Senior Commissions Forecasting & Design Lead

Motive is looking for a Senior Commissions Forecasting & Sales Compensation Program Lead. The primary responsibility is to own the commissions modeling, forecast and related analysis in an FP&A-partnering planning process: establish the methodology, maintain the model, collect and validate inputs, produce forecast submissions, explain variances, and provide decision-ready commentary to Finance and business leadership.

The role also assists in designs, operationalization, and continuously improving global sales compensation programs. It sits at the intersection of FP&A, Sales, GTM Strategy and Operations, Finance, People, Legal, Payroll, and Business Technology.

The successful candidate will turn complex business objectives into a reliable, explainable commissions forecast and clear, scalable, auditable compensation programs. They will own the commissions forecasting process, including the forecast calendar, model architecture, assumptions, run-rate methodology, headcount and plan-change inputs, source-data validation, forecast submissions, actuals-to-forecast analysis, forecast-to-plan analysis, and executive-ready commentary. They will also evaluate plan mechanics, identify unintended incentives or payout risk, build analytical models, document policy intent, lead cross-functional decisions, and ensure approved changes are translated accurately into systems, communications, and operating processes.

This is a high-impact individual-contributor role for someone who can move comfortably between FP&A forecasting, strategic design discussions, detailed modeling, policy language, system requirements, and field-facing explanation. This role partners closely with our GTM & Corporate FP&A teams along with our Sales Operations teams. The role must understand how plan mechanics, headcount, attainment, hiring timing, ramping, quota changes, and payout behavior affect forecast accuracy, cost, seller behavior, payout experience, and operational risk.

What You'll Do:

• Own the end-to-end commissions forecast process in partnership with FP&A and sales ops, including forecast calendar, model structure, assumptions, source data, submissions, and change control.
• Produce monthly, quarterly, and annual commissions forecasts and explain actuals-to-forecast and forecast-to-plan variances by segment, role, plan component, headcount movement, attainment, and timing.
• Establish forecast inputs and operating rhythms with Sales Ops, Finance, People, Payroll, and business leaders; document ownership, deadlines, assumptions, and evidence.
• Assist in the design and evolution of sales compensation plans across multiple segments, roles, geographies, and pay periods.
• Translate GTM strategy into measurable compensation mechanics, including quotas, crediting rules, accelerators, kickers, draws, SPIFFs, MBOs, ramping structures, and exception frameworks.
• Build models and scenario analyses to eval