Overview
This role involves managing the accurate administration, calculation, validation, and payment of sales compensation plans. The Commissions Manager oversees commission operations end-to-end, ensuring compensation plans are executed consistently, commissions are processed accurately and on time, and policies are applied according to company guidelines. The position serves as the subject matter expert for incentive compensation programs, supporting plan implementation, system configuration, audits, reporting, dispute resolution, and process improvement. Collaboration with Sales Leadership, Finance, Revenue Operations, HR, Legal, and Payroll is essential to support compensation plan design, governance, and operational execution while driving efficiency, scalability, and compliance across commission processes.
Responsibilities
- Administer monthly, quarterly, and annual commission calculations ensuring accuracy, timeliness, and compliance with approved compensation plans.
- Partner with Sales, Revenue Operations, Finance, HR, Legal, and Payroll teams to support the commissions process.
- Maintain commission-related data across Salesforce, Captivate IQ, and other reporting systems.
- Audit bookings, quota attainment, accelerators, credits, adjustments, clawbacks, and exceptions to ensure payout accuracy and integrity.
- Prepare commission statements, payout files, accruals, reconciliations, and management reporting.
- Analyze commission trends, attainment patterns, plan effectiveness, and cost of sales to identify risks and improvement opportunities.
- Support annual and in-year compensation planning including incentive plan design, modeling, testing, documentation, rollout, and maintenance within the CaptivateIQ platform.
- Build and configure commission plans in CaptivateIQ, including eligibility rules, quota and attainment logic, accelerators, tiers, splits, credits, adjustments, clawbacks, and payout calculations.
- Translate approved compensation plans and business requirements into scalable models, workflows, statement views, and calculation logic.
- Serve as the primary point of contact for commission inquiries and dispute resolution.
- Improve commission processes through automation, documentation, controls, and scalable workflows.
- Ensure commission practices comply with company policies, internal controls, employment agreements, and applicable regulations.
- Act as subject matter expert on commissions and sales compensation-related inquiries.
- Identify and recommend process improvements to reduce risk and increase operational efficiency.
- May coach, mentor, and review the work of other team members.
Requirements
- Ability to manage projects and processes independently with limited supervision.
- Advanced knowledge of sales compensation administration and commission plan design.
- Strong understanding of quotas, bookings, attainment, accelerators, splits, clawbacks, and payout eligibility concepts; experience in a SaaS/B2B environment is a plus.
- Ability to adapt to new technology and processes as per business requirements.
- Advanced analytical, problem-solving, and decision-making skills.
- Strong knowledge of CRM, compensation management, payroll, and reporting systems.
- Advanced spreadsheet skills including complex formulas, lookups, pivot tables, reconciliations, and data validation.
- Ability to follow and reinforce standard operating procedures and internal controls.
- Ability to meet firm deadlines while managing multiple ongoing priorities.
- Strong verbal and written communication skills.
- Strong organizational and detail-oriented skills.
- Ability to communicate complex compensation concepts to both technical and non-technical audiences.
- Ability to handle confidential compensation information with discretion and sound judgment.
Preferred Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree in Finance, Accounting, Business, Economics, or related field, or equivalent business experience.
- 5+ years of relevant experience in sales compensation, commissions administration, finance operations, revenue operations, sales operations, or a related analytical role.
- Experience supporting commission plans in software, SaaS, technology, or recurring revenue environments.
- Hands-on experience with CaptivateIQ or similar incentive compensation management platforms.
- Experience with Salesforce, NetSuite, or similar CRM/ERP systems.
- Experience supporting global sales teams and/or multi-currency commission plans.
Working Conditions
- Onsite, hybrid, or remote work options depending on location.
- Up to 10% travel may be required.
- May require flexible working hours.
Equal Opportunity
The employer is committed to building a diverse and inclusive workforce and providing a workplace free from discrimination and harassment. Equal employment opportunities are provided to all employees and applicants without regard to race, ethnicity, color, religion, age, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, gender, gender identity or expression, ancestry, national origin, citizenship status, physical or mental disability, genetic information, military/veteran status, marital status, familial or parental status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, and local laws.
Additional Information
Other duties may be assigned as needed. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of the job and/or to receive other benefits and privileges of employment.