Director of Compensation

CrossCountry Consulting; McLean (VA); On-site; USD 190,000 - 260,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Healthcare benefits

401(k) matching

Parental leave

Wellness programs

Job summary

CrossCountry Consulting seeks a Director of Compensation to design, govern, and evolve the firm's total rewards globally. You will partner with executives to attract, retain, and engage top talent, shaping salary structures, incentives, and governance while driving market competitiveness and compliance across regions. The role reports to OD leadership and focuses on strategic leadership and data-driven decisions.

Qualifications

• 12+ years of progressive compensation experience, including people leadership.
• Experience in professional services, consulting, or financial services preferred.
• Deep expertise in compensation program design, salary administration, planning, and incentives.
• Hands-on Workday Compensation configuration, reporting, analytics, and cycle administration.
• Strong ability to translate data into executive-ready recommendations.

Responsibilities

• Lead design and evolution of total rewards across global population.
• Advise executive leadership on compensation strategy and market trends.
• Build and mentor a high-performing compensation team.
• Align AI and growth strategies with compensation programs.

Skills

Compensation leadership

Workday Compensation

Data analysis

Executive presentation

M&A compensation

Education

Bachelor's degree in HR/Business

Tools

CCP certification

Job description

From the beginning, our goal was to establish an advisory firm that stands apart from the rest – one that is grounded in our Core Values and dedicated to creating a positive experience not just for our clients, but for our people too. We firmly believe in the strength of collaboration, enthusiasm, generosity, and perseverance as the driving forces behind our success. With advisory solutions spanning accounting and risk, technology-enabled transformation, and transactions, we partner with our clients to solve today’s challenges and deliver present and future value.

Our commitment to our people has earned us numerous awards including Inc5000's Fastest Growing Companies and Glassdoor's Best Places to Work.

The Director of Compensation is a strategic leader responsible for the design, delivery, governance, and continuous evolution of the firm's total rewards programs across a global employee population. This role serves as the organization's compensation subject matter expert, partnering closely with executive leadership to ensure compensation programs support the attraction, retention, and engagement of top talent while aligning with business objectives and growth strategies.

Reporting to the VP of Organizational Development, the Director of Compensation will lead the compensation function, provide data-driven insights and recommendations, and oversee all aspects of compensation strategy, including salary structures, incentive programs, market benchmarking, compensation governance, and the compensation implications of mergers and acquisitions.

What You’ll Do

Compensation Strategy & Leadership

• Develop, implement, and continuously refine a competitive, equitable, and market-aligned compensation philosophy that supports the firm's business and talent objectives.
• Serve as the firm's primary compensation advisor, providing thought leadership and guidance to executive leadership, Human Resources, Talent Acquisition, and business leaders on compensation strategy, market trends, and pay decisions.
• Lead, coach, and develop a high-performing compensation team while fostering a culture of collaboration, accountability, innovation, and continuous improvement.
• Translate evolving business priorities, including the firm's AI consulting growth strategy, into effective compensation programs that attract and retain specialized talent.

Annual Compensation Programs

• Own and manage the end-to-end annual compensation planning process, including merit increases, salary structure adjustments, and annual incentive program administration.
• Partner with Finance and business leadership to develop bonus program designs, funding recommendations, and payout models aligned with organizational and individual performance.
• Ensure all compensation programs are executed accurately, efficiently, and within approved budgets and governance standards.
• Continuously enhance compensation processes and leverage Workday capabilities to improve efficiency, scalability, and the user experience for HR partners and leaders.

Market Intelligence & Compensation Design

• Lead participation in compensation surveys and conduct ongoing market analyses to ensure compensation programs remain competitive across geographies, industries, and talent segments.
• Design and maintain salary structures, job architecture frameworks, and compensation guidelines that support internal equity and market competitiveness.
• Monitor emerging compensation trends, particularly within consulting, technology, and AI-focused organizations, and recommend program enhancements as appropriate.
• Partner closely with Talent Acquisition to align compensation philosophy, market positioning, recruiting practices, and candidate messaging. Provide compensation guidance and training to support consistent and compliant hiring decisions.

Mergers, Acquisitions & Special Programs

• Lead compensation-related due diligence, integration planning, harmonization efforts, and retention strategies associated with mergers and acquisitions.
• Design and administer specialized compensation programs, including retention awards, sign-on incentives, and project-based incentive plans.

Data, Analytics & Technology

• Leverage Workday and other analytical tools to develop reporting, dashboards, and insights that support strategic decision-making.
• Build and maintain compensation models to support workforce planning, budgeting, forecasting, compensation analysis, and pay equity reviews.
• Ensure the integrity, accuracy, and governance of compensation data and processes.
• Identify opportunities to leverage AI and automation to enhance reporting, analytics, process efficiency, and decision support capabilities.

Compliance & Governance

• Ensure compensation programs are designed and administered in compliance with applicable federal, state, local, and international regulations.
• Partner with Legal, Finance, and other stakeholders on executive compensation matters, deferred compensation programs, and regulatory reporting requirements.
• Maintain and enhance compensation governance frameworks, approval processes, and documentation standards.

AI Utilization & Development

• Contribute to the development and implementation of firm-approved AI-enabled solutions in accordance with company policies, professional standards, and data privacy requirements.
• Stay informed on emerging AI technologies and identify opportunities to responsibly improve compensation processes, analytics, and operational effectiveness.

What You’ll Bring

• 12+ years of progressive compensation experience, including at least 3 years of people leadership responsibility.
• Experience within professional services, consulting, financial services, or similarly complex organizations strongly preferred.
• Deep expertise in compensation program design, salary administration, compensation planning, and incentive program management.
• Hands‑on experience with Workday Compensation, including configuration, reporting, analytics, and compensation cycle administration.
• Strong analytical capabilities with the ability to translate complex information into actionable recommendations and executive-level presentations.
• Experience supporting compensation due diligence, integration planning, and retention strategies related to mergers and acquisitions.
• Demonstrated success influencing and partnering with senior executives and key stakeholders.
• Proven track record of building, leading, and developing high‑performing teams.
• Excellent communication and presentation skills, with the ability to simplify complex compensation concepts for diverse audiences.
• Experience designing compensation programs for technology, AI, data, or highly specialized talent populations.
• Global compensation experience across multiple regions and jurisdictions preferred.
• Demonstrated interest in leveraging AI and emerging technologies to advance compensation strategy and operations.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Business, Finance, Economics, Accounting, or a related field.
• Certified Compensation Professional (CCP) designation or equivalent strongly preferred.

For applicants located in Virginia, CrossCountry Consulting is required to include an estimate of the compensation range for this role. The following range takes into account a wide range of factors including but not limited to, skills, experience, education, licenses, certifications, business needs, and internal equity. An estimate of the current range is $190,000-$260,000 per year + annual bonus + additional benefits.

Benefits Summary

The CrossCountry total rewards package includes comprehensive healthcare options, including medical, dental, and vision coverage; flexible spending accounts; and a 401(k) with company matching. Additionally, employees can take advantage of generous parental and maternity leave policies, technology stipends, and wellness reimbursement programs, all designed to support both professional growth and personal well-being. For detailed information about benefits at CrossCountry, please visit our dedicated benefits site: https://www.crosscountry-consulting.com/careers/benefits/.

Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO)

CrossCountry provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment and believes that respect and fair treatment are critical to creating a productive and inclusive workplace.

As an equal opportunity employer, CrossCountry is fully committed to comply with all federal, state, and local laws and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability, pregnancy, genetics, sexual orientation, veteran status, gender identity or expression or any other protected characteristic. The company also complies with pay transparency and labor laws applicable to all terms and conditions of employment.