Compensation Partner

Cognite operates at the forefront of industrial digitalization, building AI and data solutions that solve the world's hardest, highest-impact problems. We are seeking a Compensation & Benefits Director to serve as the global owner of Cognite's compensation philosophy & strategy, and operational governance. This is a high-impact, business-critical role at the intersection of strategy, financial rigor, and employee experience.

Responsibilities

Own and evolve Cognite's global compensation philosophy and strategy, ensuring alignment with business growth, talent strategy, and shareholder value creation; Architect scalable compensation frameworks across base salary, annual bonus, equity, and long-term incentive programs; Evolve compensation structures for new and existing geographies, ensuring market competitiveness, regulatory compliance, and alignment with local market dynamics; Drive performance differentiation through compensation design; Monitor global market trends and pay transparency regulations; Prepare materials for Board and Compensation Committee reviews; Design and refine annual bonus structures and incentive frameworks; Own end-to-end operational execution of global compensation programs; Manage and scale automated compensation processes using platforms such as Pave, Radford, and HRIS; Define and track key compensation metrics; Serve as trusted advisor to CHRO, CFO, and senior leadership; Partner with People Business Partners, Talent Acquisition, and Finance; Build effective partnerships with regional People Ops teams

Requirements

12+ years of progressive experience in Compensation, Total Rewards, or related disciplines, with global scope and direct program leadership; Expertise in international compensation practices and frameworks including executive pay, and incentive design — with experience managing equity pools, and Board-level reporting; Proven background in a high-growth technology or SaaS environment, including advisory experience at C-suite or Board level; Experience designing and governing compensation frameworks across multiple geographies, including pay transparency and compliance requirements; Hands-on operator; Strong collaborator and genuine partner; Exceptional executive presence; Strong financial and analytical acumen; Strong AI literacy and HR technology acumen; High ownership mindset

Nice to have

Familiarity with Global Mobility, including EOR models, tax, pay, and cross-border compliance requirements; Experience with compensation benchmarking platforms such as Pave, Radford, or similar tools; Experience designing compensation for technical, AI, and engineering talent markets; Experience supporting a company through IPO preparation, public-company transition, and/or M&A processes

Benefits

Competitive compensation; 401(k) with employer matching; Competitive health, dental, vision & disability coverages for employees and all dependents; Unlimited PTO; Paid Parental Leave Program; Employee Referral Program