Location: New York City (Onsite 4-5 Days per Week)
Reports To: Head of Total Rewards
About the Role
We are seeking a highly motivated and analytical Compensation Associate to join our growing Total Rewards team in New York City. This is an excellent opportunity for an ambitious compensation professional with 2-6 years of experience to gain broad exposure across compensation strategy, annual compensation processes, compensation analytics, executive reporting, and business partnership within a dynamic financial services environment.
The ideal candidate is a self-starter who thrives in a fast-paced, high-performance culture, enjoys solving complex problems, and is comfortable operating in an environment where priorities evolve quickly. This individual will work directly with the Head of Total Rewards and play a key role in supporting compensation programs that attract, retain, and motivate top talent.
We are looking for someone who combines strong analytical capabilities with a hands-on approach, intellectual curiosity, sound judgment, and the ability to execute with urgency and precision.
Key Responsibilities
- Support the design, administration, and execution of compensation programs across the firm.
- Participate in annual compensation cycles, including salary reviews, incentive planning, bonus allocations, and promotion processes.
- Conduct market benchmarking and competitive compensation analyses using survey data and market intelligence.
- Analyze compensation trends, pay positioning, and workforce data to provide actionable insights and recommendations.
- Develop financial models and compensation analyses to support business leaders and senior management decision-making.
- Prepare presentations, reports, and executive-level materials related to compensation programs and workforce planning.
- Partner closely with Human Resources, Finance, and business stakeholders on compensation-related initiatives.
- Maintain compensation structures, job architecture, and pay governance frameworks.
- Support regulatory, audit, and compliance requirements related to compensation practices.
- Assist in the evaluation of new compensation programs, policies, and strategic Total Rewards initiatives.
- Ensure data accuracy and integrity across HRIS and compensation systems.
- Respond to compensation-related inquiries while exercising a high degree of discretion and confidentiality.
Qualifications
- Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Finance, Economics, Business, Mathematics, Statistics, or a related field.
- 2-6 years of compensation experience, preferably within financial services, professional services, investment management, banking, private equity, hedge funds, or other highly analytical environments.
- Strong quantitative and analytical skills with the ability to interpret and synthesize complex data.
- Advanced Excel skills, including financial modeling, data manipulation, and scenario analysis.
- Experience working with compensation surveys and market benchmarking tools.
- Strong attention to detail and commitment to accuracy.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
- Ability to handle sensitive and confidential information with professionalism and discretion.
- Experience with HRIS and compensation management systems preferred.
What We're Looking For
Beyond technical compensation expertise, we're looking for an individual who embodies the following traits:
- Self-starter: Takes initiative, anticipates needs, and drives work forward independently.
- Grit and resilience: Demonstrates persistence and ownership when navigating challenges and tight timelines.
- High-caliber talent: Brings a strong work ethic, intellectual curiosity, and commitment to excellence.
- Thrives in ambiguity: Comfortable operating in a fast-changing environment where not every process is fully defined.
- High pace orientation: Excels in dynamic environments with multiple competing priorities.
- Strong business acumen: Understands the connection between compensation decisions, talent outcomes, and business performance.
- Collaborative mindset: Builds effective relationships across levels and functions while maintaining accountability for results.