Head of Global Compensation

Whirlpool, Inc.; Benton Harbor (MI); On-site; USD 210,000 - 320,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Always On Flexibility

Work from Anywhere (2 weeks/year)

Sabbatical every 5 years

Job summary

Whirlpool Corporation, a leading U.S.-based home appliance innovator, seeks a Global Compensation leader to design and govern broad-based and executive pay programs. You will guide strategy, structure, and governance, partnering with Legal, Finance, and HR to deliver compliant, market-competitive total rewards enterprise-wide.

This role drives global policy projects, maintains job architecture, and leads cross-functional teams through annual merit cycles, equity vehicles, and M&A compensation

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in HR, Finance, or a related field.
• 12+ years in corporate compensation, total rewards, or compensation consulting.
• 5+ years designing and managing executive compensation and equity vehicles.
• Experience preparing materials for the Compensation Committee and proxy disclosures.
• Experience designing multi-regional compensation architectures across a global footprint.

Responsibilities

• Lead the strategy, design, and scaling of broad-based and executive compensation programs, including base salary, STIs, LTIs, and retention or equity vehicles.
• Prepare board-ready materials for the HR Committee and align with business objectives.
• Oversee executive compensation disclosures, CD&A narratives, and proxy tables.
• Maintain global job architecture, titling conventions, and role evaluations across families.
• Lead annual compensation planning, merit cycles, and distribution of statements.
• Head compensation strategy for mergers and acquisitions, including due diligence and integration.

Skills

Executive compensation design

Global compensation strategy

Cross-functional leadership

SEC disclosures

Merger & acquisition integration

Education

Bachelor's degree in HR or Finance

Master’s degree and/or CCP/CECP

Tools

SAP SuccessFactors

Job description

About Whirlpool Corporation

Whirlpool Corporation (NYSE: WHR) is a leading home appliance company, in constant pursuit of improving life at home. As the only major U.S.-based manufacturer of kitchen and laundry appliances, the company is driving meaningful innovation to meet the evolving needs of consumers through its iconic brand portfolio, including Whirlpool, KitchenAid, JennAir, Maytag, Amana, Brastemp, Consul, and InSinkErator. In 2024, the company reported approximately $17 billion in annual sales - close to 90% of which were in the Americas - 44,000 employees, and 40 manufacturing and technology research centers. Additional information about the company can be found at WhirlpoolCorp.com.

This Role in Summary

Whirlpool Corporation is seeking a Global Compensation (Executive and Broad-Based) leader to join our Total Rewards COE within the Human Resources organization, reporting into our VP of Total Rewards. In this global leadership role, you will steer the strategic design, implementation, and governance of broad-based and executive compensation programs to attract, retain, and motivate top talent in alignment with Whirlpool’s business objectives. Serving as the primary advisor to HR and business leaders, you will ensure organizational alignment across all levels, oversee high-impact global policy projects (severance, retention, titling), and lead cross-functional global teams to deliver compliant, consistent, and clearly communicated compensation practices enterprise wide.

Your Responsibilities Will Include

Global Compensation Strategy & Operations

• Lead the strategy, structural design, and scaling of broad base and executive compensation programs, including base salary, short-term incentives, long-term incentives, and custom retention or transformation equity vehicles.
• Formulate materials, financial models, and strategic recommendations for the Human Resources Committee (HRC). Ensure all materials are board-ready and aligned with broader business objectives.
• Partner with Legal and Finance to author and review required executive compensation disclosures, including Forms 4, 10-K, and the Compensation Discussion and Analysis (CD&A) narrative and accompanying executive tables in the annual proxy statement.
• Advise HR and business leaders on adjustments to executive compensation, and communicate total rewards packages to incoming executives.
• Maintain the global job architecture, including titling conventions, role leveling, and executive role evaluations across job families.
• Provide leadership and oversee the annual compensation planning process, including the global merit cycle, market pricing, short-term incentive payouts, and the distribution of compensation statements.
• Lead global compensation strategy for mergers and acquisitions, including due diligence, integration, and divestitures—aligning acquired total rewards structures with overall enterprise frameworks to ensure internal equity and financial control.

Market Intelligence & Compliance

• Research external market and compensation practices to conduct benchmarking studies and track organizational market competitiveness.
• Manage relationships with compensation survey providers, external consulting firms, and third-party vendors to execute data analyses.
• Develop global compensation metrics, dashboards, and KPIs to monitor program and policy effectiveness.
• Monitor and implement changes to comply with global pay regulations and pay transparency legislation to ensure practices are equitable.

HR & Business Partnership

• Serve as a subject matter expert, providing guidance and strategies to senior leadership.
• Collaborate across global and regional functions (including Finance, Legal, HRIS, HR Operations, Talent Acquisition, Global Mobility, Stock Plan Administration, and Regional Compensation) to seamlessly integrate compensation programs into overarching talent initiatives.
• Deliver communications and training to global leaders and HR business partners regarding compensation policies, guidelines, and program implementation.

Minimum Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in HR, Finance, or a related field.
• 12+ years of progressive experience in corporate compensation, total rewards, or compensation consulting, with a dedicated focus on compensation design and strategy.
• 5+ years of hands-on experience designing and managing executive compensation, equity vehicles, and public company incentive structures.
• Experience preparing materials for, or presenting to, the Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors.
• Deep familiarity with public company corporate governance, SEC regulations, and hands-on experience co-authoring the CD&A narrative and managing proxy disclosure tables.
• Proven experience designing and managing complex, multi-regional compensation architectures across a global footprint, with strong working knowledge of international pay equity and transparency regulations.
• Experience managing relationships with external compensation consultants, legal counsel, and third-party vendors.
• Exceptional business acumen and communication skills, with a demonstrated ability to influence, challenge, and advise executive and C-suite leadership.

Preferred Skills and Experiences:

• Master’s degree and/or professional certifications (e.g., Certified Compensation Professional [CCP], Certified Executive Compensation Professional [CECP]).
• Experience leading the design and implementation of global compensation programs and processes, with proven success driving results across all levels of an organization.
• Advanced proficiency in HRIS compensation modules (specifically SAP SuccessFactors) alongside experience utilizing modern, AI-driven market data platforms and advanced data visualization tools.

Additional Information:

Whirlpool's Ways of Working:

• Always On Flexibility: You will have the autonomy to manage personal, family, and outside-of-work commitments as needed.
• Two-Week Work from Anywhere: Minimum of one-week increments for a total of two weeks per year.
• Sabbatical: Four weeks paid leave after every five years of service.

Connect with us and learn more about Whirlpool Corporation. See what it's like to work at Whirlpool by visiting Whirlpool Careers. Additional information about the company can be found on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram and YouTube. Whirlpool Corporation is committed to equal employment opportunity and prohibits any discrimination on the basis of race or ethnicity, religion, sex, pregnancy, gender expression or identity, sexual orientation, age, physical or mental disability, veteran status, or any other category protected by applicable law.