Director Compensation
Position Type:Full time
State: Virginia
City: Arlington
Zip Code:22203
The RoleAvalonBay Communities is seeking a Director of Compensation to lead enterprise-wide compensation strategy and execution. This role owns the design, governance, and delivery of all compensation programs-including executive, incentive, and broad-based pay-and serves as a trusted advisor to senior leadership and the Board.
This is a hands-on leadership role for someone who can balance strategy and rigor with practicality, compliance, and strong business partnership.
What You'll DoCompensation Strategy & Programs- Lead the design and ongoing management of salary structures, job architecture, market pricing, and pay governance
- Establish clear compensation frameworks that drive consistency, internal equity, and sound pay decisions across the enterprise
- Partner closely with senior leaders to deliver solutions within merit and budget constraints
Annual Compensation Cycles- Own end-to-end annual compensation planning, including merit, promotion, and variable pay cycles
- Develop guidance, tools, and analytics to support manager decision-making
- Ensure quality control and governance across merit increases and bonus payouts
- Provide consultative support on offers, promotions, retention actions, and internal moves
Job Architecture & Market Pricing- Oversee job families, leveling, career paths, and role governance
- Manage market pricing strategy, salary ranges, and survey participation
- Build scalable compensation frameworks for growth roles and critical skill needs
Analytics, Reporting & Pay Equity- Lead compensation analytics and dashboards covering competitiveness, pay distribution, compression, turnover risk, and offer effectiveness
- Partner with HR and Legal on pay equity analyses, remediation planning, and documentation
- Ensure data integrity across Workday and compensation tools; strengthen controls and audit readiness
Executive & Board Compensation- Support executive compensation programs, including hiring, offers, and ongoing administration
- Prepare Compensation Committee and Board materials
- Contribute to proxy disclosures and equity-related filings; review stock ownership guidelines and compliance documentation
Incentive Design & Administration- Design and oversee incentive plans (annual, quarterly, monthly) aligned to business objectives
- Lead performance metric design, modeling, and scenario analysis
- Govern incentive calculations, approvals, and payouts with strong controls and documentation
Governance, Compliance & Risk- Ensure compensation practices comply with federal, state, and local regulations
- Maintain governance around pay decisions, documentation, and approvals
- Manage compensation vendors, consultants, and survey partners
Team Leadership & Partnership- Lead and develop a high-performing compensation team
- Serve as a strategic advisor to HRBPs and business leaders-balancing service with strong governance
- Build trusted partnerships across HR, Legal, Finance, and Operations
What We're Looking ForExperience & Education- Bachelor's degree in Business, Finance, Economics, or related field (or equivalent experience)
- 10-15 years of progressive compensation experience, including executive, board, incentive, and broad-based compensation
- Deep experience with Workday HRIS; familiarity with PayScale required
Skills & Capabilities- Strong expertise in job architecture, salary structures, and pay governance
- Proven executive presence with the ability to influence senior leaders and Board members
- Excellent analytical, communication, and problem-solving skills
- Experience managing senior-level compensation professionals
- Solid knowledge of compensation-related laws and regulations (FLSA, wage and hour, etc.)
- Comfortable working with auditors, consultants, and external vendors
How AvalonBay Supports YouWe know that our teams are the beating heart of our success and we're committed to showing our appreciation.
We offer:
Comprehensive benefits - health, dental and vision, 401(k) with company match, paid vacation and holidays, tuition reimbursement, an employee stock purchase plan and more. Click on Benefits (https://jobs.avalonbay.com/benefits) for information.
Growth based on achievement and promotion from within.
Associate recognition (a company-wide recognition program that celebrates associate efforts and successes in contributing to the overall success of the organization - including destination awards, 'AvalonBay's Very Best' recognition program and others!).
A 20% discount on our incredible apartment homes.
A culture built on purpose and our core values - A Commitment to Integrity, A Spirit of Caring, and A Focus on Continuous Improvement.
