Senior Commissions Forecasting & Design Lead
Remote · United States · Remote · Posted Oct 2, 2026
At a glance
- Workplace
- Remote
- Location
- Remote · United States
About the role
- Motive is looking for a Senior Commissions Forecasting & Sales Compensation Program Lead to own commissions modeling, forecasting, and related analysis in an FP&A-partnering planning process.
- The role assists in designing, operationalizing, and continuously improving global sales compensation programs while sitting at the intersection of FP&A, Sales, GTM Strategy and Operations, Finance, People, Legal, Payroll, and Business Technology.
- This is a high-impact individual-contributor role for someone who can move comfortably between FP&A forecasting, strategic design discussions, detailed modeling, policy language, system requirements, and field-facing explanation.
Responsibilities
- Own the end-to-end commissions forecast process in partnership with FP&A and sales ops, including forecast calendar, model structure, assumptions, source data, submissions, and change control.
- Produce monthly, quarterly, and annual commissions forecasts and explain actuals-to-forecast and forecast-to-plan variances by segment, role, plan component, headcount movement, attainment, and timing.
- Establish forecast inputs and operating rhythms with Sales Ops, Finance, People, Payroll, and business leaders; document ownership, deadlines, assumptions, and evidence.
- Assist in the design and evolution of sales compensation plans across multiple segments, roles, geographies, and pay periods.
- Translate GTM strategy into measurable compensation mechanics, including quotas, crediting rules, accelerators, kickers, draws, SPIFFs, MBOs, ramping structures, and exception frameworks.
- Build models and scenario analyses to evaluate plan outcomes, behavioral incentives, fairness, payout volatility, cost implications, and implementation complexity.
- Partner with Sales Leadership, GTM Strategy and Operations, Finance, People, Legal, Payroll, and Business Technology to align on requirements, tradeoffs, approvals, and timing.
- Co-own the compensation-design workstream for major programs such as annual-plan redesigns, new-product incentives, role or segment changes, and compensation-system migrations.
- Convert approved design decisions into clear business requirements, decision logs, process documentation, test cases, and implementation-ready specifications.
- Support audit and IPO-readiness activities by ensuring that plan logic, approvals, controls, and evidence are complete and reusable.
Requirements
- 6+ years of experience in FP&A, sales compensation, incentive compensation, sales operations, revenue operations, finance, or a closely related analytical discipline, including meaningful ownership of commissions or variable-compensation forecasting.
- Demonstrated experience designing or materially changing sales compensation plans in a complex, multi-segment organization.
- Strong FP&A, analytical, and financial-modeling skills; able to work comfortably with large datasets and build transparent forecast, bridge, variance, and scenario models.
- Deep understanding of compensation mechanics such as quota allocation, attainment, crediting, accelerators, kickers, draws, ramping, clawbacks, SPIFFs, and exception handling.
- Experience partnering with FP&A and senior stakeholders and building consensus across Sales, Finance, Operations, People, and Technology.
- Ability to write clear policy language, business requirements, process documentation, and executive-ready recommendations.
- Strong systems orientation and experience with an incentive compensation management platform such as Xactly, Varicent, CaptivateIQ, Everstage, Anaplan, or an equivalent system.
- Excellent written, verbal, and presentation skills, including the ability to explain complex compensation mechanics to non-specialists.
- High ownership, attention to detail, sound judgment, and comfort operating in ambiguous, high-change environments.
- The applicant must be authorized to receive and access those commodities and technologies controlled under U.S. Export Administration Regulations.
Preferred qualifications
- Experience supporting a global SaaS, technology, or subscription business.
- Experience with Salesforce, Workday, Snowflake, SQL, or business-intelligence tools.
- Experience designing compensation for both new-logo and account-management organizations.
- Experience creating enablement programs, compensation hubs, FAQs, or self-service resources.
Benefits
- Health benefits
- Pharmacy benefits
- Optical care benefits
- Dental care benefits
- Paid time off
- Sick time off
- Short term and long term disability coverage
- Life insurance
- 401k contribution
- Restricted stock units (for certain roles)
Skills
- Salesforce
- Workday
- Snowflake
- SQL
- Xactly
- Varicent
- CaptivateIQ
- Everstage
- Anaplan
- FP&A
