Who We Are
At OPENLANE, we make wholesale easy so our customers can be more successful. We’re a technology company, building the world’s most advanced — and simple — digital marketplace for used vehicles. We’re a data company, helping customers buy and sell smarter with clear, actionable insights they can understand and use. And, we’re an innovation company accelerating the future of wholesale remarketing through curiosity, collaboration, and an entrepreneurial spirit. OPENLANE offers its customers, the best digital marketplace for used cars in Europe. Our B2B clients enjoy operational excellence when working with us.
Our Values
- Driven Waybuilders: We pursue challenges that inspire us to build, create and innovate.
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Relentless Curiosity: We seek to understand and improve our customers’ experience.
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Smart Risk-Taking: We transform risk into progress through data, experience, and intuition.
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Fearless Ownership: We deliver what we promise and learn along the way.
What are we looking for?
We're looking for a Compensation & Benefits Manager Europe who thrives on challenge and wants to make a real impact. In this highly visible role, you'll lead and evolve our compensation, benefits, payroll governance, and pay transparency agenda across Europe, partnering closely with HR, Finance, and senior business leaders.
Reporting directly to the HR Director Europe, you'll lead a team of two Payroll & Benefits Officers while driving initiatives that help us attract, retain, and reward top talent. This role offers a unique combination of strategic influence and hands-on ownership, giving you the opportunity to shape reward practices, drive continuous improvement, and support business decisions through meaningful insights and analytics. Approximately 40% of the role focuses on strategic initiatives and 60% on operational leadership and execution, making it ideal for someone who enjoys building and improving while remaining close to the business.
What are your key responsibilities?
1. Compensation Strategy & Total Rewards
Drive and continuously enhance OPENLANE Europe's compensation philosophy and reward framework. You'll oversee salary structures, job architecture, grading frameworks, market benchmarking, and incentive programs, ensuring our reward offerings attract, motivate, and retain top talent while supporting business performance.
2. Payroll Governance & Administration
Ensure accurate, compliant, and timely payroll delivery across our European countries. You'll oversee payroll operations, strengthen governance and controls, drive process improvements, and act as the escalation point for complex payroll matters while maintaining compliance with local regulations.
3. Benefits Management
Manage and optimize employee benefit programs across Europe, including pensions, insurance, mobility solutions, and company car policies. You'll partner with external providers and identify opportunities to improve employee value, consistency, and cost effectiveness across countries.
4. Pay Transparency, Equity & Reward Governance
Lead OPENLANE Europe's readiness for the EU Pay Transparency Directive and support the development of equitable reward practices. You'll monitor pay equity, identify improvement opportunities, maintain reward policies, and ensure compensation programs remain compliant and aligned with organizational values.
5. Merit Cycles & Incentive Management
Own the annual compensation review process across Europe, including salary reviews, bonus calculations, incentive plans, and reward planning. Working closely with HR and Finance, you'll support reward decision-making through robust budgeting and cost modelling.
6. Reporting, Analytics & Workforce Cost Insights
Provide meaningful reward analytics and reporting that support strategic decision-making. You'll develop dashboards, monitor compensation and benefits trends, analyze workforce costs, and translate complex data into actionable recommendations for leadership.
7. Contractor Management
Oversee the administration of compensation and agreements for approximately 30 contractors across Europe. You'll ensure contractual arrangements are compliant, well-documented, and aligned with company policies and regulatory requirements.
8. Leadership & Team Development
Lead, coach, and develop a team of two Payroll & Benefits Officers, fostering accountability, collaboration, continuous improvement, and knowledge sharing while ensuring smooth execution of critical Compensation & Benefits processes.
Requirements
What do you bring?
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Bachelor's or Master's degree in HR, Business, Finance, Economics, or a related field.
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10+ years of experience in Compensation & Benefits, Total Rewards, or Payroll management, ideally within an international European environment.
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Strong expertise in multi-country European payroll, compensation design, benefits management, and reward governance.
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Experience leading compensation review cycles, incentive programs, and salary benchmarking initiatives.
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Good understanding of European payroll, employment, and reward regulations.
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Experience with pay transparency and pay equity initiatives is considered a strong asset.
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Strong analytical skills with the ability to translate data into business recommendations.
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Excellent stakeholder management skills and the ability to influence leaders at different levels of the organization.
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Experience leading, coaching, and developing team members.
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A continuous improvement mindset combined with strong attention to detail and ownership.
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A hands-on, driven, and proactive mindset, balancing strategic thinking with operational execution.
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Proficient in English, both spoken and written.
Benefits
Pay & Benefits
What's in it for you?
At OPENLANE Europe, pay is determined based on role impact, experience, skills and internal fairness.
In addition to the base salary, our package includes:
- Company bonus
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Comprehensive benefits package depending on the country of employment
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32 days holiday
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Only roles that can be performed from an alternative work location are eligible for occasional remote work. In that case, working from home is allowed for up to a maximum of two days.
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Learning & development support
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Opportunity to work in a dynamic, international, and innovative environment
Are we the perfect match?
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Can you fulfill this vital function within our digital marketplace?
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Are you dedicated and able to communicate within a down-to-earth company where we highly believe in a can-do mentality?
Ready to take the next step in your career? Go for it and unlock your full potential!
Send us your CV in English and motivation letter and become part of the OPENLANE team and contribute to a high performing culture. Please take note that the recruitment interviews will take place in English.
OPENLANE is an equal opportunity employer. We embrace and celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees.
