Lead Compensation Consultant - Chief Operating Office

About this role

Wells Fargo is seeking a Lead Compensation Consultant to join our Total Rewards Line of Business Compensation Team, serving as the primary strategic compensation advisor supporting the Chief Operating Office (COO) organization.

This role partners directly with senior leaders and HR to shape compensation strategies that enable operational excellence, workforce productivity, and transformation at scale. As a Lead Compensation Consultant, you will translate business strategy into forward-looking total rewards solutions, influence executive decisions, and lead complex, high-impact compensation initiatives across a dynamic and evolving operating environment.

You will play a critical role in ensuring compensation programs drive performance, support talent outcomes, and align with enterprise governance, financial discipline, and risk standards.

Key Responsibilities

• Serve as a primary compensation advisor to COO senior leadership, acting as a trusted partner to shape pay strategies aligned to operational priorities
• Translate business strategy and workforce plans into actionable compensation and incentive design recommendations
• Influence executive decision-making through clear, data-driven, executive-ready insights
• Lead the design and evolution of base pay, incentive plans, and total rewards strategies aligned to business priorities
• Ensure alignment with enterprise job architecture, leveling, and overall workforce strategy
• Guide market pricing and benchmarking strategy to maintain external competitiveness and alignment with business needs
• Leverage advanced analytics to assess pay equity, retention risk, productivity outcomes, and cost impacts
• Integrate market, internal, and financial data to deliver forward-looking insights and scenario modeling
• Own end-to-end compensation delivery, including annual planning cycles and executive calibration
• Lead complex initiatives such as reorganizations, operating model changes, and enterprise compensation rollouts, ensuring business readiness and adoption
• Provide strategic guidance on compensation for hiring decisions, ensuring alignment with enterprise standards, market positioning, and equitable pay practices, including oversight of complex or non-standard offers
• Ensure compensation practices align with internal policies, regulatory requirements, and risk management standards
• Collaborate across Total Rewards, HR, Finance, and Legal while communicating complex compensation concepts clearly to senior leaders and mentoring junior consultants

Required Qualifications

• 5+ years of compensation, total rewards, or related consulting experience (or equivalent demonstrated through experience, training, military experience, or education)

Desired Qualifications

• Experience advising senior leaders in complex, operational or matrixed environments (COO, operations, infrastructure, or similar)
• Demonstrated ability to influence executive stakeholders and shape strategy
• Experience in compensation consulting, total rewards, or HR business partnership with strong stakeholder engagement and relationship management
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to translate complex concepts and influence senior stakeholders
• Strong expertise in compensation design, incentive structures, and pay-for-performance models
• Advanced analytical and problem-solving skills, including experience integrating workforce, financial, and market data
• Experience supporting compensation planning cycles and applying market analysis to inform pay decisions
• Familiarity with external market data sources and benchmarking methodologies
• Proven ability to lead through ambiguity, transformation, and organizational change
• Experience supporting large-scale operational organizations or enterprise functions
• Proficiency in compensation tools, HR systems, and data visualization platforms
• Strong understanding of governance, risk, and regulatory considerations in compensation

Job Expectations

• Position is based in Mpls, MN or Charlotte, NC
• Hybrid schedule with onsite presence required at one of the listed locations.
• This position does not offer relocation assistance.
• This position does not offer visa sponsorship.

Pay Range
 

Reflected is the base pay range offered for this position. Pay may vary depending on factors including but not limited to demonstrated examples of prior performance, skills, experience, or work location. Employees may also be eligible for incentive opportunities.

Benefits

Wells Fargo provides eligible employees with a comprehensive set of benefits, many of which are listed below. Visit Benefits - Wells Fargo Jobs for an overview of the following benefit plans and programs offered to employees.

• Health benefits
• 401(k) Plan
• Paid time off
• Disability benefits
• Life insurance, critical illness insurance, and accident insurance
• Parental leave
• Critical caregiving leave
• Discounts and savings
• Commuter benefits
• Tuition reimbursement
• Scholarships for dependent children
• Adoption reimbursement

Posting End Date:

*Job posting may come down early due to volume of applicants.

We Value Equal Opportunity

Wells Fargo is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, status as a protected veteran, or any other legally protected characteristic.

Employees support our focus on building strong customer relationships balanced with a strong risk mitigating and compliance-driven culture which firmly establishes those disciplines as critical to the success of our customers and company. They are accountable for execution of all applicable risk programs (Credit, Market, Financial Crimes, Operational, Regulatory Compliance), which includes effectively following and adhering to applicable Wells Fargo policies and procedures, appropriately fulfilling risk and compliance obligations, timely and effective escalation and remediation of issues, and making sound risk decisions. There is emphasis on proactive monitoring, governance, risk identification and escalation, as well as making sound risk decisions commensurate with the business unit’s risk appetite and all risk and compliance program requirements.

Applicants with Disabilities

To request a medical accommodation during the application or interview process, visit Disability Inclusion at Wells Fargo.

Drug and Alcohol Policy

Wells Fargo maintains a drug free workplace.  Please see our Drug and Alcohol Policy to learn more.

Wells Fargo Recruitment and Hiring Requirements:

a. Third-Party recordings are prohibited unless authorized by Wells Fargo.

b. Wells Fargo requires you to directly represent your own experiences during the recruiting and hiring process.