Compensation Analyst

Sargent & Lundy, L.L.C.•Chicago, IL

40d•Hybrid

About The Position

The Compensation Analyst supports the design, analysis, and administration of compensation programs that attract, retain, and reward talent in alignment with Sargent & Lundy's business and people strategies. Leveraging market data and internal analytics, this role conducts market pricing, evaluates job structures, and supports cycles such as merit and promotions. Payfactors expertise will be used to provide data-driven recommendations and ensure pay practices are equitable, competitive, and compliant. Reporting to the Total Rewards manager, this position will play a critical role in the administration of S&L's compensation programs.

Requirements

Strong analytical, problem-solving, and modeling skills; proficiency with Excel (e.g., LOOKUPs, pivot tables, formulas) and data visualization basics.
Hands-on experience with Payfactors for market pricing, survey management, and job architecture tasks.
Familiarity with compensation concepts: market pricing, salary structures, range penetration, compa-ratio, merit modeling, internal equity, and FLSA.
Ability to translate data insights into practical, business-ready recommendations with clear narratives.
Excellent communication and partnership skills with HR and business stakeholders; strong confidentiality and professional judgment.
2-3 years of professional experience in a compensation analysis role in either a consulting or professional services environment.
Demonstrated experience with Payfactors for market pricing and survey participation.
Prior support for annual compensation cycles (merit, promotions) and offer analysis preferred with an understanding of employee evaluation processes and their impact on compensation.
Required: Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, Finance, or a related field.
4 years of direct work experience in lieu of a bachelor's degree is acceptable.

Nice To Haves

Experience with HRIS/reporting (e.g., Workday, SAP, Oracle, UKG) preferred; experience with survey vendors (Payfactors/Radford/WTW/ Mercer) a plus.
Experience applying AI solutions to solve process and business issues.
International compensation experience, preferred but not required
Preferred but not required: Professional certifications (e.g., CCP, PHR, SHRM-CP).
Relevant internships or co-op experiences in compensation or HR will be considered.

Responsibilities

Conduct comprehensive market research and analysis of salary trends, pay practices, and job classifications to inform compensation strategies; perform market pricing of new and existing roles using Payfactors.
Collaborate with HR and management to design and implement compensation programs that align with business objectives and enhance employee motivation.
Prepare compensation modeling and analytics for annual and off-cycle processes (merit, promotions, adjustments, offers); develop templates and dashboards as needed.
Monitor and ensure compliance with federal, state, and local compensation laws and regulations.
Research and respond to employee, HR Business Partner, Talent Acquisition, and business leader inquiries regarding compensation policies and procedures, ensuring clarity and transparency.
Maintain data integrity across compensation systems and tools; troubleshoot data issues, support process documentation, and change management for compensation programs and tools.
Participate in compensation surveys and manage survey job matches to ensure high-quality, reliable submissions that enable effective evaluation of the organization's pay and salary structures against competitors.