Sr. Compensation Analyst

First Student, Inc.

$70K — $95K *
Business Services
Less than 5 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business, Finance, or related field
  • 2–5+ years of experience in compensation, HR operations, or HRIS
  • Strong experience with Workday Compensation required
  • Experience supporting union environments and CBA administration preferred
  • Expertise in Workday configuration, transactions, and reporting

Responsibilities

  • Serve as the primary resource for union compensation structures and step progressions
  • Oversee and validate eligibility for step increases based on contract criteria
  • Ensure accurate maintenance of union pay structures in Workday
  • Partner with HR, Operations, and Payroll to manage pay-related issues
  • Execute annual compensation cycles within Workday, including merit and bonus processes
  • Analyze compensation trends and produce reports for leadership and compliance
  • Identify automation opportunities to enhance compensation efficiency

Benefits

  • Comprehensive health benefits
  • 401(k) plan with company match
  • Ongoing professional development opportunities
  • Flexible work arrangements
  • Collaborative and inclusive work environment
Full Job Description

The Compensation Analyst is responsible for the administration, oversight, and continuous improvement of compensation programs, with a primary focus on collective bargaining agreement (CBA) pay structures and step progressions, Workday day-to-day support, and operational service delivery.

This role serves as a subject matter expert (SME) for compensation processes and systems, provides day-to-day support to the organization, and offers functional (dotted-line) guidance to two hourly Compensation Coordinators. The analyst also plays a key role in advancing compensation operations through automation and AI-enabled solutions to improve efficiency, accuracy, and scalability.

Key Responsibilities

CBA Oversight & Step Progression Administration

  • Serve as the primary resource for union compensation structures, including step progressions and contract-driven pay rules
  • Oversee and validate step increases based on eligibility criteria (e.g., tenure, hours worked, contract milestones)
  • Ensure accurate configuration and maintenance of step plans and union pay structures in Workday
  • Partner with Operations, Labor Relations, HR, and Payroll to interpret agreements and resolve pay-related issues and grievances
  • Support contract negotiations and implementations by modeling and testing pay scenarios

Operational & Day-to-Day Compensation Support

  • Provide daily support for compensation activities including promotions, pay adjustments, job changes, and market pricing
  • Support and execute annual compensation cycles (merit, bonus, incentives) within Workday
  • Review and approve complex or high-risk compensation actions
  • Ensure consistent application of compensation policies, guidelines, and internal equity practices

Help Case & Service Delivery Leadership

  • Oversee Workday help case intake and resolution for compensation-related inquiries
  • Ensure cases are resolved accurately and within established SLAs
  • Handle escalated or sensitive cases requiring deeper analysis or judgment
  • Analyze case trends to identify process gaps and recommend improvements

Team Coordination (Dotted-Line Oversight)

  • Provide day-to-day functional guidance to two hourly Compensation Coordinators
  • Prioritize and allocate workload to ensure timely completion of transactions and cases
  • Review work for quality, accuracy, and compliance
  • Coach and train coordinators on Workday processes, CBA rules, and best practices
  • Support onboarding and documentation of standard operating procedures

Automation & AI Enablement

  • Identify opportunities to streamline and automate compensation processes using AI and digital tools
  • Partner with Workday Team and Sr Manager Compensation to implement:
  • Automated workflows and approvals
  • Intelligent case routing and response suggestions
  • Data validation and anomaly detection
  • Develop automated reports, dashboards, and tracking tools (e.g., step progression trackers)
  • Leverage AI/analytics tools to support:
  • Pay equity analysis
  • Market insights
  • Operational efficiency improvements

Data Analysis & Reporting

  • Conduct analyses on compensation trends, step progression activity, and pay equity
  • Produce standard and ad hoc reporting for HR, Finance, and leadership
  • Support audits, compliance reporting, and data validation activities

Compliance & Governance

  • Ensure compensation practices align with CBAs, company policies, and regulatory requirements
  • Maintain clear documentation and audit trails for decisions and transactions
  • Support internal and external audits related to compensation programs

Qualifications

Education & Experience

  • Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business, Finance, or related field
  • 2–5+ years of experience in compensation, HR operations, or HRIS
  • Strong experience with Workday Compensation required
  • Experience supporting union environments and CBA administration preferred

Skills & Competencies

  • Expertise in Workday configuration, transactions, and reporting
  • Understanding of CBA step progression structures and pay administration
  • Analytical mindset with strong problem-solving capabilities
  • Experience with automation tools and AI-driven solutions (e.g., Power BI, Power Automate, Workday tools, or similar platforms)
  • Advanced Excel skills (data analysis, auditing, tracking)
  • Strong attention to detail and data accuracy in high-volume environments
  • Ability to lead work and provide direction without formal supervisory authority
  • Excellent communication, collaboration, and stakeholder management skills
  • High level of discretion with sensitive compensation data

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