Principal Sales Compensation Manager

Expel•Herndon, VA

23h•Remote

About The Position

You've built the models. You've stress-tested the plans. You've sat across from a skeptical sales rep and explained exactly why their commission payout is what it is and walked away with their trust. You love this stuff, and frankly, you're really good at it. Now you just need a place that's actually ready for someone like you. Welcome to Expel! We believe sales compensation should be a strategic lever, not just a spreadsheet exercise (though let's be honest, we love a good spreadsheet). We're looking for a Principal Sales Compensation Manager who's ready to own our global commissions program end to end: strategy, design, execution, and everything in between. You'll sit within Finance while working shoulder to shoulder with Revenue, FP&A, Employee Experience, and beyond. You won't just be running the numbers. You'll be shaping how we go to market. No big deal. (Okay, it's kind of a big deal.) What Expel can do for you Give you a real ownership stake in building and evolving a compensation program that directly impacts our revenue growth Surround you with collaborative, curious people who actually want to hear your ideas Provide the visibility and influence that comes with being a trusted partner to Sales leadership and Finance alike Ensure you get the support, mentoring, and feedback to make you successful What you can do for Expel Lead the strategy, design, and execution of our global sales compensation program from plan design through payout Partner with Revenue Ops, Sales Leadership, and FP&A to build competitive, data-driven compensation plans that motivate our sellers and align with our growth goals Own accurate, timely commission calculations and payments for our Revenue team, and field the tough follow-up questions with transparency and care Roll out new commission plans and spiffs with clear communication and documentation that earns trust across the org Drive our Incentive Compensation Management (ICM) tool strategy, owning configuration, enhancements, and the overall roadmap Build performance reporting and analytics that surface meaningful insights for leadership Develop and maintain process documentation and internal controls to keep our commissions cycle healthy and scalable

Requirements

7+ years of professional experience, with at least 5 focused on sales compensation, including owning strategy and execution for a sales org with 150+ commissionable employees
Deep expertise in sales compensation plan design, quota management, and commissions modeling
Salesforce.com experience (required) and hands-on experience with CaptivateIQ (required); CaptivateIQ certification is a big plus
Experience at a SaaS company (required); you know how recurring revenue businesses work and how comp programs need to evolve with them
Familiarity with financial systems like Sage Intacct and how they connect to the broader rev ops ecosystem
The ability to translate complex models and comp concepts into clear, compelling language that resonates with reps, leaders, and finance partners alike
A curious, creative, bold mindset; you ask great questions before jumping to solutions, and you're always looking for a better way
Bachelor's or postgraduate degree, or a compelling story

Responsibilities

Lead the strategy, design, and execution of our global sales compensation program from plan design through payout
Partner with Revenue Ops, Sales Leadership, and FP&A to build competitive, data-driven compensation plans that motivate our sellers and align with our growth goals
Own accurate, timely commission calculations and payments for our Revenue team, and field the tough follow-up questions with transparency and care
Roll out new commission plans and spiffs with clear communication and documentation that earns trust across the org
Drive our Incentive Compensation Management (ICM) tool strategy, owning configuration, enhancements, and the overall roadmap
Build performance reporting and analytics that surface meaningful insights for leadership
Develop and maintain process documentation and internal controls to keep our commissions cycle healthy and scalable