Director, Compensation

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