Job Title
Director, Executive CompensationJob Description
The Director, Executive Compensation serves as the leader and subject matter expert for the company’s equity and executive compensation programs. This hands-on role is responsible for administering and optimizing the equity compensation program at People Incorporated and ensuring a seamless experience for all participants. Reporting to the VP of Total Rewards, this role interacts with Finance, Legal, and HR. The ideal candidate will balance technical excellence in equity governance with the executive presence required to design, communicate, and execute competitive reward strategies across the company.
The position is based in the New York City corporate headquarters and is hybrid in-office with the ability to work remotely up to 2 days per week.
Equity Program Administration
Manage and process the full lifecycle of global equity awards: grant setup, vesting, releases, cancellations, terminations/retirement, and quarterly dividends across multiple jurisdictions and equity structures.
Manage and optimize the employee equity database. Maintain flawless data integrity, update employee records, and generate routine and ad-hoc reports.
Act as a trusted, accessible stock plan expert to all levels of the organization, including executives and board members, providing support and addressing inquiries with clarity, accuracy, and timeliness.
Coordinate with Payroll and Finance regarding equity vests and reporting. Provide guidance to HRBPs and Subsidiary companies as needed.
Review, interpret, and optimize stock plan data. Track and report on critical equity metrics including share utilization, burn rate, overhang, and dilution to inform long-term budgeting and forecasting. Prepare projections and provide recommendations on budgets.
Exercise sound judgment to resolve complex stock plan participant matters and address evolving stock plan provisions, balancing business needs and employee experience considerations.
Proactively educate employees on their equity plans and grants. Prepare and review stock plan participant communications, statements, and educational materials, ensuring clarity and comprehension across diverse participant groups.
Own the strategic relationship and service level agreements (SLAs) with external stock plan administrators (e.g., Morgan Stanley), ensuring seamless platform optimization and flawless database data integrity.
Act as the technical advisor on the equity and compensation implications of corporate restructurings, subsidiary management, and Mergers & Acquisitions (M&A).
Oversee equity plan compliance, monitoring insider trading policies, managing pre-clearance lists, and enforcing corporate blackout periods in partnership with Legal.
Executive Compensation, Proxy & Governance
Partner directly with the VP of Total Rewards to strategize, draft, and deliver high-impact, Board-level materials and data visualizations for the quarterly Compensation Committee meetings.
Contribute to executive compensation-related regulatory filings and disclosures, including the Compensation Discussion & Analysis (CD&A) and related proxy statement content.
Monitor and interpret evolving investor expectations and proxy advisor perspectives, regulatory developments, firm strategy and market practices and translate these into practical implications for Total Rewards program design and disclosure.
Lead executive benchmarking, peer group selection, and competitive pay analysis for senior leadership.
Ensure regulatory compliance for Section 16 executive and Board members and assist in the preparation of SEC Form filings.
General Compensation & Projects
Serve as a trusted advisor to senior management by providing strategic guidance and execution support for Total Rewards programs, especially compensation programs impacting senior leadership.
Serve as a trusted partner to HR and Finance with Compensation initiatives throughout the year.
Support the Compensation team by collaborating on Compensation philosophy and with the year-end compensation cycle.
The Role’s Minimum Qualifications and Job Requirements:
Education: Bachelor’s degree in HR, Finance, or Business. CCP certification is a plus.
Experience: 8+ years of progressive experience in compensation in a publicly traded, mid-to-large-sized company with specific experience in hands-on equity administration including stock options, restricted stock, and performance-based stock awards.
Specific Knowledge, Skills, Certifications and Abilities:
Analytical Skills: Strong analytical and quantitative skills with a focus on detail and data accuracy.
Advanced Sheets/Excel Capabilities: Mastery of advanced spreadsheet functions (lookups, index/match, pivot tables, complex data modeling) to manipulate and interpret large datasets.
Discretion & Judgment: A proven problem-solving mindset with the ability to think critically, exercise good judgment, and handle highly confidential executive data with total discretion.
Agility & Time Management: Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, dynamic environment, managing multiple competing priorities and tight deadlines seamlessly.
Communication: Exceptional communication skills with the ability to articulate complex equity and compensation topics clearly to both entry-level employees and executives.
Autonomy: A proactive, self-starter mentality who takes initiative and works independently while remaining a highly collaborative team player.
Continuous Improvement & Innovation: A forward-thinking mindset with a willingness to explore AI tools, automated workflows, and emerging technologies to streamline compensation processes and maximize efficiency.
% Travel Required (Approximate): 0-5%
It is the policy of People Inc. to provide equal employment opportunity (EEO) to all persons regardless of age, color, national origin, citizenship status, physical or mental disability, race, religion, creed, gender, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, genetic information, marital status, status with regard to public assistance, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local law. In addition, the Company will provide reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities. Accommodation requests can be made by emailing [email protected].
The Company participates in the federal E-Verify program to confirm the identity and employment authorization of all newly hired employees. For further information about the E-Verify program, please click here: https://www.e-verify.gov/employees
Pay Range
Salary: New York: $165,000.00 - $185,000.00The pay range above represents the anticipated low and high end of the pay range for this position and may change in the future. Actual pay may vary and may be above or below the range based on various factors including but not limited to work location, experience, and performance. The range listed is just one component of People Inc's total compensation package for employees. Other compensation may include annual bonuses, and short- and long-term incentives. In addition, People Inc. provides to employees (and their eligible family members) a variety of benefits, including medical, dental, vision, prescription drug coverage, unlimited paid time off (PTO), adoption or surrogate assistance, donation matching, tuition reimbursement, basic life insurance, basic accidental death & dismemberment, supplemental life insurance, supplemental accident insurance, commuter benefits, short term and long term disability, health savings and flexible spending accounts, family care benefits, a generous 401K savings plan with a company match program, 10-12 paid holidays annually, and generous paid parental leave (birthing and non-birthing parents), all of which may vary depending on the specific nature of your employment with People Inc. and your work location. We also offer voluntary benefits such as pet insurance, accident, critical and hospital indemnity health insurance coverage, life and disability insurance.
#NMG#Skills Required
- Bachelor's degree in HR, Finance, or Business
- 8+ years progressive compensation experience in a publicly traded, mid-to-large-sized company
- Hands-on equity administration experience with stock options, restricted stock, and performance-based awards
- Mastery of advanced spreadsheet tools (Microsoft Excel and/or Google Sheets) including lookups, INDEX/MATCH, pivot tables, and complex modeling
- Experience with equity administration platforms and managing relationships with external stock plan administrators (e.g., Morgan Stanley)
- Experience with executive compensation, proxy materials, CD&A, Section 16 compliance and assisting with SEC filings
- Exceptional communication skills and ability to present to executives and Board-level audiences
- CCP (Certified Compensation Professional) certification
People Inc. Compensation & Benefits Highlights
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Healthcare Strength — Multiple medical plan options, dental and vision coverage, robust mental‑health resources, and inclusive family‑building and transgender health care are described, with HSA/FSA availability. This breadth aligns with what stronger media/tech employers offer.
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Leave & Time Off Breadth — Policies include “unlimited” PTO and 10–12 paid holidays. Several postings and profiles consistently reference flexible time‑off structures alongside core holidays.
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Parental & Family Support — Generous paid parental leave for birthing and non‑birthing parents is paired with adoption/surrogacy assistance and family‑care supports such as Care.com backup care. These offerings indicate family‑forward benefits on par with top peers.
People Inc. Insights
What We Do
People Inc. is America’s largest digital and print publisher. Our 40+ iconic and fast-growing brands harness the best intent-driven content, the fastest sites, and the fewest ads to help nearly 200 million people every month, including 95 percent of US women, make decisions, take action, and find inspiration. People Inc. brands include PEOPLE, Better Homes & Gardens, Verywell, FOOD & WINE, The Spruce, Allrecipes, Byrdie, REAL SIMPLE, Investopedia, Southern Living and more.
Why Work With Us
People Inc. has a people-first mentality - our audience, our employees, our teams. We take our role of providing the best content across the best brands very seriously and we are always looking to make sure that our teams have the space to be creative, innovate and try out new things.
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People Inc. Offices
Hybrid Workspace
Employees engage in a combination of remote and on-site work.





