Compensation Lead

We believe that the way people interact with their finances will drastically improve in the next few years. We’re dedicated to empowering this transformation by building the tools and experiences that thousands of developers use to create their own products. Plaid powers the tools millions of people rely on to live a healthier financial life. We work with thousands of companies like Venmo, SoFi, several of the Fortune 500, and many of the largest banks to make it easy for people to connect their financial accounts to the apps and services they want to use. Plaid’s network covers 12,000 financial institutions across the US, Canada, UK and Europe. Founded in 2013, the company is headquartered in San Francisco with offices in New York, Washington D.C., London and Amsterdam.

The Compensation team designs, manages, and evolves Plaid’s compensation strategy to attract, retain, and motivate world-class talent. We make sure compensation is fair inside the company and competitive in the market. We work on programs that connect directly to Plaid’s business goals and employee experience — using data and insight to make equitable, well-informed decisions. Our work spans cash and equity program design, annual and mid-year review cycles, benchmarking, and exec comp support.

In this role, you will own compensation support for specific client groups and take the lead on cycle operations and comp tooling across the team. You’ll work alongside a sharp team and closely with Plaid’s Head of Total Rewards. You’ll have clear ownership of your domain from day one, with real exposure to equity program mechanics, exec comp, and board-level deliverables.

Responsibilities:

• Own comp support for specific client groups — offers, promos, manager/HRBP questions — with a high bar for speed and accuracy
• Lead configuration and rollout of annual and mid-year compensation cycles in Workday and comp tooling
• Manage and maintain Plaid’s comp systems: Compa, Pave, and external survey tools (Compensia, Radford)
• Run benchmarking analysis — job matching, market data pulls, competitive pay positioning
• Maintain compensation band and zone data; ensure ranges stay current and accurate
• Build and maintain complex models in support of program design and leadership decisions
• Partner closely with other team members on high-priority workstreams and peak-season capacity

Qualifications:

• 5–8+ years of experience in compensation or total rewards
• Hands-on experience owning or co-owning a compensation cycle (YE or mid-year)
• Benchmarking experience: job matching, survey submissions, competitive analysis
• Strong analytical skills — you build and own complex models, not just populate templates
• RSU/equity experience — you understand how equity comp works and can explain it clearly
• Systems fluency — comfortable in at least one comp tool (Workday, Compa, Pave, or equivalent)
• Nice to have: private/pre-IPO experience, EPD client support, Plaid tech stack familiarity

Our mission at Plaid is to unlock financial freedom for everyone. To support that mission, we seek to build a diverse team of driven individuals who care deeply about making the financial ecosystem more equitable. We recognize that strong qualifications can come from both prior work experiences and lived experiences. We encourage you to apply to a role even if your experience doesn't fully match the job description. We are always looking for team members that will bring something unique to Plaid!

Plaid is proud to be an equal opportunity employer and values diversity at our company. We do not discriminate based on race, color, national origin, ethnicity, religion or religious belief, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, transgender status, sexual stereotypes, age, military or veteran status, disability, or other applicable legally protected characteristics. We also consider qualified applicants with criminal histories, consistent with applicable federal, state, and local laws. Plaid is committed to providing reasonable accommodations for candidates with disabilities in our recruiting process. If you need any assistance with your application or interviews due to a disability, please let us know at accommodations@plaid.com.

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Additional compensation in the form(s) of equity and/or commission are dependent on the position offered. Plaid provides a comprehensive benefit plan, including medical, dental, vision, and 401(k). Pay is based on factors such as (but not limited to) scope and responsibilities of the position, candidate's work experience and skillset, and location. Pay and benefits are subject to change at any time, consistent with the terms of any applicable compensation or benefit plans.