Senior Compensation Manager

Job description

Archer is an aerospace and defense company headquartered in San Jose, California, building the aircraft and technology that will define the next era of flight. The company works across air taxis, UAS, AI and powertrain development — building real-world systems that combine software intelligence with physical hardware. That includes Midnight, Archer's all-electric air taxi; Halo, an autonomous vertical takeoff and landing aircraft built for both commercial and defense use; and ZEE, Archer's AI foundation model built specifically for aviation. We’re seeking exceptional engineers, operators and builders to join us on our mission to build the future of aerospace and defense. Our sights are set high and our problems are hard, and we believe that diversity in the workplace is what makes us smarter, drives better insights, and will ultimately lift us all to success. We are dedicated to cultivating an equitable and inclusive environment that embraces our differences, and supports and celebrates all of our team members. **About The Team** Our team is growing! We’re looking to hire a Senior Compensation Manager to join the Total Rewards team. The ideal candidate brings experience in high-growth compensation strategies and passionate about bridging market data and talent retention. We need someone who thrives on creating scalable rewards systems, optimizing complex pay structures, and building world-class incentive programs from the ground up. **What You’ll Do:** - Lead end-to-end compensation cycles—including annual merit, promotion, and off-cycle processes—from initial planning and modeling through to execution and communication. - Develop and maintain global salary range structures through rigorous market pricing, survey participation, and ongoing competitive benchmarking. - Partner with senior leaders, HRBPs, Finance, and Legal to drive compensation program design, governance, and delivery. - Provide strategic thought partnership on broad-based compensation topics, including job architecture, pay equity, and incentive plan design. - Translate complex data into clear, actionable insights and effectively communicate compensation philosophies to leaders and managers at all levels. - Manage multiple priorities simultaneously with a hands-on, delivery-focused approach in a fast-paced, high-growth environment. **What You Need:** - 7+ years of broad-based compensation experience in a U.S. public company, preferably within a high-growth technology or manufacturing environment. - Demonstrated experience leading compensation cycles independently from design through execution. - Strong expertise in market pricing, salary range development, and competitive benchmarking using major survey sources (e.g., Radford/Aon, Mercer, Willis Towers Watson). - Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel, with a proven track record of building complex models and conducting deep data analysis. - A self-driven mindset with a high standard for accuracy, capable of managing competing priorities and delivering quality work with minimal oversight in an ambiguous environment. - Excellent communication and critical thinking skills, with the ability to present complex compensation concepts clearly to non-compensation audiences. **Bonus Qualifications:** - Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or a related field; an advanced degree or CCP (Certified Compensation Professional) designation is a plus. - Experience managing global compensation programs. - Prior compensation experience in the manufacturing, aerospace, airline, or automotive sectors. Please note that this job description is intended to provide a general overview of the position and does not include an exhaustive list of responsibilities and qualifications. At Archer we aim to attract, retain, and motivate talent that possess the skills and leadership necessary to grow our business. We drive a pay-for-performance culture and reward performance that supports the Company’s business strategy. For this position we are targeting a base pay between $180,000 - $210,000. Actual compensation offered will be determined by factors such as job-related knowledge, skills, and experience. ##### ##### Archer is committed to working with and providing reasonable accommodations to job applicants with physical or mental disabilities, and those with sincerely held religious beliefs. Applicants who may require reasonable accommodation for any part of the application or hiring process should provide their name and contact information to Archer’s People Team at [people@archer.com](mailto:people@archer.com). Reasonable accommodations will be determined on a case-by-case basis. --- ##### Information collected and processed as part of any job applications you choose to submit is subject to Archer's [Candidate Privacy Policy](https://archer.com/legal/personnel-candidate-privacy-policy). ##### Certain positions may be eligible for visa sponsorship. ##### Archer is proud to be an Equal Opportunity employer committed to diversity and inclusivity in the workplace. All aspects of employment are decided on the basis of merit, qualifications, and business needs. We do not discriminate based upon race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, age, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, gender identity or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws. ##### Archer Aviation does not engage with external recruiting agencies/individual recruiters with whom it does not have a prior written agreement. Archer reserves the right to make use of any unsolicited resumes that it receives and bears no responsibility for payment of any fees asserted from the use of unsolicited resumes. If you are a recruiting agency or individual recruiter wishing to do business with Archer, please reach out to [People@archer.com](mailto:People@archer.com). All employment processes are managed by the Archer People Team.