Ascensus is the leading independent technology and service platform powering savings plans across America, providing products and expertise that help nearly 16 million people save for a better today and tomorrow.

Company Overview

Ascensus is an organization that was founded nearly forty years ago with the purpose of helping more savers save more. Today, the company has more than $900B AUA and supports more than 15M Americans to save for their retirement and higher education.

The company is undergoing transformational change, leveraging technology and product innovation to deliver seamless experiences for individuals, employers, financial institutions, and partners.

Role Overview

We are seeking a strategic, hands-on Compensation Manager to modernize and scale our compensation foundation. This role is ideal for a compensation professional who enjoys building—from job architecture to incentive design—and who can simplify complexity into clear, manager-ready tools.

You will play a critical role in establishing a consistent job architecture, designing a new annual bonus structure aligned to business outcomes, and streamlining how job descriptions and compensation reviews are created and governed. Partnering closely with HR Business Partners, Finance, and senior leaders, you will ensure our pay programs are competitive, equitable, compliant, and easy to use.This role blends strategy and execution: shaping frameworks while rolling up your sleeves to make them work in practice.

What You’ll Do

Job Architecture & Structure

• Lead the design, implementation, and ongoing governance of a scalable job architecture, including job families, levels, career paths, and titling standards.
• Establish clear job evaluation and leveling methodologies to support internal equity and career progression.
• Partner with HR Business Partners and leaders to apply job architecture consistently across the organization.

Incentive & Bonus Design

• Design and launch a new annual bonus program that aligns performance, accountability, and business results.
• Partner with Finance and leadership to define performance measures, funding mechanics, and payout logic.
• Monitor program effectiveness and recommend enhancements based on outcomes and participant behavior.

Compensation Programs & Reviews

• Lead annual compensation review cycles, including merit, promotion, and bonus planning.
• Develop clear guidelines, tools, and communications that enable managers to make sound, equitable pay decisions.
• Conduct market pricing and benchmarking to ensure external competitiveness.

Job Description & Process Simplification

• Streamline job description creation by introducing standardized templates, governance, and intake processes.
• Ensure job descriptions are aligned to job architecture, market pricing, and compliance requirements.
• Reduce friction and cycle time in compensation and job evaluation processes while improving consistency and quality.

Analytics, Governance & Compliance

• Perform pay equity analyses and support remediation efforts as needed.
• Establish and maintain compensation governance, approval frameworks, and documentation.
• Ensure compliance with applicable pay-related laws and regulations, including pay transparency and equal pay requirements.

Partnership & Leadership

• Serve as a trusted advisor to HR, Finance, and business leaders on compensation strategy and decisions.
• Translate complex compensation concepts into practical guidance and clear recommendations.
• Coach and develop compensation team members (if applicable), fostering a strong analytical and service-oriented culture.

What You Bring

• Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business, Economics, or a related field; advanced degree or certification (e.g., CCP, GRP) a plus.
• 7–10+ years of progressive experience in compensation or total rewards.
• Demonstrated experience designing job architecture frameworks and leveling structures.
• Hands-on experience designing or significantly evolving annual bonus or incentive programs.
• Strong background in market pricing, salary structures, and compensation governance.
• Advanced analytical skills with the ability to model scenarios and tell a clear story with data.
• Experience simplifying processes and building manager-friendly tools and documentation.
• Ability to influence and partner effectively with leaders at all levels.
• Experience working with HRIS and compensation tools (e.g., Workday, SuccessFactors, Radford, Mercer, Aon).
• Experience with executive compensation and / or working on equity in PE backed organizations preferred.

Why This Role Is Compelling

• Opportunity to build and modernize core compensation foundations rather than simply maintain them.
• High visibility and partnership with senior leaders and Finance.
• Ability to leave a lasting imprint on job architecture, incentives, and how compensation decisions are made.
• A role that values practical judgment, clarity, and impact as much as technical expertise.

We are proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer and are committed to building a diverse and inclusive workplace.

Be aware of employment fraud. All email communications from Ascensus or its hiring managers originate from @ascensus.com or @futureplan.com email addresses. We will never ask you for payment or require you to purchase any equipment. If you are suspicious or unsure about validity of a job posting, we strongly encourage you to apply directly through our website.