Partner Compensation & Evaluation Director

Sidley Austin LLP; Chicago (IL); Hybrid; USD 161,000 - 230,000; Full time

Job summary

Sidley Austin LLP in Illinois is seeking a Partner Compensation & Evaluation Associate Director to lead the compensation and evaluation function for the partner population. You will oversee analytics, reporting, documentation, and coordination with Partner Matters and adjacent teams, ensuring accurate and confidential activity in a complex, evolving compensation structure.

The role requires deep experience in compensation or finance, strong leadership, and the ability to manage multiple projects

Qualifications

• 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, 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.

Job description

Sidley Austin LLP in Illinois is seeking a Partner Compensation & Evaluation Associate Director to lead the compensation and evaluation function for the partner population. You will oversee analytics, reporting, documentation, and coordination with Partner Matters and adjacent teams, ensuring accurate and confidential activity in a complex, evolving compensation structure.

The role requires deep experience in compensation or finance, strong leadership, and the ability to manage multiple projects