Director, Compensation

Who we are

At CarGurus (NASDAQ: CARG), our mission is to give people the power to reach their destination. We started as a small team of developers determined to bring trust and transparency to car shopping. Since then, our history of innovation and go-to-market acceleration has driven industry-leading growth. In fact, we’re the largest and fastest-growing automotive marketplace, and we’ve been profitable for over 15 years.

What we do

The market is evolving, and we are too, moving the entire automotive journey online and guiding our customers through every step. That includes everything from the sale of an old car to the financing, purchase, and delivery of a new one. Today, tens of millions of consumers visit CarGurus.com each month, and ~30,000 dealerships use our products. But they're not the only ones who love CarGurus-our employees do, too. We have a people-first culture that fosters kindness, collaboration, and innovation, and empowers our Gurus with tools to fuel their career growth. Disrupting a trillion-dollar industry requires fresh and diverse perspectives. Come join us for the ride!

Role overview

We are seeking a Director of Compensation to elevate and scale our compensation programs. This leader will shape and operationalize our compensation strategy, ensuring our philosophy, programs, and practices are competitive, equitable, compliant, and aligned with our business strategy and organizational goals.

The ideal candidate combines deep technical expertise with strategic influence, someone who can guide the business through complex compensation decisions while leading a small team of compensation professionals with enterprise responsibility for base pay, short-term incentives, and equity/long-term incentive programs.

What you'll do

Compensation Strategy & Program Leadership

• Lead the design, strategy, planning, governance, and communication of broad-based and executive compensation programs, including base pay, annual incentives, equity, and long-term incentive plans.
• Refine and advance our compensation philosophy to align with business priorities, market competitiveness, internal equity, and evolving workforce needs.
• Conduct ongoing market research and benchmarking to ensure pay practices remain competitive and aligned with technology sector trends.
• Remain current on compensation best practices and the evolving legal and regulatory landscape; assess risks and proactively recommend solutions to ensure compliance with wage-and-hour regulations and plan requirements.

Incentive, Equity & Annual Planning Execution

• Oversee equity plan administration, ensuring accurate recordkeeping of vesting schedules, plan compliance, and coordination of settlements in accordance with plan rules and payroll tax requirements.
• Lead the annual merit, bonus, and equity planning cycles, ensuring process excellence, clear communications, and optimized technology workflows that create a seamless experience for leaders and employees.
• Provide support for executive compensation programs and the Compensation Committee, ensuring governance, rigor, and alignment with company objectives.

Advisory Partnership & Governance

• Serve as a trusted advisor to executives, HR Business Partners, and business leaders on company pay structures, pay change recommendations, new hire offers, promotions, and complex compensation matters.
• Provide expert counsel on compensation-related risks and opportunities, translating analytics into actionable business insights.
• Partner cross-functionally with Finance, Legal, Payroll, and People & Talent to ensure compliance, operational rigor, and process excellence.

Communication, Education & Team Leadership

• Develop and execute comprehensive communication strategies that effectively articulate the value of our compensation programs and support talent attraction and retention.
• Build awareness and education initiatives across all levels of the organization to strengthen understanding of total rewards and collective value.
• Inspire and manage a high-performing compensation team, fostering growth, accountability, and continuous improvement.
• Assess team structure and operating model, set priorities, allocate resources, and ensure high-quality execution across all compensation processes.

What you'll bring

• 12-15+ years of progressive experience in compensation, including 4-6 years in a leadership role.
• Proven success designing, enhancing, and scaling compensation programs within a high-growth or mature technology environment.
• Deep expertise in compensation design, benchmarking, incentive structures, and market analysis.
• Strong knowledge of equity plan administration and regulatory compliance considerations.
• Experience supporting executive compensation and Compensation Committee processes.
• Demonstrated ability to influence senior stakeholders and translate data into strategic recommendations.
• Experience with HRIS and compensation systems; ability to optimize tools to improve workflow and scalability.
• Experience with Sales compensation plans is a plus.
• Bachelor’s degree required; CCP certification preferred.

The displayed range represents the expected annual base salary / On-Target Earnings (OTE) for this position. On-Target Earnings (OTE) is inclusive of base salary and on-target commission earnings, which applies exclusively to sales roles.

Individual pay within this range is determined by work location and other factors such as job-related skills, experience, and relevant education or training.

This annual base salary forms part of a comprehensive Total Rewards Package. In addition to benefits, this role may qualify for discretionary bonuses/incentives and Restricted Stock Units (RSUs).

Position Pay Range

$181,000—$227,000 USD

Working at CarGurus

We reward our Gurus’ curiosity and passion with best-in-class benefits and compensation, including equity for all employees, both when they start and as they continue to grow with us. Our career development and corporate giving programs, as well as our employee resource groups (ERGs) and communities, help people build connections while making an impact in personally meaningful ways. A flexible hybrid model and robust time off policies encourage work-life balance and individual well-being. Thoughtful perks like daily free lunch, a new car discount, meditation and fitness apps, commuting cost coverage, and more help our people create space for what matters most in their personal and professional lives.

CarGurus may require in-person interviews as part of our hiring process, particularly for positions based in our Boston and Dublin offices. Candidates selected for an in-person interview will be notified in advance. Please be aware that travel expenses are the responsibility of the candidate.

We welcome all

CarGurus strives to be a place to which people can bring the ultimate expression of themselves and their potential-starting with our hiring process. We do not discriminate based on race, color, religion, national origin, age, sex, marital status, ancestry, physical or mental disability, veteran status, gender identity, or sexual orientation. We foster an inclusive environment that values people for their skills, experiences, and unique perspectives. That’s why we hope you’ll apply even if you don’t check every box listed in the job description. We also encourage you to tell your recruiter if you require accommodations to participate in our hiring process due to a disability so we can provide the appropriate support. We want to know what only you can bring to CarGurus. #LI-Hybrid