Human Resources - SR COMPENSATION & HRIS SPECIALIST

Empyrean•Houston, TX

5d•Onsite

About The Position

The Sr Specialist Compensation & HRIS is responsible for the day-to-day administration, and continuous improvement of Empyrean’s compensation programs and HRIS platforms. This role partners closely with the Director of Total Rewards to execute compensation strategy, maintain pay governance, and ensure HR systems effectively support compensation, reporting, and workforce analytics. The Sr Specialist serves as a subject matter expert in compensation and HR systems, providing analytical insights, operational excellence, and consultative support to HR Business Partners, Finance, and business leaders. This position plays a critical role in ensuring accuracy, equity, compliance, and scalability of compensation programs and HR data. The role reports to the Director of Total Rewards.

Requirements

Strong analytical skills with the ability to interpret complex data and translate it into actionable insights.
High attention to detail and commitment to data accuracy.
Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.
Strong communication and interpersonal skills with the ability to partner across HR and the business.
Professional discretion and integrity in handling confidential information.
Bachelor’s degree preferred or equivalent relevant experience.
5–7 years of progressive experience in compensation and/or HRIS in a corporate environment.
Hands-on experience administering compensation programs and annual compensation cycles.
Strong proficiency in HRIS platforms (Dayforce preferred), including reporting and data management.
Advanced Excel skills; experience with data visualization and analytics tools a plus.
Willingness to commute to an office location on a routine basis to collaborate with HR and business partners.

Responsibilities

Manage the administration and execution of compensation programs, including base pay, job evaluations, merit increase processes, and incentive programs.
Conduct job pricing, market benchmarking, and compensation analyses to support competitive and equitable pay practices.
Partner with HR Business Partners and leaders to provide guidance on pay decisions, job leveling, promotions, and compensation policy interpretation.
Administer the annual compensation cycle, including data preparation, system configuration, validation, reporting, and communications.
Administer the annual incentive payout cycle, including data preparation, system configuration, validation, reporting, and communications.
Ensure compensation programs are administered consistently and in alignment with company guidelines and governance frameworks.
Develop and maintain compensation analytics, dashboards, and reporting to support HR and leadership decision-making.
Analyze internal equity, market competitiveness, and pay trends; summarize findings and recommendations for the Director of Total Rewards.
Support ad hoc compensation modeling and workforce cost analyses in partnership with Finance.
Serve as the primary owner of Dayforce HRIS including HR Data, Position Management, Org Setup, Reporting, Dashboards etc.
Support other Dayforce HRIS applications like Recruiting and Performance Management through partnering with respective HR team members.
Ensure Dayforce HRIS data accuracy, integrity, and compliance.
Owns data for other HR downstream systems like EMPact app, Compass Benefits Portal, LMS, LinkedIn etc.
Supports data accuracy for non HR downstream systems like Concur, Alert Media, Evolve app etc.
Partner with HR, IT, and vendors to implement system enhancements, process improvements, and configuration changes.
Support testing, validation, and deployment of HRIS updates and new functionality including HR export files.
Support HR Automation projects and work with Empyrean business teams and third party administrators to configure, test and deploy these processes.
Ensure compensation data and processes comply with federal, state, and local regulations.
Support audits, reporting, and documentation related to compensation and HRIS data.
Maintain strong internal controls to ensure accuracy, confidentiality, and proper approvals.
Provide guidance and mentorship to analysts or specialists supporting compensation or HRIS activities, as applicable.
Collaborate closely with Benefits, HR Business Partners, Finance, Payroll, and Legal to ensure seamless execution of total rewards programs.
Act as a trusted internal consultant on compensation and HRIS-related questions.
May directly manage or provide functional leadership to Compensation and/or HRIS team members (analysts or specialists).
Responsible for coaching, performance feedback, and development of assigned team members.