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Shannon S

Strategic Compensation Leader with 20+ years of experience driving revenue and organizational growth

About Me

Strategic Compensation Leader | Innovation in Crisis | Data-Driven Growth In a volatile market, financial stability isn't just about balancing books—it’s about strategic financial engineering and the agility to pivot when the data shifts. Throughout my career, I’ve specialized in transforming financial functions from reactive departments into proactive engines of growth. Why I do what I do: I believe that true innovation is born during a crisis. My approach centers on pioneering real-time market intelligence systems that allow organizations to see around corners. By moving beyond traditional reporting and into data-driven decision-making, I help leadership teams act with confidence when others are hesitant. Core Areas of Impact: Strategic Financial Engineering (The Value Prop): I specialize in building resilient capital structures that thrive under pressure. By integrating innovation during crisis with long-term financial strategy, I transform finance from a back-office function into a competitive advantage. I don't just manage budgets; I engineer the financial agility required to capture market share when competitors are retreating. Real-Time Market Intelligence: Pioneering the systems that turn data into a "early warning system." I replace reactive reporting with data-driven decision-making, ensuring leadership has the intelligence needed to pivot within a 24-hour window rather than waiting for month-end close. Crisis-Tested Leadership: A track record of navigating volatility by maintaining a dual focus: stabilizing immediate cash flow while simultaneously architecting the long-term growth engine. I’m passionate about building resilient organizations that don’t just survive market cycles but use them as a springboard for the next phase of growth.

Jurisdiction

United States

Experience

Seniority LevelDirector
Years of Experience20+ years
Current StatusActive
Principal ConsultantIndependent Contract Consulting
2024 - Present

- - - - Framework Architecture: Lead the design and implementation of global compensation frameworks for international clients in the Legal, Software, and Manufacturing sectors. Merger and Acquisition Harmonization: Lead the structural integration of merit programs and pay grade leveling for merging entities, ensuring cultural and financial stability during transitions. Strategic Benchmarking: Leading and conducting job benchmarking, deep-tier market analysis and FLSA audits to ensure multi-state compliance and competitive positioning for clients. AI Intelligence: Providing expertise in domain to improve models for a top AI lab.

Director - Compensation & Workforce Analytics Smile Brands Inc
2022 - 2024

- - - - Process Automation: Automated incentive accrual and payout cycles using AI code development and power queries, reducing calculation and payout times by over 60%. Executive Governance Architecture: Established and chaired the inaugural Compensation Committee; served as the strategic advisor to the C-suite assembly to align executive pay structures with long-term EBITDA goals. Value Proposition Design: Drove revenue across 700+ sites by engineering interactive calculators for 21 incentive plans covering 95% of the workforce. Combined Total Value education with scenario-modeling tools to empower 7,500 employees to maximize personal payouts and organizational ROI. Strategic Infrastructure & Market Intelligence: Identified critical data gaps and secured CFO approval for the enterprise-wide implementation of Payfactors. Spearheaded the technical integration and training for the analyst team, leading the mapping of 700+ site locations and all internal roles to market-match data to ensure executive-level confidence in staffing investments.

Education

Masters of Human Resources AdministrationCentral Michigan University
2010 - 2012
Degree of Organizational Communication Wright State University
1991 - 1996

Skills

Core skills0
Languages1

Languages

English