Director, Compensation
Summary
Leads Databricks' compensation strategy, designing programs to attract and retain talent while managing a team of compensation partners and collaborating with HR and business leaders.
GAQ327R302
Databricks is seeking a seasoned compensation leader to serve as a Director, Compensation, driving strategic impact across the business while leading and developing a team of client compensation partners. Reporting to the VP, Total Rewards, this role is responsible for building and delivering best-in-class compensation programs that help attract, retain, and motivate world-class talent across Databricks.
At Databricks, we don't believe compensation is just a number; it's a tool to recognize that every employee is an owner and a part of our success. We are looking for a leader who combines deep technical compensation expertise with exceptional people leadership and a passion for building scalable, equitable programs.
The impact you will have:
This is a high-impact, people leadership role that will effectively cover the below areas and the anticipated time spent on each:
- Leading, coaching, and developing a team of three to four client compensation partners (25%)
- Partnering with the VP Rewards and other team members to drive enterprise-wide compensation strategy, design, and program delivery (30%)
- Collaboration with People team members, business leaders, and other cross-functional partners on complex, sensitive compensation matters (25%)
- Operational excellence, tooling, and continuous improvement of compensation infrastructure (20%)
What we look for:
Compensation expertise
- Know your craft — Deep mastery of job architecture, compensation frameworks, market pricing, year-end and midyear pay cycles, global compensation practices, and pay-for-performance design; demonstrated experience designing and scaling programs across a fast-growing, global organization
- Know your data — Exceptional analytical horsepower with the ability to translate complex data into clear narratives, recommendations, and executive-ready insights; strong command of competitive trends in cash, equity, and total rewards; advanced capabilities in gSheets and Excel; proficiency in Tableau, SQL, Python, or AI-assisted analytics is a strong plus
- Know the competition — Expert-level knowledge of tech compensation practices, particularly around equity strategy (new hire, refresh, and performance-based), and an ability to benchmark and evolve programs to stay ahead of the market
- Be rational — Ability to hold the tension between compensation philosophy, first-principles reasoning, and pragmatic business solutioning; comfortable making and defending difficult tradeoffs in ambiguous situations
People leadership
- Develop talent — Proven track record of leading, mentoring, and growing a team of compensation professionals; ability to set a clear vision, delegate with confidence, and create an environment where the team does their best work
- Drive accountability — Set clear goals and expectations, create feedback loops, and hold the team to a high bar while remaining a supportive and empowering manager
- Model the craft — Remain hands-on where needed; serve as a thought partner and technical escalation point for your team on complex or high-stakes compensation decisions
Operational and partnership excellence
- Build innovatively & scale effectively — Architect frameworks and solutions that address today's challenges while anticipating the needs of a rapidly scaling organization; champion consistency and repeatability without sacrificing flexibility
- Leverage AI and automation — Define and execute a roadmap for next-generation compensation tooling and data infrastructure; actively leverage AI to improve market pricing, decision quality, manager enablement, and workflow efficiency; champion a culture of continuous improvement through technology
- Operational capability — Connect the dots across systems, stakeholders, and programs to deliver compensation products and cycles with precision and at scale; ensure data, workflows, and governance are built to support compliant, scalable execution
- Savvy collaborator — Partner closely with People Business Partners, Finance, Legal, and senior business leadership to understand, anticipate, and solve complex talent and business needs; navigate competing priorities and organizational dynamics to drive the best outcomes; serve as the compensation lead on M&A diligence and integration activities
- Trusted advisor — Serve as a credible, senior voice on the most sensitive and consequential compensation decisions across the company, including executive offers, critical retention situations, organizational restructuring, and cross-functional pay equity matters; bring sound judgment and data-backed recommendations every time
What you'll bring
- 10+ years of progressive compensation experience, with at least 3 years in a people management role leading a team of compensation professionals
- Deep experience in the tech sector — preferably at a high-growth private or pre-IPO company — with a strong grasp of how compensation strategy evolves across different stages of scale
- Proven ability to design and deliver enterprise-wide compensation programs (year-end cycles, midyear, equity refresh, promotions) across a global, distributed workforce
- Track record of operating as a senior business partner to founders, executives, and People leadership on high-stakes, time-sensitive compensation decisions
- Demonstrated experience using data and analytics to drive compensation decisions; comfort with tools like gSheets, Excel, and ideally Tableau, SQL, or Python
Pay Range Transparency
Databricks is committed to fair and equitable compensation practices. The pay range(s) for this role is listed below and represents the expected base salary range for non-commissionable roles or on-target earnings for commissionable roles. Actual compensation packages are based on several factors that are unique to each candidate, including but not limited to job-related skills, depth of experience, relevant certifications and training, and specific work location. Based on the factors above, Databricks anticipated utilizing the full width of the range. The total compensation package for this position may also include eligibility for annual performance bonus, equity, and the benefits listed above. For more information regarding which range your location is in visit our page here.
About Databricks
Databricks is the Data and AI company. More than 20,000 organizations worldwide — including adidas, AT&T, Bayer, Block, Mastercard, Rivian, Unilever, and 70% of the Fortune 500 — rely on the Databricks Data + AI Platform to build and scale data and AI apps, analytics and agents. Headquartered in San Francisco with 30+ offices around the globe, Databricks offers a unified platform that includes Genie, Lakebase, Agent Bricks, Lakeflow, Lakehouse, and Unity Catalog. To learn more, follow Databricks on LinkedIn, X, YouTube, and Instagram.
Benefits
At Databricks, we strive to provide comprehensive benefits and perks that meet the needs of all of our employees. For specific details on the benefits offered in your region click here.
Our Commitment to Diversity and Inclusion
At Databricks, we are committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive culture where everyone can excel. We take great care to ensure that our hiring practices are inclusive and meet equal employment opportunity standards. Individuals looking for employment at Databricks are considered without regard to age, color, disability, ethnicity, family or marital status, gender identity or expression, language, national origin, physical and mental ability, political affiliation, race, religion, sexual orientation, socio-economic status, veteran status, and other protected characteristics.
Compliance
If access to export-controlled technology or source code is required for performance of job duties, it is within Employer's discretion whether to apply for a U.S. government license for such positions, and Employer may decline to proceed with an applicant on this basis alone.
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