Compensation Architect: Build Pay & Equity Programs

Perplexity AI; United States; On-site; USD 140,000 - 200,000; Full time

Job summary

Perplexity AI is seeking a Compensation Lead to build Perplexity’s compensation function and own day-to-day execution. You will develop salary ranges, market benchmarks, and equity guidelines, ensuring compensation is competitive, financially sound, and clear for employees.

Collaborate with People Ops and leadership to align job scope, leveling, and budget. You’ll drive day-to-day decisions on offers, promotions, and pay adjustments, run compensation reviews, and address pay equity across teams

Qualifications

• Technical compensation depth: Hands-on experience with market pricing, salary ranges, cash and equity programs, compensation reviews, and individual pay recommendations.
• Ability to influence decisions: You can turn analysis into a clear recommendation, discuss trade-offs with leadership, and constructively challenge an approach that isn’t working.
• Strong analytical judgment: You can build and audit models, reconcile imperfect data, and explain your assumptions.
• Discretion and clear communication: You handle sensitive information carefully and explain compensation decisions in language that recruiters, managers, and employees can understand.
• Experience building compensation programs: You’ve established or substantially rebuilt compensation frameworks and processes with limited infrastructure, and stayed accountable for running them after launch.

Responsibilities

• Build the compensation foundation and develop recommended philosophy, market positioning, and cash/equity guidelines.
• Develop salary ranges and market benchmarks and price roles consistently across functions and locations.
• Own day-to-day compensation decisions: offers, promotions, pay adjustments, and inquiries with clear approval paths for exceptions.
• Design and run compensation reviews: calendars, planning models, manager guidance, and approval processes across Finance, People Ops, Payroll, and equity partners.
• Inform leadership decisions by modeling cost and employee impact of salary/equity changes and presenting trade-offs.

Job description

Perplexity AI is seeking a Compensation Lead to build Perplexity’s compensation function and own day-to-day execution. You will develop salary ranges, market benchmarks, and equity guidelines, ensuring compensation is competitive, financially sound, and clear for employees.

Collaborate with People Ops and leadership to align job scope, leveling, and budget. You’ll drive day-to-day decisions on offers, promotions, and pay adjustments, run compensation reviews, and address pay equity across teams