensation and benefits programs are competitive, cost-effective, and aligned with business objectives.
• Maintain compliance with applicable regulations and public-company requirements.
• Manage relationships with compensation consultants, benefits providers, and other external partners.
• Lead and develop the compensation and benefits team.

Qualifications

• 7+ years of progressive compensation and benefits experience, including significant leadership responsibility.
• Prior experience working for a public company is required.
• Experience in financial services, banking, asset management, investment management, insurance, or another complex corporate environment strongly preferred.
• Strong experience with executive compensation and broad-based compensation programs.
• Deep knowledge of compensation structures, incentive programs, benefits, benchmarking, and market data.
• Experience presenting compensation recommendations to senior executives and/or boards or board committees.
• Strong analytical skills and the ability to translate data into clear recommendations.
• Experience managing teams and external advisors.
• Bachelor's degree required; advanced degree or relevant professional certification is a plus.
• Strong written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills.

Ideal Candidate

• The ideal candidate is a senior compensation and benefits leader who has operated in a public-company environment and can independently manage both strategic and operational aspects of the function. Experience supporting senior executives, working with boards or compensation committees, and navigating complex compensation requirements is important.