Sr. Compensation Manager GTM

About the role

Databricks is actively seeking a strategic compensation lead to serve as a primary advisor to founders and executive leadership within the Go-To-Market organization. This position is responsible for designing and deploying compensation models that successfully attract, motivate, and retain top-tier talent in a competitive market. The role requires a strategic partner who can translate complex business objectives into clear compensation frameworks that drive desired behaviors and outcomes. You will report directly to the Senior Director of Compensation and play a key role in shaping the organization's perspective on employee ownership and rewards. This position demands a high level of business acumen and the ability to balance operational execution with strategic vision. The successful candidate will influence critical decisions regarding sales compensation plans, customer-facing team incentives, and long-term reward structures. You will be instrumental in ensuring that the total rewards strategy supports the overall growth and scalability goals of the GTM organization. This is an opportunity to build the compensation architecture that defines how value is shared across the revenue-generating teams.

Key facts

What you'll do

Analyze the current state of GTM compensation plans and identify opportunities for optimization, alignment, and scalability.

Design comprehensive compensation frameworks for the Go-To-Market organization that balance base salary, variable pay, and long-term incentives.

Develop and maintain job architecture and leveling guides specific to GTM roles to ensure internal equity and market competitiveness.

Conduct detailed market research and benchmarking to analyze competitive trends in equity, cash, and total rewards for sales and customer success roles.

Partner with Finance and Sales Leadership to model the financial impact of compensation plans and forecast headcount and cost implications.

Serve as the primary subject matter expert for compensation policies, procedures, and compliance within the GTM organization.

Lead the administration of sales commissions, variable pay programs, and performance metrics to ensure accuracy and timely execution.

Provide guidance and advisory support on complex compensation scenarios including promotions, new hire offers, retention strategies, and organizational restructuring.

Utilize advanced data analysis techniques to evaluate the effectiveness of compensation programs and recommend data-driven improvements.

Collaborate with HR Business Partners and People Operations to ensure seamless integration of compensation programs with recruitment and onboarding processes.

Oversee the global implementation of compensation programs, ensuring adherence to local regulations and best practices across different jurisdictions.

Manage relationships with external compensation consultants and vendors to support data analysis and system enhancements.

Champion the use of compensation data and analytics to provide clear, actionable insights that enable leadership to make informed decisions.

Continuously monitor industry trends and regulatory changes to ensure compensation programs remain compliant and strategically aligned.

Requirements

Must possess a proven history of success in compensation management, with a demonstrated track record in the technology sector.

Must have a deep understanding of technology-specific compensation practices, especially concerning new hire equity grants and refresh equity programs.

Must exhibit expertise in job architecture, pay-for-performance design, global compensation practices, and market pricing methodologies.

Must have the ability to synthesize complex data sets and transform them into clear, concise, and actionable insights for executive decision-makers.

Must maintain a strong operational mindset with the capability to connect disparate systems and programs to deliver accurate and timely results.

Must demonstrate advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel and Google Sheets, including complex formulas, modeling, and data manipulation.

Must have a meticulous attention to detail to ensure the accuracy and integrity of compensation calculations and related data.

Must possess excellent written and verbal communication skills to effectively partner with senior leadership and cross-functional teams.

Nice to have

Experience utilizing SQL, Python, or Tableau to automate reporting and enhance data analysis capabilities.

Familiarity with utilizing artificial intelligence tools to augment compensation analytics and streamline processes.

Practical notes

Pay ranges are determined by geographic zones and are as follows: Zone 1 ($217,800 to $299,550), Zone 2 ($196,100 to $269,600), Zone 3 ($185,200 to $254,650), and Zone 4 ($174,200 to $239,600).

Total compensation consists of base salary or on-target earnings, in addition to potential equity awards and annual performance bonuses.

Databricks retains the right to decline to proceed with an applicant if the role requires access to export-controlled technology or source code and a U.S. government license is not granted.

The company is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to making reasonable accommodations for individuals with disabilities. All employment decisions are made without regard to protected characteristics such as race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, ancestry, age, citizenship, disability, genetic information, pregnancy, or veteran status.