About the Role: 

The Senior Manager, Compensation at The Walt Disney Studios is a strategic leader responsible for driving compensation strategies and initiatives for internal clients, including Lucasfilm, Lucasfilm Animation, Industrial Light and Magic (ILM), and Skywalker Sound. This role is pivotal in ensuring equitable and transparent pay practices, leading large-scale projects, and building strong relationships with business partners and leaders. Based in San Francisco, CA, this position requires some business travel and reports directly to the Director of Compensation and the VP, People and Culture - Lucasfilm. 

Responsibilities: 

As the Senior Manager, Compensation, you will play a critical role in applying compensation principles and philosophy to establish and maintain key compensation programs. Your expertise will guide strategic initiatives, ensuring competitive and fair pay practices. This role is essential for maintaining Disney's commitment to pay equity and transparency, and requires strong analytical, consultative, and leadership skills. 

• Lead Compensation Partner for multiple client groups, managing client relationships independently. 

• Provide expert compensation advice to People & Culture Business Partners, Talent Connection Partners, and senior business leaders. 

• Drive strategic compensation initiatives with a commitment to pay equity and transparency. 

• Evaluate market trends and compensation data to inform competitive pay practices. 

• Champion changes in compensation philosophies and practices to support pay equity and transparency. 

• Educate leaders and employees on Disney's pay programs and philosophies. 

• Enhance compensation processes for efficiency, leveraging emerging technologies and AI. 

• Manage the annual merit, bonus, and long-term incentive planning process and communication for assigned clients. 

• Lead, mentor, and develop compensation team members. 

• Define strategies, expectations, and priorities, empowering the team to pursue solutions. Provide continuous coaching and feedback, ensuring accountability and rewarding accomplishments. 

Required Qualifications: 

• Minimum of 8 years of progressively responsible experience in Compensation. 

• People management experience. 

• Bachelor's degree in HR, Business Administration, Finance, Economics, or similar discipline. 

• Experience in global or international compensation. 

• Advanced MS Excel skills. 

• Proven ability to work with sensitive information and maintain confidentiality. 

• Excellent consultative and relationship management skills. 

• Proven ability to influence change in complex situations. 

• Ability to effectively navigate a complex, multi-layered work environment, where strong partnership skills are essential. 

• Strong problem-solving, analytical, and critical thinking skills. 

• Excellent written and verbal communication and presentation skills. 

• Ability to deliver difficult messages with professionalism and poise. 

• Self-starter with the ability to act independently. 

• Ability to position self as credible, proactive, and a trusted thought-partner. 

Preferred Qualifications: 

• Experience with HR systems (Workday). 

• Experience working in a large, corporate, matrixed environment. 

• MBA or master's degree in a business-related field.