Compensation Consultant / Project Manager

Payscale is the pioneer of compensation intelligence, helping organizations make smarter pay decisions that drive business performance. For over 20 years, Payscale has combined trusted market data with AI-powered technology to deliver actionable insights that turn pay from a cost into a catalyst for growth.

What We Do:

Payscale's Compensation Services team partners strategically with clients across their entire compensation journey. We help organizations build foundational compensation strategies, design competitive pay structures, establish job families and level frameworks, and enhance pay transparency and communications—serving as trusted advisors who guide clients through complex compensation decisions across diverse industries, geographies, and organizational complexities.

What You'll Do:

• Manage Complex Client Engagements: Serve as project manager on high-value, complex compensation projects requiring cross-functional collaboration with benchmarking, revenue, and other internal teams to deliver comprehensive solutions.

• Execute Core Compensation Initiatives: Support and manage a range of project types, including stakeholder alignment, compensation strategy development, job pricing, structure modeling, job family framework development, policy documentation, and compensation communications training.

• Provide Compensation Consultation: Deliver deep expertise in benchmarking, market pricing, salary structure design, and job architecture, interpreting complex market data and tailoring recommendations to unique client circumstances and business objectives.

• Facilitate Client Conversations: Partner with client stakeholders, including senior leaders, to discuss compensation strategy, findings, and recommendations, building credibility as a trusted compensation partner.

• Support Team Collaboration and Learning: Share knowledge and best practices with teammates, support onboarding, shadowing, and peer reviews as needed.

• Collaborate Cross-functionally: Partner across teams to deliver comprehensive client solutions, troubleshoot complex issues, share best practices, and support revenue teams on prospect and renewal calls.

• Contribute to Process Improvement: Identify gaps in team competencies, suggest professional development opportunities, and participate in departmental process improvements that enhance service delivery.

Requirements:

• 7+ years of hands-on compensation experience, including expertise in:

  • Benchmarking and market pricing across multiple industries, geographies, and data sources
  • Salary structure design, development, and analysis
  • Job architecture, job family frameworks, and job leveling
  • Compensation strategy development and implementation

• Strong project management skills with the ability to manage moderately complex to highly complex client engagements independently.

• Excellent communication and presentation skills, particularly the ability to communicate compensation concepts clearly to senior leaders and diverse stakeholders.

• Advanced Excel and data analysis capabilities.

• Client-facing experience delivering consulting services or professional services to external clients.

• Willingness to share compensation expertise and support the development of teammates.

Nice to Have:

• Experience with global job architecture and international compensation structures
• Knowledge of variable pay structure design (incentive compensation, bonus structures)
• Experience with pay equity analysis and pay transparency initiatives
• Certification in compensation, such as CCP

Why You'd Thrive on This Team:

You are a continuous learner and curious problem-solver who thrives in ambiguity and brings creative solutions to complex compensation challenges. You are client-centric and outcomes-focused, understanding that compensation strategy is not one-size-fits-all. You enjoy learning about different organizations, industries, and business models, crafting tailored recommendations based on this knowledge. You have strong executive presence and are comfortable navigating both detailed analytical work and high-level strategic conversations with C-suite audiences. You are energized by the opportunity to be a strategic partner in clients' compensation journeys.