The Senior Manager, Compensation, North America is responsible for leading the design, implementation, and administration of compensation programs that attract, motivate, and retain top talent while aligning with the organization's strategic goals. Reporting to the Sr. Director, Total Rewards, this role serves as a compensation leader for North America, partnering closely with HR leadership, HRBPs, business leaders, and Finance to ensure competitive, equitable, and compliant pay practices across a complex, post‑merger environment.Following the combination of Smurfit Kappa and WestRock, this role is critical to the ongoing harmonization of legacy compensation structures, pay philosophies, and incentive programs into a unified North American framework. The person in this seat will bring both strategic vision and hands‑on execution to ensure Smurfit Westrock's compensation programs are market‑competitive, internally equitable, and positioned to support the company's owner‑operator culture.How You Will Impact Smurfit WestrockCompensation Strategy and DesignResponsible for the design, implementation, governance, and optimization of North America sales compensation programsEnsure alignment with business strategy, drive sales performance, support revenue growth, and maintain compliance with financial, legal, and regulatory requirementsSupport the design, analysis, and administration of compensation programs that support the organization's pay philosophy, talent strategy, and business objectivesPartner closely with Sales, Finance, HR, and Executive Leadership to develop scalable, market‑competitive incentive structures that motivate performance while managing cost of sales and riskConduct regular market analysis and benchmarking using published surveys and custom studies to ensure competitive positioning across the sales populationSales Compensation Strategy & DesignLead the design and continuous improvement of sales compensation plans across multiple roles (e.g., field sales, inside sales, channel, overlays)Align incentive plans with corporate strategy, revenue targets, margin objectives, and go‑to‑market prioritiesEstablish plan components (quotas, pay mix, measures, mechanics, caps/accelerators) that drive desired behaviorsBenchmark programs against market practices and industry standards to ensure competitivenessPlan Governance & AdministrationOversee end‑to‑end sales compensation administration, including plan documentation, quota setting, and payout processesEnsure accuracy, timeliness, and auditability of incentive calculations and paymentsManage compensation systems/tools (e.g., Xactly, Anaplan, SAP Commissions) and related data flowsDefine and maintain policies, controls, and procedures to support compliance (SOX, financial controls)Performance ManagementLead performance‑setting methodologies in partnership with Sales Operations and FinanceEvaluate distribution, attainability, and pay‑for‑performance alignmentMonitor sales performance trends and assess the effectiveness of incentive plansAnalytics & InsightsDeliver actionable insights on sales productivity, compensation cost, and ROIDevelop dashboards and reporting for leadership (e.g., attainment, pay vs. performance, cost of sales)Conduct scenario modeling and sensitivity analysis to inform changes to plan designStakeholder PartnershipPartner with Sales Leadership to ensure understanding and adoption of compensation plansCollaborate with Finance on budgeting, accruals, and forecasting of incentive spendWork with HR and Legal to ensure programs comply with employment laws and internal policies across jurisdictions (U.S., Canada, and Mexico as applicable)Compliance & Risk ManagementEnsure compliance with applicable regulations (e.g., wage and hour laws, commission payment regulations)Manage plan documentation and audit readiness for internal/external reviewsMitigate risks related to plan design, overpayments, and disputesLeadership & Team ManagementLead and develop a teamBuild capability in analytics, systems, and plan design expertiseDrive continuous improvement and operational excellence within the functionWhat You Need to SucceedBachelor's degree in human resources, Business, Finance, or related field7‑10 years of progressive compensation experience in sales compensation, incentives, or related analytics rolesDeep understanding of sales compensation plan design and quota methodologiesStrong analytical skills and advanced proficiency in Excel; experience with data visualization tools (e.g., Power BI, Tableau)Experience with sales compensation platforms (e.g., Xactly, Anaplan, Varicent)Knowledge of U.S. commission regulations and payroll practices; North America experience preferredExperience in a large, matrixed, or global organization with both salaried and hourly populationsExpertise in compensation program design, market benchmarking, job evaluation methodologies, and pay analyticsStrong knowledge of compensation‑related laws and regulations (FLSA, Equal Pay Act, state/provincial pay transparency laws)Strategic thinking and business acumen with the ability to translate data into actionable recommendations for leadersStrong analytical and problem‑solving skillsDemonstrated ability to influence at all levels of the organizationAttention to detail and commitment to data accuracyPreferredCertified Compensation Professional (CCP) strongly preferredMaster's degree in HR, MBA, or related advanced degreeSHRM‑SCP, SPHR, or equivalent professional certificationExperience in manufacturing (Paper, packaging, or forest products industries preferred)Experience managing direct reportsFamiliarity with post‑merger compensation harmonization, including integration of disparate pay structures and incentive programsActive participation in professional organizations such as WorldatWorkWhat We OfferCorporate culture based on integrity, respect, accountability, and excellenceComprehensive training with numerous learning and development opportunitiesAn attractive salary reflecting skills, competencies, and potentialA career with a global packaging company where Sustainability, Safety, and Inclusion are business drivers and foundational elements of the daily work#J-18808-Ljbffr
