Sales Incentive & Compensation Analyst

Senior / Lead Sales Incentive & Compensation Analyst

Location: Milpitas, CA (Hybrid)
Department: Worldwide Sales Performance & Incentives

Position Overview

We are seeking a highly analytical, strategic, and results-oriented Senior / Lead Sales Incentive & Compensation Analyst to join our Worldwide Sales Performance & Incentives team. This role is responsible for the design, administration, governance, and continuous improvement of sales incentive programs that drive performance and align with corporate growth objectives.

The ideal candidate combines deep expertise in sales compensation operations and Xactly Incent administration with strong business acumen and data-driven decision-making skills. This individual will partner closely with Sales Leadership, Revenue Operations, Finance, HR, Payroll, and IT to ensure accurate commission processing, effective incentive plan execution, and scalable compensation programs that support a global sales organization.

This position offers the opportunity to influence strategic sales initiatives, improve compensation effectiveness, and shape the future of sales performance management.

Key Responsibilities

Sales Incentive Strategy & Program Management

• Design, model, and administer sales incentive plans that align with corporate objectives, business priorities, and sales strategies.
• Evaluate and recommend incentive plan enhancements to improve performance, productivity, and organizational alignment.
• Partner with Sales Leadership and Finance to support incentive plan development, governance, and execution.
• Assist in the development and communication of compensation policies, plan documents, and participant-facing materials.

Sales Performance Analytics

• Perform quantitative analysis of quota attainment, incentive payouts, sales performance, and compensation effectiveness.
• Develop actionable insights and recommendations to support business decision-making and drive sales initiatives and goals.
• Support quota-setting, territory alignment, and quota-cascading processes across multiple sales organizations.
• Identify trends, risks, and opportunities through ongoing incentive and performance analysis.

Xactly Incent Administration

• Serve as the primary administrator and subject matter expert for the Xactly Incent platform.
• Configure and maintain compensation plans, quotas, crediting rules, participant hierarchies, territories, workflows, and reporting structures.
• Manage monthly and quarterly commission processing cycles, including reconciliation and validation activities.
• Troubleshoot system issues, conduct root-cause analysis, and implement corrective actions to ensure data integrity.

Reporting, Controls & Process Optimization

• Develop and maintain dashboards, scorecards, reports, and executive-level sales incentive metrics.
• Lead commission validation processes and ensure the accuracy, completeness, and timeliness of incentive payouts.
• Partner with HR, Payroll, Finance, and Internal Audit teams to support SOX-compliant controls and audit requirements.
• Drive process improvements, automation initiatives, and system enhancements to improve scalability, efficiency, and user experience.
• Maintain comprehensive documentation of compensation plans, business rules, operational procedures, and system configurations.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Business, Finance, Accounting, Information Systems, or a related field.
• 8+ years of experience in Sales Compensation, Sales Operations, Revenue Operations, Finance, or a related analytical discipline.
• 5+ years of hands-on experience administering Xactly Incent or a comparable incentive compensation management platform.
• Strong understanding of sales compensation principles, commission structures, quota methodologies, and performance measurement.
• Advanced Microsoft Excel skills, including data modeling, complex formulas, PivotTables, lookups, and analytical reporting.
• Proven analytical and problem-solving capabilities with the ability to manage large, complex datasets.
• Excellent communication, presentation, and stakeholder management skills.
• Ability to work independently and manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.

Preferred Qualifications

• Xactly certification and advanced platform administration experience.
• Experience supporting global sales organizations and multi-currency compensation programs.
• Knowledge of quota planning, territory management, sales forecasting, and performance management processes.
• Experience with Salesforce, Power BI, Workday, SQL, or other enterprise data platforms.
• Familiarity with commission accounting, accrual processes, audit compliance, and SOX controls.
• Experience leading compensation system enhancements, process automation, or digital transformation initiatives.

Keys to Success

The successful candidate will:

• Demonstrate exceptional attention to detail and commitment to data accuracy.
• Balance strategic thinking with operational execution.
• Build strong, trusted partnerships across Sales, Finance, HR, Payroll, IT, and Revenue Operations.
• Translate complex compensation concepts into clear, actionable business recommendations.
• Drive continuous process improvement and operational excellence.
• Thrive in a dynamic, fast-paced environment while managing competing priorities and deadlines.

Why Join Us

This role provides a unique opportunity to directly influence sales performance and business growth through the design, administration, and optimization of world-class sales compensation programs. You will collaborate closely with executive leaders, contribute to strategic business initiatives, and help shape the future of sales incentives within a high-performing and global organization.

Keywords (Search Optimization)

Sales Compensation • Xactly Incent • Incentive Compensation Management (ICM) • Commission Administration • Sales Performance Management • Sales Incentive Plans • Revenue Operations • Sales Operations • Quota Planning • Territory Management • Compensation Analytics • Salesforce • Power BI • Workday • Reporting & Analytics • Commission Processing • SOX Controls • Incentive Strategy • Compensation Governance