Compensation Lead

Location: Hybrid in San Francisco or New York City, United States.

Salary: $150,000–$230,000 annually; equity offered. USD salary ranges apply only to U.S.-based positions; international salaries are set according to the local market.

Company

Perplexity develops AI-powered products and is building its compensation function to support hiring, recognition, and retention.

What you will do

• Assess existing compensation practices, data, and tools, prioritize gaps, and develop recommendations for compensation philosophy, market positioning, and cash and equity guidelines.
• Establish salary ranges and market benchmarks across functions and locations, partnering with People and business leaders on job scope and leveling.
• Own compensation decisions for offers, promotions, pay adjustments, and compensation questions using market data, internal equity, and budget considerations.
• Design and run compensation reviews, including calendars, planning models, manager guidance, approvals, and coordination with Finance, People Operations, Payroll, and equity partners.
• Model the cost and employee impact of salary and equity changes, present recommendations and trade-offs to leadership, and execute approved decisions.
• Build reliable compensation records, decision processes, manager and recruiter guidance, benchmarking resources, reporting, quality checks, and approved automation or AI-assisted workflows with appropriate employee-data protection.

Requirements

• Experience establishing or substantially rebuilding compensation frameworks and processes with limited infrastructure, and continuing to operate them after launch.
• Hands-on experience with market pricing, salary ranges, cash and equity programs, compensation reviews, and individual pay recommendations.
• Ability to build and audit models, reconcile imperfect data, explain assumptions, and assess when benchmarks are useful or incomplete.
• Ability to turn analysis into clear recommendations, discuss trade-offs with leadership, and constructively challenge ineffective approaches.
• Ability to set priorities, build workable processes, and manage urgent requests while progressing longer-term work.
• Ability to handle sensitive information discreetly and explain compensation decisions clearly to recruiters, managers, and employees.

Culture & Benefits

• Full-time U.S. employees receive equity, health, dental, vision, retirement, fitness, commuter, and dependent care benefits.
• Full-time employees outside the U.S. receive benefits tailored to their region of residence.
• Compensation decisions are designed to be competitive, financially sound, clear, and operationally consistent.