Principal Compensation

Summary

The firm is seeking a senior Compensation leader at the Principal or Managing Director level to oversee all aspects of compensation strategy, design, governance, and execution across the global organization. This individual will serve as the firm’s internal expert on carried interest programs, fund‑level incentive structures, and executive compensation. The ideal candidate brings deep experience in alternative asset management and a proven ability to partner with senior leadership, investment professionals, and legal/finance teams to build competitive, compliant, and scalable compensation frameworks.

Key Responsibilities

Compensation Strategy & Leadership

Lead the development and ongoing refinement of the firm’s global compensation philosophy, ensuring alignment with business strategy, market competitiveness, and regulatory expectations.

Serve as the firm’s subject‑matter expert on compensation trends in private equity, venture capital, credit, real assets, and other alternative investment strategies.

Advise the Executive Committee, Compensation Committee, and senior leadership on compensation matters, including market positioning, incentive design, and long‑term talent strategy.

Oversee compensation governance, ensuring consistency, transparency, and fairness across all programs.

Carried Interest & Fund‑Level Incentives

Design, model, and administer carried interest programs, including waterfall structures, vesting schedules, allocation methodologies, and distribution mechanics.

Partner with Legal, Finance, and Fund Accounting to ensure accurate documentation, compliance, and reporting of carry plans.

Lead periodic reviews of carry pool allocations, ensuring alignment with performance, market norms, and firm objectives.

Provide education and communication to investment professionals and senior leaders on carry structures, economics, and long‑term value creation.

Executive & Broad‑Based Compensation

Oversee the design and administration of annual bonus programs, long‑term incentive plans, and deferred compensation arrangements.

Manage compensation cycles end‑to‑end, including benchmarking, modeling, budgeting, and approvals.

Conduct competitive market analyses using industry‑leading compensation surveys and data sources.

Develop compensation structures for new business lines, fund launches, and geographic expansions.

Compensation Operations & Governance

Lead the annual compensation review process, including calibration, performance alignment, and communication.

Ensure compliance with global regulatory requirements (e.g., SEC, IRS, FCA, AIFMD, local labor laws).

Maintain compensation policies, documentation, and audit‑ready processes.

Oversee compensation systems, tools, and data integrity, partnering with HRIS and Finance teams.

Stakeholder Partnership & Advisory

Act as a strategic advisor to senior investment professionals, department heads, and HR business partners.

Partner closely with Talent Acquisition to structure competitive offers for senior‑level and investment roles.

Collaborate with Finance on compensation budgeting, forecasting, and accruals.

Work with Legal on plan documentation, regulatory updates, and risk mitigation.

Communication & Change Management

Develop clear, compelling communication materials for compensation programs, including carry education, incentive plan summaries, and leadership presentations.

Lead change‑management efforts for new compensation initiatives, ensuring firmwide understanding and adoption.

Provide coaching and guidance to managers on compensation decisions and pay‑for‑performance principles.

Qualifications

12+ years of progressive compensation experience, with significant exposure to private equity, venture capital, hedge funds, or other alternative asset managers.

Required: Deep expertise in carried interest structures, fund economics, and long‑term incentive design.

Experience operating at the Principal/Managing Director level or equivalent senior leadership role.

Strong analytical and financial modeling skills; ability to translate complex structures into clear recommendations.

Proven ability to influence senior stakeholders and operate in a fast‑paced, high‑performance environment.

Exceptional judgment, discretion, and integrity.

Bachelor’s degree required; MBA, JD, or relevant advanced degree preferred.

Success Profile

The successful candidate will be:

A strategic thinker with a command of compensation mechanics in alternative investments

A trusted advisor capable of navigating sensitive, high‑stakes compensation decisions.

Highly analytical, detail‑oriented, and comfortable with complex financial structures.

Skilled at communication, education, and cross‑functional collaboration.

JN -042026-291705

The SR Group (US), Inc. is acting as an Employment Agency in relation to this vacancy.

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