Senior Compensation Operations Leader

Ameriprise Financial Services, LLC; Greater London; Hybrid; GBP 45,000 - 65,000; Full time

Job summary

Columbia Threadneedle Investments is seeking a Compensation Operations professional to manage execution, validation, governance, and reporting across compensation programs. You will own recurring processes, audit readiness, and documentation while driving continuous improvement and cross-training across capabilities.

You will collaborate with HR, payroll, and systems teams to ensure data accuracy, timely execution, and strong controls.

Qualifications

• Extensive experience within Compensation Operations, HR Operations, Payroll, HR Systems, or a similar role.
• Workday experience.
• Compensation systems experience.
• UAT/testing experience.
• Audit and SOX support.
• BI, dashboard, or reporting experience.
• Workflow optimization experience.
• Year-End compensation-cycle experience.
• Strong analytical and validation skills.
• Advanced Excel capabilities.
• Experience managing multiple priorities.
• Strong documentation and organizational skills.
• Experience supporting audits, reconciliations, or controls.
• Ability to manage assigned capability areas, including documentation, training support, and knowledge transfer.
• Ability to independently manage recurring operational processes while balancing multiple priorities and deadlines.

Responsibilities

• Compensation Operations Execution & Administration: Support compensation administration activities through execution of recurring Compensation Operations processes, issue resolution, stakeholder coordination, and operational support. Independently manage assigned operational work while ensuring quality, accuracy, adherence to established procedures, and timely execution across compensation programs and operational activities.
• Validation, Audits & Reconciliations: Perform validation, reconciliation, audit, and control activities to support operational accuracy and data integrity. Investigate discrepancies, compare expected versus actual results, identify root causes, and maintain supporting documentation to support audit readiness and operational compliance.
• Reporting & Analytics: Produce, analyse, and maintain operational reports, metrics, dashboards, and analytical outputs supporting compensation operations. Identify trends, provide operational insights, and support business decision-making through accurate reporting and analysis.
• Documentation & Governance: Maintain standard operating procedures, documentation, evidence records, and governance artifacts supporting Compensation Operations activities. Reinforce process consistency, documentation discipline, and operational control requirements while supporting audit readiness and sustainable execution practices.
• Year-End Readiness & Testing Support: Support testing, validation, readiness reviews, issue resolution, and execution activities associated with annual compensation cycles and Year-End compensation programs. Assist with follow-up actions, readiness checkpoints, and operational support necessary for successful execution.
• Training, Cross-Training & Continuous Improvement: Support capability development through on-boarding, knowledge transfer, process improvement, and cross-training activities. May serve as a functional capability owner responsible for maintaining documentation, supporting training, preserving execution standards, and strengthening organizational continuity within assigned capability area.

Skills

Compensation Ops

Workday experience

Audit/SOX support

BI/Reporting

Excel skills

Multiple priorities

Documentation

Process improvement

Validation skills

Data analytics

Analytics

Tools

Workday

Excel

BI dashboards

SOX tooling

Job description

Columbia Threadneedle Investments is seeking a Compensation Operations professional to manage execution, validation, governance, and reporting across compensation programs. You will own recurring processes, audit readiness, and documentation while driving continuous improvement and cross-training across capabilities.

You will collaborate with HR, payroll, and systems teams to ensure data accuracy, timely execution, and strong controls.