Braun Board

Director, People Business Partner – AMER Field Sales

Okta · San Francisco, CA

Base
$219K–$301K
OTE
Not disclosed
Posted
8d ago

Still open · checked 2h agoon Okta's careers page

What Okta sells

One trusted gatekeeper for people and AI agents

Every app a company uses needs to check who is allowed in, and keeping track of all those checks is hard. Okta is a trusted, neutral system that handles them, so people can safely use any app on any device. It also helps companies let AI agents in safely, without letting the wrong ones through.

In plain English, from their own job posts. Something wrong? Tell us

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The Braun Read

Ask hard questions

Too much is left unsaid. Make them answer before you invest.

Pay
Base is listed but not OTE. Ask what the variable is and how many people hit it.
Transparency
Says nothing about quota, attainment, deal size, territory or sales cycle.
Pipeline
Doesn't say where pipeline comes from. Ask.
Time on market
Open 7 days.
Company hiring
Ramping up: posted 24 sales roles in the last 30 days. That many open roles can also mean churn. Ask how many reps are still there from last year.

Based only on what the posting says. Flags are a starting point for your first call, not a final judgment.

Questions to ask on the first call

Built from what this posting leaves out. How they answer tells you as much as what they say.

  1. 1.

    What percentage of fully ramped reps hit quota last year?

    OTE is what you could earn. This is how likely you are to earn it.

  2. 2.

    What's the OTE, and what did the median rep earn last year?

    Base is what you're guaranteed. OTE and the median show the upside.

  3. 3.

    Who's the economic buyer, and who else is in the deal?

    Selling to a CFO and selling to a developer are different jobs.

  4. 4.

    What's the annual quota, and how was it set?

    A quota built from real data is a target. Otherwise it's a hope.

  5. 5.

    Where does pipeline come from: inbound, SDRs, or me?

    Tells you how much of your week is prospecting versus selling.

  6. 6.

    Why is this role open? Did someone leave, or is it new?

    New headcount is growth. A replacement means someone left. Ask why.

When the offer comes

Save these for later. They land better once they've said yes to you.

  1. 1.

    Can I see the full comp plan in writing, including clawbacks and accelerators?

    What's in writing is what gets paid. Read it before you sign.

  2. 2.

    Can I see the actual comp distribution for the team last year, not just the OTE?

    The spread shows what most reps really take home. OTE is just the target.

  3. 3.

    I'd be walking away from earned commission to join. Is there room for a sign-on bonus to help cover that?

    Leaving money behind is a fair reason to ask. The worst answer is no.

Josh's top five questions for any sales interview →

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The role

This is an HR role, not a quota-carrying sales job. It supports AMER Sales leadership on workforce planning, org design, talent strategy, and comp alignment. No customers or sales motion are described.

Selling motion

Not stated in the posting.

Who you're selling to

Buyer:
Not stated in the posting.Ask: “Who's the economic buyer, and who else is in the deal?”

Pipeline expectations

Not stated in the posting.

Compensation

$219K–$301K base

What is not disclosed

This posting doesn't tell you:

  • OTE
  • Quota size
  • Quota attainment
  • Average deal size
  • Territory
  • Sales cycle length

The questions above cover the big ones.

Full posting
Secure Every Identity, from AI to Human Identity is the key to unlocking the potential of AI. Okta secures AI by building the trusted, neutral infrastructure that enables organizations to safely embrace this new era. This work requires a relentless drive to solve complex challenges with real-world stakes. We are looking for builders and owners who operate with speed and urgency and execute with excellence. This is an opportunity to do career-defining work. We're all in on this mission. If you are too, let's talk. We are seeking a Director, People Business Partner to serve as the core strategic People partner and Workforce Architect for the Senior Vice President & General Manager of AMER Sales and their executive leadership team. This role moves beyond traditional HR delivery to focus on high-impact executive consulting, organizational design, and strategic human capital planning for our primary revenue-generating engine in the Americas. Operating within our Pod Model where we partner closely with Center of Excellences (COEs) and People Operations partners who support front line managers—you will act as a trusted advisor, executive coach, and transformation catalyst to senior sales leadership. Key Responsibilities Workforce Architecture & Organizational Design - Strategic Workforce Planning: Act as the primary workforce architect for AMER Sales. Partner closely with senior sales stakeholders, Revenue Strategy & Operations, and Finance to build, model, and execute a dynamic, multi-quarter workforce plan aligned with regional ARR targets, quota coverage, and product roadmaps. - Organizational Design & Scale: Orchestrate structural evolution across sales pods, territory models, and go-to-market teams. Optimize spans of control, layers, and role definitions to maximize sales velocity and operational efficiency. - Future-Proofing & AI Integration: Lead GTM workforce transformation initiatives by consulting on role evolution, skill density, and integrating AI enablement into traditional sales workflows to drive rep productivity. Executive Consulting & Change Leadership - Trusted Strategic Advisor: Provide direct consultative advice and coaching to the SVP of AMER Sales and VP-level sales leaders on executive leadership, team dynamics, talent density, and organizational health. - Change Management: Design and execute holistic change management strategies for GTM pivots, compensation/commission model shifts, territory realignments, and rapid scale. - Data-Driven Talent Insights: Build and deliver executive-level Quarterly Business Reviews (QBRs). Synthesize talent data, attrition risk, rep ramp-to-productivity metrics, and engagement trends into actionable strategic recommendations for the revenue leadership team. Talent Strategy & High-Performance Culture - Talent Density & Succession: Lead executive talent reviews, calibration sessions, and succession planning. Ensure robust bench strength for critical sales leadership and high-impact revenue roles. - Performance & Compensation Strategy: Partner with COEs to execute annual reward cycles, sales incentives alignment, and performance management strategies that cultivate a relentless, high-performance sales culture. - COE Collaboration: Orchestrate seamless execution of global People programs by leveraging COEs (Talent Acquisition, Total Rewards, People Experience) as execution partners, ensuring sales-specific needs are reflected in global strategies. Qualifications & Requirements - Proven Executive Partnership: 10+ years of HRBP experience in a high-speed, global technology company. 5+ years of HRBP experience supporting a growing, global tech sales team including alignment with SVP+ level direct sales leaders in an international environment is preferred. - Architect Mindset: Deep expertise in organizational design, headcount modeling, sales go-to-market structures, and strategic workforce planning. - Business & Financial Acumen: Strong fluency in SaaS/tech business models, sales mechanics (territories, quotas, rep productivity cycles), and financial levers. - Operating Model Fluency: Comfortable operating in a matrixed or "Pod" HR delivery model, with a focus on delegating operational/tactical tasks to maximize time spent on strategic consulting. - Data & Analytics Expertise: Ability to translate complex workforce metrics into compelling narratives and executive-level strategic decisions. - Agility & Executive Presence: Exceptional communication, influencing, and political acumen, with the resilience to navigate high-stakes, fast-paced sales environments. P-1661_3582575 The annual base salary range for this position for candidates located in the San Francisco Bay area is between: $219,000-$301,000 USD Below is the annual base salary range for candidates located in California (excluding San Francisco Bay Area), Colorado, Illinois, New York and Washington. Your actual base salary will depend on factors such as your skills, qualifications, experience, and work location. In addition, Okta offers equity (where applicable), bonus, and benefits, including health, dental and vision insurance, 401(k), flexible spending account, and paid leave (including PTO and parental leave) in accordance with our applicable plans and policies. To learn more about our Total Rewards program please visit: https://rewards.okta.com/us. The annual base salary range for this position for candidates located in California (excluding San Francisco Bay Area), Colorado, Illinois, New York, and Washington is between: $196,000-$270,000 USD The Okta Experience - Supporting Your Well-Being - Driving Social Impact - Developing Talent and Fostering Connection + Community We are intentional about connection. Our global community, spanning over 20 offices worldwide, is united by a drive to innovate. Your journey begins with an immersive, in-person onboarding experience designed to accelerate your impact and connect you to our mission and team from day one. Okta is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, ancestry, marital status, age, physical or mental disability, or status as a protected veteran. We also consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and convictions records, consistent with applicable laws. If reasonable accommodation is needed to complete any part of the job application, interview process, or onboarding please use this Form to request an accommodation. Notice for New York City Applicants & Employees: Okta may use Automated Employment Decision Tools (AEDT), as defined by New York City Local Law 144, that use artificial intelligence, machine learning, or other automated processes to assist in our recruitment and hiring process. In accordance with NYC Local Law 144, if you are an applicant or employee residing in New York City, please click here to view our full NYC AEDT Notice.
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