Principal - Executive Pay & Governance - Remote at Korn Ferry US in Gresham, Oregon

Job Description:

About Us

Korn Ferry is a global organizational consulting firm. We help clients synchronize strategy and talent to drive superior performance. We work with organizations to design their structures, roles, and responsibilities. We help them hire the right people to bring their strategy to life. And we advise them on how to reward, develop, and motivate their people.

Our 8,600 colleagues serve clients in more than 50 countries. We offer five core solutions:

• Organizational Strategy


• Assessment and Succession


• Talent Acquisition


• Leadership Development


• Rewards and Benefits

Principal consultants will work closely with Executive Pay & Governance colleagues to lead and deliver complex, customized and multi work-stream Board or Management relationships  that meet and exceed client expectations. At this level, business development and client relationship management feature is an important focus of the role in addition to delivery. Individuals may major on either delivery or business development, or indeed have more of a mixed portfolio. Regardless of major, individuals will contribute to bids, and manage/lead relationships and/or projects of considerable complexity. This is the level for experienced consultants capable of working with senior leaders and board members within client organizations across a broad range of executive pay and governance matters.

Key Accountabilities

• Develop and manage effective client relationships either as a member of an account team or by directly managing accounts including potential key accounts. Contribute to key accounts by project managing work streams and/or leading delivery teams.


• Lead research, analysis and interpretation on client / sector business issues, performance, client competitor performance etc. with a view to identifying possible opportunities. Look for ways to build new client relationships e.g. active networking, asking for referrals, partnering across KF lines of business. Leverage insights to define, recommend and /or co-create strategic solutions for the clients.


• Lead the delivery of board and management deliverables, including analytical and data-driven solutions. Proven track-record of successfully leading and executing core executive pay analytics and design, including peer group development, market benchmarking, incentive design, pay-for-performance, realizable pay, director pay, proxy advisory review, compensation risk assessment, etc.


• Contribute to winning profitable business by proposal writing, pricing, shaping opportunities, pitch preparation and opportunity spotting in clients. Assess the needs of large/complex clients, designing and delivering solutions to meet their needs.


• Deliver high quality work that meets or exceeds client expectations.


• Facilitate project teams by defining scope, objectives and project management structure ensuring a constant focus on outcomes. Plans for resource needs and implements plans to ensure consultants are developed to meet business needs. Leverage the expertise of internal industry or practice experts across the KF business. Projects may span multiple service lines and would typically involve managing multiple consultants from other offices/countries. Typical timescales could be 6-12 months.


• Contribute to thought leadership and/or research. Speak at local or national events in own area of expertise to enhance the KF brand. Develop relationships with industry and thought leaders externally to increase awareness and prestige of KF.


• Support less experienced consultants through mentoring and project based development and coaching.


• Develop deeper expertise in at least one expertise area, and become conversant in of all Korn Ferry Advisory offerings in order to draw on appropriate practice expertise to provide business solutions, including those that may require inter-service line approaches. Continue to deepen and broaden own consulting skills, business or sector understanding and expertise. Extend a strong internal brand and network of KF Advisory consultants.


• Work with KF industry leaders to develop and customize offerings within a service line and targeted at a particular industry.

Skills & Experience

• Considerable (8+ years) relevant work experience supporting / leading the executive pay function within corporate HR.


• Alternatively, significant work experience (6+ years) in a top tier professional services firm that specializes in executive pay consulting.

Korn Ferry is an Equal Employment Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer - Minority/Female/Disability/ Veteran. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age, or veteran status or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law.