Senior Compensation Manager

Kimley-Horn; Raleigh (NC); On-site; USD 120,000 - 160,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Retirement plan

Health coverage

Time off

Student loan matching

Tuition reimbursement

New parent leave

Job summary

Kimley-Horn is seeking a Senior Compensation Manager to lead the firm’s compensation function in Raleigh, NC. The role oversees salary administration, governance, and decision support, partnering with leadership and an external consultant to align compensation with business priorities.

This hands-on leadership position emphasizes scalable, audit-ready processes, market pricing, and cost impact analyses, with mentorship of compensation analysts and ongoing process improvements.

Qualifications

• 10+ years of experience in compensation with strong focus on salary administration.
• Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, Finance, or related field.
• Proven experience managing salary structures, market pricing, and compensation cycles.
• Experience advising senior leaders on compensation decisions and trade-offs.
• Strong analytical skills with advanced Excel and data interpretation capabilities.
• Demonstrated ability to operate at both a strategic and hands-on level.

Responsibilities

• Own and lead the firm’s compensation function, including salary administration frameworks, policies, and governance.
• Serve as the primary compensation partner to senior leadership, providing clear, data-driven recommendations and guidance in partnership with our external consultant.
• Administer and evolve the salary structure, including job mapping, pay positioning, and range management.
• Lead and actively manage compensation decisions, including offers, promotions, and off-cycle adjustments.
• Serve as the escalation point for complex or high-impact pay decisions, providing clear, defensible recommendations.
• Lead the annual salary review process, including planning, guidance, and calibration across the firm.
• Support bonus administration and ensure alignment to overall compensation programs.
• Oversee market pricing and benchmarking to maintain competitive, market-aligned salary ranges.
• Analyze compensation data to identify trends, risks, and opportunities (e.g., equity, compression, market gaps).
• Partner with Finance on budgeting, workforce planning, and compensation cost impacts.
• Establish and maintain consistent processes, documentation, and controls to support audit-ready, defensible decisions.
• Drive process improvements to increase consistency, efficiency, and scalability of salary administration.
• Serve as a trusted advisor to HR and office leadership, translating data into practical, actionable guidance.
• Mentor and develop compensation analysts while helping build the structure and capabilities of the team over time.

Skills

Advanced Excel

Data interpretation

Stakeholder management

Strategic thinking

Communication

Analytical skills

Mentoring

Education

Bachelor's degree in HR/Business/Finance

Certified Compensation Professional (CCP)

Tools

HRIS

Job description

Overview

We are seeking a Senior Compensation Manager to lead the firm’s compensation function, with primary responsibility for salary administration, governance, and decision support. This role partners closely with firm leadership to shape and maintain a compensation approach that is competitive, equitable, and aligned with business priorities-while remaining closely involved in execution.

This is a hands-on role that balances leadership, judgment, and day-to-day ownership of key compensation processes, with a focus on building scalable practices as the function grows.

Kimley-Horn is looking for a Compensation Manager to join our Raleigh, North Carolina (NC) office. This is not a remote position.

Responsibilities

• Own and lead the firm’s compensation function, including salary administration frameworks, policies, and governance
• Serve as the primary compensation partner to senior leadership, providing clear, data-driven recommendations and guidance in partnership with our external consultant.
• Administer and evolve the salary structure, including job mapping, pay positioning, and range management
• Lead and actively manage compensation decisions, including offers, promotions, and off-cycle adjustments
• Serve as the escalation point for complex or high-impact pay decisions, providing clear, defensible recommendations
• Lead the annual salary review process, including planning, guidance, and calibration across the firm
• Support bonus administration and ensure alignment to overall compensation programs
• Oversee market pricing and benchmarking to maintain competitive, market-aligned salary ranges
• Analyze compensation data to identify trends, risks, and opportunities (e.g., equity, compression, market gaps)
• Partner with Finance on budgeting, workforce planning, and compensation cost impacts
• Establish and maintain consistent processes, documentation, and controls to support audit-ready, defensible decisions
• Drive process improvements to increase consistency, efficiency, and scalability of salary administration
• Serve as a trusted advisor to HR and office leadership, translating data into practical, actionable guidance
• Mentor and develop compensation analysts while helping build the structure and capabilities of the team over time

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, Finance, or related field
• 10+ years of experience in compensation, with strong focus on salary administration
• Proven experience managing salary structures, market pricing, and compensation cycles
• Experience advising senior leaders on compensation decisions and trade-offs
• Strong analytical skills with advanced Excel and data interpretation capabilities
• Demonstrated ability to operate at both a strategic and hands-on level
• Strong communication, judgment, and stakeholder management skillsPreferred Qualifications
• Certified Compensation Professional (CCP)
• Experience in a professional services environment
• Experience mentoring or leading team members

Why Kimley-Horn?

At Kimley-Horn, we do things differently. People, clients, and employees are at the forefront of who we are. Clients know we prioritize achieving their goals and growing their success. Employees know our culture and approach to business are built on a desire to provide an environment for everyone to flourish. Our commitment to quality is only as good as the people behind it- that's why we welcome and develop passionate, hardworking, and proactive employees. We take pride in how our employee retention, robust benefits package, and company values have led to Kimley-Horn's placement on the Fortune "100 Best Companies to Work" list for 19 years!

Key Benefits at Kimley-Horn

• Exceptional Retirement Plan: 2-to1- company match on up to 4% of eligible compensation (salary + bonus) and additional profit-sharing contribution.
• Comprehensive Health Coverage: Low-cost medical, dental, and vision insurance options.
• Time Off: Personal leave, flexible scheduling, floating holidays, and half-day Fridays.
• Financial Wellness: Student loan matching in our 401(k), and performance-based bonuses.
• Professional Development: Tuition reimbursement and extensive internal training programs.
• Family-Friendly Benefits: New Parent Leave, family building benefits, and childcare resources.