Partner Compensation & Evaluation Associate Director

Esquire Recruiting, LLC; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 180,000 - 240,000; Full time

Job summary

Global Law Firm in Chicago is seeking an experienced Partner Compensation & Evaluation Associate Director to lead the firm’s compensation and evaluation functions from its Chicago HQ. You will oversee analytics, documentation, reporting, and coordination with adjacent Partner matters teams to ensure accurate, timely, confidential processes.

The role requires strategic leadership, deep experience in partner compensation, and the ability to drive changes across a complex, matrixed organization

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in accounting, Finance, Business, Economics, HR, Data Analytics, or related field.
• Minimum of 12 years of progressive experience in compensation, finance, accounting, analytics, human resources, or a related function.
• Experience managing confidential compensation, performance evaluation, financial, or senior stakeholder-related processes.
• Demonstrated analytical capability, including experience developing reports, models, dashboards, decision-support materials, or executive-facing analysis.
• Experience leading teams, managing projects or processes, and coordinating work across functions.

Responsibilities

• Lead the Partner Compensation & Evaluation function and manage the team responsible for compensation process support, evaluation coordination, analytics, reporting, documentation, and stakeholder coordination.
• Establish clear priorities, timelines, accountabilities, handoffs, controls, and service expectations for compensation and evaluation activity.
• Manage support for the Partner evaluation and compensation review process, including preparation for Management Committee compensation review meetings.
• Coordinate evaluation-related timelines, materials, data inputs, stakeholder follow-up, process documentation, and leadership reporting.
• Analyze quantitative and qualitative factors to support compensation discussions, leadership decision-making, Partner promotions, and other Partner population changes.
• Oversee the development of compensation analytics, reporting, models, and decision-support materials for Firm leadership.
• Track compensation-related decisions, individual agreements, committee determinations, special arrangements, and separation-related compensation implications.
• Coordinate closely with Partner Accounting, Partner Relations, Partner Operations, Tax, Finance, Strategic Planning, and Firm leadership to ensure compensation decisions, changes, payments, and reporting are accurately reflected.
• Maintain strong controls, documentation standards, confidentiality protocols, data quality, and process discipline for compensation and evaluation-related work.
• Lead, coach, and develop Compensation & Evaluation team members, including clarifying roles, managing workload allocation, supporting training, providing feedback, and identifying staffing, process, system, or governance improvements.

Education

Bachelor’s degree in accounting, Finance, Business, Economics, HR, Data Analytics, or related field

Job description

Partner Compensation & Evaluation Associate Director | Global Law Firm | Chicago, IL Our prestigious and globally recognized AM LAW 50 law firm client is hiring an experienced Partner Compensation and Evaluation Associate Director in their Chicago HQ office. The Partner Compensation & Evaluation Associate Director is responsible for leading the Firm’s Partner Compensation & Evaluation function, including support for the Partner evaluation process, compensation review cycles, compensation analytics, documentation, reporting, and coordination with adjacent Partner Matters functions. This role will provide leadership and operational discipline for an increasingly complex function, ensuring compensation and evaluation activity is accurate, timely, confidential, well-controlled, and aligned with Firm leadership expectations as the Firm’s Partner population and compensation structures continue to evolve, including income partner-related processes. Working closely with the Partner Services Director, Partner Relations, Partner Operations, Partner Accounting, Tax, Finance, Strategic Planning, Firm leadership, and other stakeholders, this individual will serve as a key compensation and evaluation process leader, analytical partner, and coordination point for sensitive Partner compensation matters.

Our client firm is offering a highly competitive salary, bonus and benefit package.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Lead the Partner Compensation & Evaluation function and manage the team responsible for compensation process support, evaluation coordination, analytics, reporting, documentation, and stakeholder coordination.
• Establish clear priorities, timelines, accountabilities, handoffs, controls, and service expectations for compensation and evaluation activity.
• Manage support for the Partner evaluation and compensation review process, including preparation for Management Committee compensation review meetings.
• Coordinate evaluation-related timelines, materials, data inputs, stakeholder follow-up, process documentation, and leadership reporting.
• Analyze quantitative and qualitative factors to support compensation discussions, leadership decision-making, Partner promotions, and other Partner population changes.
• Oversee the development of compensation analytics, reporting, models, and decision-support materials for Firm leadership.
• Track compensation-related decisions, individual agreements, committee determinations, special arrangements, and separation-related compensation implications.
• Coordinate closely with Partner Accounting, Partner Relations, Partner Operations, Tax, Finance, Strategic Planning, and Firm leadership to ensure compensation decisions, changes, payments, and reporting are accurately reflected.
• Maintain strong controls, documentation standards, confidentiality protocols, data quality, and process discipline for compensation and evaluation-related work.
• Lead, coach, and develop Compensation & Evaluation team members, including clarifying roles, managing workload allocation, supporting training, providing feedback, and identifying staffing, process, system, or governance improvements.

REQUIREMENTS:

• Bachelor’s degree in accounting, Finance, Business, Economics, Human Resources, Data Analytics, or related field.
• Minimum of 12 years of progressive experience in compensation, finance, accounting, analytics, human resources, professional services administration, or a related function.
• Experience managing confidential compensation, performance evaluation, financial, or senior stakeholder-related processes.
• Demonstrated analytical capability, including experience developing reports, models, dashboards, decision-support materials, or executive-facing analysis.
• Experience leading teams, managing projects or processes, and coordinating work across functions.
• Demonstrated ability to operate in a complex, matrixed, service-oriented environment.

Preferred:

• Experience in a large law firm or sophisticated professional services organization.
• Experience with Partner compensation, professional services compensation, performance evaluation, executive compensation, or equity / income partner structures.
• Advanced degree, MBA, CPA, SHRM certification, compensation certification, or related credential.
• Experience with financial systems, compensation systems, data management tools, or advanced Excel / reporting platforms.

OTHER SKILLS AND ABILITIES:

The following will also be required of the successful candidate:

• Strong organizational skills
• Strong attention to detail
• Good judgment
• Strong interpersonal communication skills
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills
• Able to work harmoniously and effectively with others
• Able to preserve confidentiality and exercise discretion
• Able to work under pressure
• Able to manage multiple projects with competing deadlines and priorities.