Director, Global

About Coursera

Coursera was founded in 2012 by Stanford professors Andrew Ng and Daphne Koller to make world‑class learning accessible to everyone, everywhere. Today, over 190 million learners and 375+ university and industry partners use our platform to gain skills in fields like AI, data science, technology, and business. As a Delaware public benefit corporation and Certified B Corp, we are driven by the belief that learning can transform lives through learning.

At Coursera, we are looking for inventors, innovators, and lifelong learners ready to shape the future of education. You will help build global programs and tools that power online learning for millions, turning bold ideas into real impact. People who thrive here are customer‑first builders who move fast, simplify ruthlessly, and iterate relentlessly on the metrics that matter.

We are a globally distributed team and let you choose the best way you work, whether it’s from home, a Coursera hub, or a co‑working space near you. Our virtual hiring and onboarding make it easy to join us and start making an impact from anywhere. If you’re ready to make a global impact, scale unique products exclusive to Coursera, and expand your career horizons, apply below.

The People team at Coursera is responsible for building high‑performing global teams, retaining exceptional talent, and developing programs that foster community, growth, and an outstanding employee experience. As Coursera continues to scale as a mission‑driven, global organization, the People team is strengthening our operating model, systems, and programs to support sustainable growth.

As the Director, Global Compensation, you will lead the end‑to‑end design, execution, and governance of Coursera's global compensation programs across the Americas, EMEA, and APAC. Reporting to the VP, Global Total Rewards & Operations, you will partner closely to shape and operationalize Coursera's global compensation strategy. You will translate strategic direction into scalable programs, strong governance, and consistent practices that ensure fairness, competitiveness, and alignment with Coursera's workforce and business needs.

This role leads a growing compensation team and plays a key leadership position within the broader People Operations organization. You will oversee global compensation cycles, benchmarking, job architecture, pay structures, decision frameworks, compliance, and analytics. You will work cross‑functionally with Finance, Talent Acquisition, People Partners, and senior business leaders to ensure that compensation programs support Coursera's goals and scale effectively.

This position is fully remote.

• Partner with the VP, Global Total Rewards & Operations to co‑develop and refine Coursera's global compensation strategy, guiding principles, and governance model.
• Lead the compensation team in implementing and optimizing global compensation programs, including salary structures, variable pay, equity guidelines, and job architecture.
• Provide thought leadership and recommendations on market trends, competitive practices, and emerging compensation needs as the business evolves.
• Partner with the VP, Global Total Rewards & Operations on executive compensation programs, including benchmarking, modeling, and preparing materials for senior leadership and the Compensation Committee.
• Own the design, administration, and continuous improvement of all compensation programs and processes, including annual compensation reviews, market benchmarking, leveling/slotting, and pay decision frameworks.
• Establish and maintain global compensation policies, governance protocols, and documentation to ensure consistency, fairness, and compliance.
• Partner with Legal and regional HR partners to ensure practices align with global regulatory requirements.
• Lead global benchmarking to maintain competitive and equitable pay structures across geographies and job families.
• Build compensation analytics, dashboards, and financial models to support decision‑making for HR, Finance, and business leaders.
• Monitor internal pay equity and provide insights and recommendations to leadership to support an…