Senior Manager, Incentive Compensation

Senior Manager, Incentive Compensation

Greater Chicago or Los Angeles (on‑site 2-3 days per week)

A leading global biopharmaceutical organization is seeking a Senior Manager to oversee governance, audit readiness, and program execution across U.S. field incentive compensation. This role sits within the broader Field Excellence organization and plays a critical part as incentive programs expand in scale, complexity, and regulatory expectations.

This individual will own enterprise‑level IC governance frameworks, lead audit and compliance initiatives, and drive structured program management across IC design and operations. The role partners extensively with Sales Operations, Finance, HR, Compliance, Legal, IT, and Audit teams to ensure incentive programs operate with clarity, consistency, and strong control discipline. While an individual contributor, this position carries significant enterprise influence.

Responsibilities:

Governance & Policy Leadership

• Lead the annual review and governance cycle for incentive plan policies in partnership with HR, Legal, and IC leadership.
• Drive continuous enhancements to governance standards, decision‑making frameworks, and control structures across all IC programs.
• Manage governance forums and escalation processes, ensuring timely, well‑informed decisions across a large commercial field organization.
• Define and maintain decision rights, approval authorities, and escalation pathways for incentive plan changes and operational issues.

Audit Controls & Compliance

• Own enterprise‑wide audit readiness, including documentation standards, control design, and remediation planning.
• Partner with Finance, Compliance, and Audit teams to assess risk, resolve findings, and ensure IC programs align with regulatory and internal control requirements.
• Lead end‑of‑year IC reviews to identify compliance gaps and recommend improvements for future cycles.
• Reduce recurring audit issues through strengthened controls and consistent operational discipline.

Program & Delivery Management

• Oversee governance for IC payroll processing, ensuring proper controls, accurate execution, and separation of duties.
• Lead governance of service delivery with offshore/shared services teams, ensuring throughput, quality, and adherence to SLAs.
• Act as the escalation owner for complex IC operational challenges across Sales Operations and external vendors.
• Manage vendor relationships to ensure performance, cost efficiency, and operational excellence.
• Maintain standardized process maps and documentation for IC operations and control activities.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree required; Master's degree preferred.
• 6+ years of experience in incentive compensation, sales operations, compliance, or large‑scale program management.
• At least 2 years in a leadership, governance, or oversight‑driven role within a complex organization.
• Deep understanding of incentive compensation principles, governance frameworks, and compliance expectations.
• Strong process orientation with the ability to assess operations, identify gaps, and drive improvements.
• Highly organized, capable of managing multiple priorities and coordinating across global teams and time zones.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills with the ability to convey complex information clearly to diverse stakeholders.
• Proven ability to collaborate effectively across Sales Operations, HR, Finance, IT, Compliance, and external partners.
• Experience with internal controls, SOX environments, and governance or compliance committee participation preferred.

Note: Applicants who do not meet the above requirements will not be considered for this role.