Sales Compensation Expert (Director, Analyst; Remote - U.S.)

About this role:

Gartner analysts ensure that our executive clients receive the best strategic business advice, support, and direction for their decision-making. To optimize client impact, analysts are responsible for developing must-have content, performing stellar client Interactions, and driving performance to help scale and innovate our research. In addition, analysts are responsible for innovative research, timely delivery cadence and collaboration within and across teams.

As part of Gartner's Sales and Customer Service practice, you'll help B2B sales leaders responsible for the annual sales compensation planning process align sales goals and compensation with their company's overall strategic and financial goals. You’ll advise clients on plan administration best practices, including quota allocation, plan distribution, monthly accrual support and payout calculations.

What you'll do:

• Create insightful and actionable research in multiple formats (i.e., writing, video, infographics, podcasts) on sales compensation plan design, administration and communication for enterprise B2B sales organizations.
• Deliver actionable advice and represent thought leadership rooted in quantitative and qualitative data sources to sales leaders through video-based presentations and discussions with clients.
• Remain ahead of the curve on developments and issues within enterprise B2B sales compensation topics as well as applicable adjacent areas.
• Lead webinars and present at Gartner live and virtual events on sales compensation topics.

What you’ll need:

• 7+ years of experience in sales compensation analysis in an enterprise B2B sales organization or a consulting role to sales organizations, working with sales leadership to set achievable sales targets and quotas and establish benchmarks to evaluate sales performance.
• 3+ years of experience in incentive plan design and administration, including developing commission structures, bonus plans and other incentives to motivate and reward sales teams.
• Proficiency with quota allocation, plan structures, processes, methodologies and distribution, monthly accrual support, accelerators and payout calculations.
• A clear, demonstrable understanding of how incentive plans and their effectiveness align to the broader business strategy and organizational financial goals, as well as the common KPIs used to measure, report and optimize compensation program performance.
• Familiarity with and/or experience using sales compensation planning tools/sales performance management solutions that support core incentive compensation management processes and optimize sales productivity through effective territory and quota planning.

This role requires subject matter expertise in at least three of the following areas:

• Experience with providing senior sales leadership detailed analysis on incentive plan effectiveness and tracking variances from established projections and metrics to support resource planning.
• Perspective on how advances in AI, predictive analytics and natural language processing will change enterprise-scale incentive, territory and quota planning.
• Knowledge of how to design and distribute clear, emotionally resonant compensation plan communications that engage sellers, improve plan perceptions and align seller performance with company interests.
• Understanding of how sales must work collaboratively with other organizational functions (e.g., service, IT, human resources, finance) to successfully build and implement incentive plans and other reward and recognition programs within a shared governance framework.

Additional proven skills required include:

• Strong business and financial acumen as well as analytical skills.

• Stellar writing and verbal communication skills, notably the ability to explain complex concepts both concisely and simply and engage clients and respond adeptly to questions.

• Demonstrated capacity to piece together fragments of information — applying conceptual models, recognizing patterns, and drawing and framing conclusions in real time — with clients and during meetings.
• Impeccable time management skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities independently.
• Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience; Graduate degree preferred.
• Ability to conduct occasional travel, regionally and globally.

Who you are:

• To thrive in this role, it helps if you are obsessed with your topic. Gartner analysts are correctly viewed as THE experts. This means you need to live and breathe your subject matter while also adapting your expertise to meet client maturity level.
• Excellent collaborator with researchers, sales and other analysts, with the ability to quickly build rapport and gain client