Assistant Director, Compensation

Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP and Affiliates; New York (NY); Hybrid; USD 250,000 - 290,000; Full time

Job summary

A prestigious law firm in New York is seeking an Assistant Director, Compensation to lead the design and administration of global compensation programs. This role involves advising on pay equity, managing a team of compensation professionals, and ensuring compliance with regulations. The ideal candidate will have over 8 years of compensation experience, including managing attorney compensation, and possess strong analytical and presentation skills. Competitive salary and generous benefits offered.

Qualifications

• Deep understanding of compensation models and governance processes.
• Ability to handle confidential information with discretion.
• Excellent communication and presentation skills.

Responsibilities

• Administer and enhance the Firm’s compensation framework.
• Advise leadership on compensation design and pay equity.
• Conduct ongoing market analyses for competitive positioning.

Skills

Compensation models

Market benchmarking

Stakeholder management

Analytical skills

Excel proficiency

Cross-functional project management

Education

Bachelor's degree or equivalent

Minimum 8 years of progressive compensation experience

4 years of leading a compensation function or team

Tools

Workday

Job description

Assistant Director, Compensation

Location: New York, NY (Hybrid) – The role is based in our New York office and requires occasional travel.

Base Pay Range: $250,000 – $290,000 per year, commensurate with skills and experience.

We are seeking an Assistant Director, Compensation to lead the strategic design, development, implementation, and administration of all aspects of the Firm’s global compensation programs for attorneys and business services professionals. This includes overseeing annual compensation reviews, partner compensation support, and partnering with People, Finance, and Technology teams to ensure competitive and equitable pay.

Responsibilities

• Administering and enhancing the Firm’s compensation framework, ensuring alignment with business strategy and market standards.
• Establishing job architecture for business services professionals as a foundation for fair and market‑aligned compensation.
• Advising Firm and practice leadership on compensation design, pay equity, and governance best practices.
• Maintaining compliance with all relevant labor, tax, and compensation regulations globally.
• Partnering with the People Technology team to leverage technology for record keeping, reporting, and analytics.
• Conducting ongoing market analyses using leading compensation surveys to maintain competitive positioning across geographies.
• Providing recommendations on salary bands, bonuses, and special adjustments to ensure market alignment.
• Leading, mentoring, and developing a team of compensation professionals, fostering a culture of high performance and continuous improvement.
• Leading the annual compensation review cycle, including data collection, benchmarking, modeling, and analysis.
• Collaborating with the Director, Attorney Career Progression and the Partner Compensation Committee to prepare materials and recommendations.
• Coordinating across People teams, Finance, and leadership to ensure timely, accurate compensation decisions and communications.
• Supporting the administration of partner compensation, managing sensitive data with confidentiality.
• Communicating compensation frameworks and decisions clearly and professionally to stakeholders.
• Contributing to continuous improvement of compensation processes and technology.
• Developing and delivering training and communication materials to educate business services professionals and attorneys on the Firm’s compensation philosophy.

Qualifications

• Deep understanding of compensation models, market benchmarking, and governance processes.
• Ability to handle confidential information with discretion and professionalism.
• Excellent communication, stakeholder management, and presentation skills.
• Strong analytical skills, with advanced proficiency in Excel and modeling.
• Experience in a global, matrix environment.
• Thought leadership and implementation of best practices aligned with the Firm’s goals.
• High emotional intelligence, cultural sensitivity, and professional demeanor.
• Fiscal responsibility and strong organizational skills.
• Experience leading high‑quality, cross‑functional projects.
• Decision‑making, problem‐solving, and creative mindset.
• Discretion and judgment in handling sensitive situations.
• Up‑to‑date knowledge of industry best practices.
• Knowledge of and ability to administer Firm operations, policies, and procedures.
• Ability to thrive in a demanding, fast‑paced environment.
• Willingness to travel and work flexible hours as needed.

Education and Experience

• Minimum 8 years of progressive compensation experience, including managing attorney or partner compensation in a large international law firm or global professional services environment.
• Minimum of 4 years leading a compensation function or team.
• Minimum of 3 years leveraging Workday’s core and advanced compensation modules.

Benefits

We offer generous benefits to support the well‑being of our attorneys and business services professionals. For further details, visit our benefits page.

Salary Details

$250,000 – $290,000

Skadden is an Equal Opportunity Employer (Disability/Vet/other protected categories). For more information, please visit Skadden.com/careers.