Opportunity at
MotiveSenior Commissions Forecasting & Design Lead
Motive is hiring a Senior Commissions Forecasting and Sales Compensation Program Lead. The individual contributor owns the commissions model and forecast inside an FP&A-supported planning process.…
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About This Role
Motive is hiring a Senior Commissions Forecasting and Sales Compensation Program Lead. The individual contributor owns the commissions model and forecast inside an FP&A-supported planning process. The job covers the method, upkeep of the model, validation of inputs, production of forecast submissions, and clear commentary for Finance and business leaders on why results moved. The role is on-site in the United States. Pay is posted by location, with a separate…
Job Description
Motive is hiring a Senior Commissions Forecasting and Sales Compensation Program Lead. The individual contributor owns the commissions model and forecast inside an FP&A-supported planning process. The job covers the method, upkeep of the model, validation of inputs, production of forecast submissions, and clear commentary for Finance and business leaders on why results moved. The role is on-site in the United States. Pay is posted by location, with a separate Canadian band.
Ownership covers the timing of forecast cycles, how the model is built, its assumptions, run-rate logic, staffing and plan-change feeds, source checks, and comparison of actuals against forecast and plan. The role also helps design and improve global sales compensation plans across segments, roles, regions and pay periods. That means converting GTM strategy into quotas, crediting rules, accelerators, draws, SPIFFs and ramp structures, and modeling payout behavior, fairness and cost. Approved decisions become requirements, decision logs, test cases and clear plan documents. Regular reporting on quota attainment, payments and forecast precision is produced, and plan rules and sign-offs are documented to stand up to audit as the company readies for listing.
It sits at the junction of FP&A, sales, sales operations, finance, HR, legal, payroll and business systems teams. Candidates need six or more years in FP&A, sales compensation, sales operations, revenue operations or a closely related analytical field, including real ownership of commissions or variable pay forecasting. Experience reworking complex, multi-segment compensation plans and strong financial modeling are expected. Experience with incentive-pay software, such as Xactly or Anaplan, is important. The lead mentors analysts without formal people-management duties. Posted salaries: San Francisco $132,000 to $182,000 USD; New York City and Seattle $115,000 to $158,000 USD; other US locations $114,000 to $157,000 USD; Canada $120,000 to $165,000 CAD.
Responsibilities
- Lead commissions forecasting from start to finish alongside FP&A and sales operations staff
- Deliver monthly, quarterly and yearly commission projections and clarify deviations
- Set forecast inputs and recurring operating routines with sales ops, finance, people and payroll
- Help design sales compensation plans and their mechanics
- Build models and scenarios that test behavior, fairness, payout swings and cost
- Turn approved designs into business requirements, decision logs and test cases
- Check system outputs against plan policy and trace the cause when results look wrong
- Produce enablement materials and clear plan documents for sellers and managers
- Keep governance, approvals and an audit trail in place for plan changes
Requirements
- Six or more years in FP&A, sales compensation, sales operations, revenue operations or finance, including commissions forecasting
- Prior work creating or reworking sales pay plans in an organization with several segments
- Strong FP&A and financial modeling skills on large datasets
- Working knowledge of quota allocation, crediting, accelerators, clawbacks, SPIFFs and exception handling
- Skill drafting plain policy wording, requirement specs and procedural write-ups
- Hands-on use of an incentive-pay system such as Xactly or Anaplan, or a similar product
- Excellent communication, including explaining mechanics to people outside the specialty
Qualifications
- Background at a worldwide software or subscription-based company
- Comfort with Salesforce, Workday, Snowflake and SQL, or BI platforms
- Experience designing pay for new-logo and account-management teams
- Experience building enablement programs, compensation hubs or FAQs
Core Skills
Benefits
- Medical, pharmacy, vision and dental coverage
- Paid vacation and paid sick leave
- Disability protection, both short-term and long-term
- Life insurance
- 401(k) contribution
- Benefit eligibility rules apply
Frequently Asked Questions
Answers are based only on the employer’s listing; where it doesn’t say, neither do we.
Where is the job based?
The listing is on-site in the United States, with separate pay ranges by location.
What is the posted pay?
Pay bands are posted per location: San Francisco $132,000 to $182,000 USD; New York City and Seattle $115,000 to $158,000 USD; other US locations $114,000 to $157,000 USD; Canada $120,000 to $165,000 CAD.
What experience is required?
At least six years in FP&A, sales compensation, sales operations or a related analytical field.
Does the role manage people?
No formal people management. The lead mentors analysts.
Sample Interview Questions
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