Compensation & Benefits Director

• Design and continuously refine annual bonus structures and incentive frameworks across technical, commercial, and leadership populations.
• Partner with HRBP, business Operations, Finance, and executive leadership to ensure incentive models and commission structures align with Cognite’s global Compensation strategyDevelop compensation models tied to career architecture, creating clear progression pathways and meaningful reward differentiation across levels and functions.

• Own the end-to-end operational execution of global compensation programs: annual review cycles, bonus processing, equity planning, and promotion-related adjustments.
• Manage and scale automated compensation processes leveraging platforms such as Pave, Radford, and Cognite’s HRISto ensure efficiency, accuracy, and governance.
• In alignment with HRBP, partner with Finance Partners to align compensation planning with headcount budgets & financial forecasts
• Ensure all compensation processes, records, and decisions meet compliant auditability and controls standards

• Define and track key Compensation including market positioning, pay equity, compa-ratio distribution, retention impact, and incentive effectiveness.
• Interpret workforce analytics to proactively inform compensation strategy, identify talent risk, and surface actionable insights for senior leadership and the Board.
• Provide internal and external reporting and people data for respective audit and compliance requirements
• Enhance our practices in accordance with global pay transparency regulations and leverage data across HRIS, Finance, and benchmarking platforms to maintain a clear, real-time picture of Cognite’s compensation competitiveness.

• Serve as a trusted subject matter expert and advisor to the CHRO, CFO, and senior leadership on all compensation, equity, and mobility matters.
• Partner closely with People Business Partners, Talent Acquisition, and Finance to ensure the compensation strategy is embedded in hiring, performance, and planning processes.
• Collaborate across the People & Organization team as a genuine, hands-on partner — sharing knowledge, supporting others, and building the function’s credibility through delivery.
• Build effective partnerships with regional People Ops teams to ensure compensation & benefits is correctly reflected in our system (data accuracy and data management)

The Impact you bring to Cognite

• You are a rare combination of strategic thinker and operational executor — someone who can design the architecture and run the engine. You bring credibility at the Board level and the willingness to be in the detail when it matters. Hands-on operator: you lead from the front, roll up your sleeves, and take personal accountability for outcomes — you do not outsource the detail. Strong collaborator and genuine partner across People & Organization, Finance, and the business — able to build trust quickly and lead through influence. Exceptional executive presence: structured, clear, and confident in front of the CHRO, CFO, and Board. Strong financial and analytical acumen — able to build models, stress-test scenarios, and translate data into clear, actionable recommendations. Strong AI literacy and HR technology acumen, with experience leveraging modern tools to drive efficiency and insight in the rewards function. High ownership mindset: you thrive in ambiguity, move with urgency, and hold yourself and your team to a high standard.
• 12+ years of progressive experience in Compensation, Total Rewards, or related disciplines, with global scope and direct program leadership.
• Expertise in international compensation practices and frameworks including executive pay, and incentive design — with experience managing equity pools, and Board-level reporting.
• Proven background in a high-growth technology or SaaS environment, including advisory experience at C-suite or Board level.
• Experience designing and governing compensation frameworks across multiple geographies, including pay transparency and compliance requirements.
• 3-4 days Hybrid in Tempe office, AZ, with willingness to travel if required.

• Familiarity with Global Mobility, including EOR models, tax, pay, and cross-border compliance requirements.
• Experience with compensation benchmarking platforms such as Pave, Radford, or similar tools.
• Experience designing compensation for technical, AI, and engineering talent markets.
• Experience supporting a company through IPO preparation, public-company transition, and/or M&A processes.

A snapshot of our many perks and benefits as a Cogniter

• Impact 2025

• We’re globally recognized domain experts with an international presence that spans Phoenix, Houston, Oslo Tokyo, Bengaluru, and Abu Dhabi.