Compensation Principal

Why USAA?

At USAA, our mission is to empower our members to achieve financial security through highly competitive products, exceptional service and trusted advice. We seek to be the #1 choice for the military community and their families.

Embrace a fulfilling career at USAA, where our core values – honesty, integrity, loyalty and service – define how we treat each other and our members. Be part of what truly makes us special and impactful.

The Opportunity

USAA’s Compensation Principal serves as a highly visible, strategic business partner and recognized subject matter expert, driving significant impact across the Association. This role leads the design, development, and administration of sophisticated compensation programs, providing expert consultation, in-depth analysis, and strategic advice to HR Business Partners, business leaders, and HR centers of excellence. The Compensation Principal proactively identifies and analyzes market trends, ensures regulatory compliance, and drives the evaluation of program effectiveness to ensure competitive attraction, retention, and motivation of talent. Leveraging a consulting style approach, this individual will partner with HR and the business on a variety of critical compensation initiatives, championing innovative solutions and translating complex compensation principles into clear guidance for executive stakeholders. Furthermore, the Compensation Principal will act as a mentor and coach to junior compensation consultants, contributing to the development of the broader Total Rewards team and ensuring the integrity and efficiency of compensation data and processes.

We offer a flexible work environment that requires an individual to be in the office 4 days per week.

This position can be based in one of the following locations: San Antonio, TX, Plano, TX, Phoenix, AZ, Colorado Springs, CO, Charlotte, NC, Chesapeake, VA or Tampa, FL.

Relocation assistance is not available for this position.

What you'll do:

• Serve as the trusted strategic advisor to Total Rewards leadership, senior management, and HR leaders on all compensation matters. This includes supporting the compensation philosophy, shaping long-term strategy, and advising on compensation programs (base pay, incentives, job architecture) to meet evolving talent and economic market demands.

• Provide day-to-day guidance, coaching, and mentorship to compensation consultants, HRBPs, recruiters, and people leaders on compensation-related matters, exception requests, pay decisions, and policy interpretation.

• Proactively share insights on compensation market trends impacting business areas. Conduct in-depth competitive analysis, research, and forecasting (demographic, financial, economic) to ensure compensation structures and levels attract and retain talent, and present findings and recommendations to senior leadership.

• Champion the design, implementation, and ongoing evaluation of critical compensation programs, with a specific focus on executive rewards, long-term incentives, and broad-based incentive plans, ensuring they are competitive, legally compliant, and support organizational strategic objectives.

• Demonstrate thought leadership by developing innovative, business-centric compensation solutions. Apply technical expertise to complex work deliverables and contribute to departmental and organizational initiatives, ensuring policies are current with market trends, practices, and costs.

• Collaborate with and influence key stakeholders, control partners, and executives across the organization through clear, complex written and verbal communications, including developing materials for senior leadership on plan mechanics, outcomes, and strategic recommendations.

• Measure and evaluate the effectiveness and performance of compensation programs, providing executive leadership with actionable recommendations and plans based on analysis of benchmarking research and trends.

• Ensure all compensation programs adhere to applicable laws and regulations (e.g., FLSA, Dodd-Frank, SEC rules) by partnering with control functions and conducting assessments against regulatory guidance.

• Lead efforts to develop advanced compensation analytics, reporting, and procedures. Ensure the accuracy and integrity of HR data through partnerships with HR Operations and HRIS, implementing automation for audits and quality control.

• Actively participate in industry network forums and collaborate with peers to stay abreast of best practices and emerging trends, ensuring the firm's compensation offerings remain competitive and aligned with market standards.

• Ensures risks associated with business activities are effectively identified, measured, monitor