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Director, Global Compensation

United States

About Coursera

Coursera was founded in 2012 by Stanford professors Andrew Ng and Daphne Koller to make world-class learning accessible to everyone, everywhere. Today, over 190 million learners and 375+ university and industry partners use our platform to gain skills in fields like AI, data science, technology, and business. As a Delaware public benefit corporation and Certified B Corp, we’re driven by the belief that learning can transform lives through learning.

Why Join Us

At Coursera, we’re looking for inventors, innovators, and lifelong learners ready to shape the future of education. You’ll help build global programs and tools that power online learning for millions turning bold ideas into real impact. People who thrive here are customer-first builders who move fast, simplify ruthlessly, and iterate relentlessly on the metrics that matter. 

We’re a globally distributed team and let you choose the best way you work, whether it's from home, a Coursera hub, or a co-working space near you. Our virtual hiring and onboarding make it easy to join us and start making an impact from anywhere. If you’re ready to make a global impact, scale unique products exclusive to Coursera, and expand your career horizons, apply below.

Job Overview

The People team at Coursera is responsible for building high-performing global teams, retaining exceptional talent, and developing programs that foster community, growth, and an outstanding employee experience. As Coursera continues to scale as a mission-driven, global organization, the People team is strengthening our operating model, systems, and programs to support sustainable growth.

As the Director, Global Compensation, you will lead the end-to-end design, execution, and governance of Coursera’s global compensation programs across the Americas, EMEA, and APAC. Reporting to the VP, Global Total Rewards & Operations, you will partner closely to shape and operationalize Coursera’s global compensation strategy. You will translate strategic direction into scalable programs, strong governance, and consistent practices that ensure fairness, competitiveness, and alignment with Coursera’s workforce and business needs.

This role leads a growing compensation team and plays a key leadership position within the broader People Operations organization. You will oversee global compensation cycles, benchmarking, job architecture, pay structures, decision frameworks, compliance, and analytics. You will work cross-functionally with Finance, Talent Acquisition, People Partners, and senior business leaders to ensure that compensation programs support Coursera’s goals and scale effectively.

This position is fully remote.

 

Responsibilities

Compensation Strategy & Leadership

  • Partner with the VP, Global Total Rewards & Operations to co-develop and refine Coursera’s global compensation strategy, guiding principles, and governance model
  • Lead the compensation team in implementing and optimizing global compensation programs, including salary structures, variable pay, equity guidelines, and job architecture
  • Provide thought leadership and recommendations on market trends, competitive practices, and emerging compensation needs as the business evolves
  • Partner with the VP, Global Total Rewards & Operations on executive compensation programs, including benchmarking, modeling, and preparing materials for senior leadership and the Compensation Committee

Program Design, Execution & Governance

  • Own the design, administration, and continuous improvement of all compensation programs and processes, including annual compensation reviews, market benchmarking, leveling/slotting, and pay decision frameworks
  • Establish and maintain global compensation policies, governance protocols, and documentation to ensure consistency, fairness, and compliance
  • Partner with Legal and regional HR partners to ensure practices align with global regulatory requirements

Market Competitiveness & Analytics

  • Lead global benchmarking to maintain competitive and equitable pay structures across geographies and job families
  • Build compensation analytics, dashboards, and financial models to support decision-making for HR, Finance, and business leaders
  • Monitor internal pay equity and provide insights and recommendations to leadership to support an equitable compensation environment

Cross-Functional Partnership

  • Collaborate closely with People Partners, Talent Acquisition, Finance, Legal, and Revenue to align compensation programs with business needs
  • Support preparation of materials, analysis, and recommendations for senior leadership and the Compensation Committee
  • Advise Talent Acquisition on competitive offers and evolving market conditions

Team Leadership

  • Lead and develop a high-performing compensation team, fostering a culture of analytical rigor, operational excellence, and innovation
  • Build team capacity and capabilities as Coursera scales globally
  • Provide coaching, guidance, and oversight to ensure consistent quality and alignment with compensation strategy

Basic Qualifications

  • Public company experience required, with 8+ years of global HR, Total Rewards, or Compensation experience in high-growth environments
  • At least 5 years of progressively responsible compensation leadership experience, ideally in SaaS or technology
  • Deep expertise designing, implementing, and overseeing global compensation programs
  • Strong proficiency with Workday Advanced Compensation and compensation analytics tools
  • Demonstrated ability to communicate complex concepts clearly and persuasively to leadership
  • Experience supporting diverse global markets and employee segments
  • Proven ability to influence cross-functionally and drive alignment across teams

Nice to haves

  • Strong interpersonal and communication skills with the ability to engage senior executives and prepare materials for Compensation Committees
  • Demonstrated leadership capability, including building and managing high-performing teams
  • Exceptional analytical and modeling skills with high attention to detail
  • Up-to-date understanding of compensation trends, market practices, and global regulatory requirements
  • Experience partnering with Compensation Committees is a plus

 

Compensation

This role is available in the following US Pay Zones:

US Zone 3: $181,687 - $213,750

US Zone 4: $169,171 - $199,025

At Coursera, we offer competitive, zone-based pay aligned to your location, experience, and role level across four U.S. pay zones. Our total rewards package goes beyond salary, with comprehensive health and wellness benefits, bonus and RSU equity programs, and global perks designed to help you grow and thrive wherever you are.

US Pay Zones

US-Z1: Bay Area

US-Z2: NYC and Seattle Metro

US-Z3: CA, WA, NY, NJ, CO, CT, DC, GA, IL, MA, MD, OR, RI, TX, VA

US-Z4: AK, AZ, DE, FL, HI, ID, IN, IA, KS, KY, MI, MN, MO, MT, NC, NV, NH, OH, OK, PA, SC, TN, UT, VT, WI

Keep Learning

If this opportunity interests you, you might like these courses on Coursera:

 

Coursera is an Equal Opportunity Employer committed to building a welcoming and inclusive workplace. We consider all qualified applicants without regard to legally protected characteristics and provide reasonable accommodations upon request at accommodations@coursera.org. Learn more in our CCPA Applicant Notice and GDPR Recruitment Notice.

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