The Compensation Director, International, Sales & Marketing drives the strategy, design, implementation, and governance of global compensation programs that support Business Development, Marketing, and international functions. As a strategic advisor to business and HR leaders, this role leverages compensation as a key driver of business performance, enabling growth, strengthening the company's ability to attract and retain top talent, and ensuring competitive market positioning across GTM and international markets.
This role requires deep expertise in compensation methodologies, sales incentive design, global compensation governance, and international market practices.
What you'll do:
- Develop and execute global compensation strategies for GTM and international markets that align with business objectives, growth priorities, and the company's talent philosophy.
- Design and oversee compensation programs, including base pay, incentive plans, equity programs, and recognition frameworks, that drive performance, support revenue growth, and address the unique needs of both GTM and internationally based functions.
- Lead annual compensation planning, salary review cycles, incentive plan design, and market benchmarking across domestic and international markets to ensure competitive, scalable, and business-aligned programs.
- Evaluate compensation effectiveness through internal analytics, Radford benchmarks, and global market intelligence to optimize talent attraction, retention, and performance outcomes worldwide.
- Partner with regional PxBPs and business leaders to develop compensation strategies that support organizational growth, workforce planning, and talent needs across EMEA, APJ, and ME.
- Assess country-specific compensation practices, labor market dynamics, regulatory requirements, and competitive positioning to ensure effective and compliant programs across international markets.
- Establish scalable global compensation frameworks and governance standards while balancing regional market conditions, business objectives, and local talent strategies.
- Provide strategic guidance on international expansion, market entry, and organizational changes by evaluating compensation implications and talent market competitiveness.
- Serve as a trusted advisor to executive leadership on global compensation strategy, international talent investments and evolving labor market trends.
- Deliver data-driven insights and recommendations using Radford benchmarks, market intelligence, and internal analytics to support compensation decisions across GTM and international functions.
- Provide strategic guidance on compensation-related risks, opportunities, workforce investments, and global talent competitiveness.
- Influence business decisions related to international growth, talent mobility, and organizational expansion through compensation expertise and market insights.
- Ensure compensation programs comply with applicable regulatory requirements, pay transparency legislation, and governance standards across all countries and regions in which the company operates.
- Establish and maintain robust global compensation governance frameworks, policies, and controls that promote consistency, scalability, and sound decision-making while addressing local market requirements.
- Lead global pay equity analyses and remediation efforts to support fair, competitive, and equitable compensation practices across diverse employee populations.
- Monitor emerging regulatory developments and compensation trends globally, proactively recommending program and policy enhancements as needed.
Compensation Strategy & Program Design
Global Compensation Strategy & International Market Expertise
Executive Advisory & Analytics
Governance, Compliance & Pay Equity
Required qualifications:
- Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Finance, Business, Economics, or related field.
- 15+ years of progressive compensation experience.
- Significant experience supporting Sales, Marketing, and other functional teams
- Deep expertise utilizing compensation surveys and methodologies.
- Experience designing and managing global compensation programs across multiple regions.
- Strong knowledge of sales incentive compensation principles and administration.
- Advanced analytical, modeling, and executive presentation skills.
- Experience influencing VP and C-suite stakeholders.
Preferred qualifications:
- Certified Compensation Professional (CCP).
- Experience in high-growth A&D or technology environments.
- Experience with equity compensation programs.
- Prior global compensation experience in publicly traded companies.
- Experience with compensation technologies such as Workday, Anaplan, Pave, or CompAnalyst.
- MBA or Master's degree in related field.
Skills Required
- Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Finance, Business, Economics, or a related field
- 15+ years of progressive compensation experience
- Significant experience supporting Sales, Marketing, and other functional teams
- Deep expertise utilizing compensation surveys and methodologies
- Experience designing and managing global compensation programs across multiple regions
- Strong knowledge of sales incentive compensation principles and administration
- Advanced analytical, modeling, and executive presentation skills
- Experience influencing VP and C-suite stakeholders
- Certified Compensation Professional (CCP)
- Experience in high-growth aerospace and defense or technology environments
- Experience with equity compensation programs
- Prior global compensation experience in publicly traded companies
- Experience with compensation technologies such as Workday, Anaplan, Pave, or CompAnalyst
- MBA or Master's degree in a related field
What the Team is Saying
Shield AI Compensation & Benefits Highlights
-
Healthcare Strength — Company materials highlight comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage with mental-health support and an EAP. Third-party benefits summaries also portray health coverage as a strong component of the package.
-
Retirement Support — Offerings include a 401(k) with employer matching, cited on the careers page and independent benefits directories. Multiple sources indicate a match exists, though exact formulas have varied over time and warrant confirmation.
-
Equity Value & Accessibility — Company communications describe equity for all full-time hires and stock benefits as part of total rewards. Independent listings also note company equity/RSUs as a standard element.
Shield AI Insights
Similar Jobs
What We Do
At Shield AI, you won't wait years to see your work reach the field. You'll build hardware and software that operates in the real world right now, in the hands of the people who depend on it. Hivemind, our AI pilot, has been flying since 2018. It has flown more than 30 platforms, including an F-16, and it now sits under a U.S. Air Force production contract for Collaborative Combat Aircraft. When you write code or shape a system here, you contribute to technology with a proven flight record and a clear production future. V-BAT flies intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance missions with an operational record that stretches from Ukraine to the Indo-Pacific. It delivers eyes where they matter most, in the most demanding conditions on earth. The teams behind it watch their work get tested where the stakes are real. X-BAT takes its first flight this year. It's an AI-piloted fighter that needs no runway, built to operate where traditional aircraft can't. Join now and you help shape a program at its earliest, most formative stage. That's the kind of ground-floor work that defines a career. Do the most impactful work of your life, on problems that matter. Autonomy at this level asks a lot of you. You'll take on problems in perception, planning, and control that few teams anywhere are equipped to solve. You'll work across disciplines, from aerospace and robotics to machine learning and systems engineering, alongside people who hold themselves to an exacting standard and expect the same from you. Our mission is clear: protect service members and civilians with intelligent systems. That purpose runs through every decision, every design review, and every deployment. It's why the work here carries a weight you can feel. Ready to join our mission? Explore our open roles and find where you fit.
Why Work With Us
Founded in 2015 by a former Navy SEAL, Shield AI builds AI pilots and uncrewed aircraft. Veterans aren't an afterthought here, they're at every level. It's why the work carries weight: AI pilots and uncrewed aircraft flying real missions, from Ukraine to the Indo-Pacific, protecting service members and civilians.
Gallery
%203.jpg)
Shield AI Teams
.jpg)
Shield AI Offices
Hybrid Workspace
Employees engage in a combination of remote and on-site work.
