Compensation Associate, Human Resources

HarbourVest Partners; Boston (MA); Hybrid; USD 90,000 - 105,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Discretionary annual bonus

Comprehensive total rewards package

Job summary

HarbourVest Partners in Boston, MA, is seeking a Compensation Associate to support global compensation programs. The role involves administration, analysis, and continuous improvement of compensation practices.

Candidates should have strong analytical skills and proficiency in Microsoft Excel. A bachelor's degree is preferred, along with 2–4 years of relevant experience. This position offers a hybrid work arrangement and a base salary ranging from $90,000 to $105,000.

Qualifications

• 2–4 years of experience in compensation, recruiting, finance, or HR analytics.
• Knowledge of compensation terms and related laws.
• Ability to analyze large data sets using Excel.

Responsibilities

• Support compensation benchmarking and analysis.
• Manage data integrity standards for compensation.
• Assist in administration of long-term incentive programs.

Skills

Analytical skills

Microsoft Excel proficiency

Interpersonal and communication skills

Attention to detail

Organizational skills

Education

Bachelor of Arts (B.A) or Bachelor of Science (B.S)

Tools

Workday

Power BI

Job description

For over forty years, HarbourVest has been home to a committed team of professionals with an entrepreneurial spirit and a desire to deliver impactful solutions to our clients and investing partners. As our global firm grows, we continue to add individuals who seek a collaborative, open‑door culture that values diversity and innovative thinking. In our collegial environment that’s marked by low turnover and high energy, you’ll be inspired to grow and thrive. Here, you will be encouraged to build on your strengths and acquire new skills and experiences. We are committed to fostering an environment of inclusion that promotes mutual respect among all employees. Understanding and valuing these differences optimizes the potential of both the individual and the firm.

HarbourVest is an equal opportunity employer.

This position will be a hybrid work arrangement. You will receive 18 remote workdays per quarter to use at your discretion, subject to manager approval. For example, you may choose to work in the office 4 days per week and take one remote day weekly (typically 13 weeks per quarter), leaving 5 additional remote days to be used as needed.

Join our team as a Compensation Associate at HarbourVest Partners, where you will play a meaningful role on the Human Resources team supporting the administration, analysis, and continuous improvement of global compensation programs. This role supports compensation benchmarking, incentive plan administration, global pay practice compliance, annual compensation cycles, and related analytics and reporting. You will help improve global process efficiency, provide consultative support to HR teammates and business leaders, and use compensation insights to support business decisions and reward performance outcomes.

What you will do

• Support compensation survey and benchmarking processes, including job matching, external partner submissions, analysis and interpretation of market data, and consultative support to HR teammates and business leaders.
• Contribute to improvements in compensation analysis routines, including market assessment, pay equity reviews, and related reporting. Identify opportunities to leverage HR technology, automation, and AI‑enabled tools to improve compensation reporting, data validation, process efficiency, and scalability.
• Support the planning and execution of yearly compensation processes, including salary reviews, bonus planning, and mentorship to HR and business leaders.
• Ensure accuracy and completeness of compensation data via auditing and adherence to data integrity standards.
• Maintain and improve compensation data, structures, reporting, process administration, and related program documentation.
• Assist with administration of long‑term incentive programs, including participant and award data maintenance, calculations, reporting, and coordination with Finance, Legal, Payroll, and HR partners.
• Partner with global HR and Finance teams to ensure consistent execution of compensation programs and data processes.
• Partner with Recruiting, Finance and Managers to support market pricing, job offers, buyouts, and compensation analysis for new headcount requests throughout the year.
• Monitor and ensure alignment with updated salary‑related laws and regulations across all jurisdictions.
• Handle administration, centralized updates, and maintenance of the Job Family and Leveling framework—including job codes, job families, market benchmark alignment, and downstream Workday impacts.

What you bring

• Strong analytical, critical thinking, and mathematical skills.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Excel, including the ability to analyze large data sets using pivot tables, lookups, if‑statements, formulas, charts, and graphs.
• Workday and Power BI experience ideal.
• Outstanding attention to detail with a zero‑defect approach.
• Strong organizational and time management skills.
• Proven interpersonal, verbal, and written communication skills.
• Self‑motivated with the ability to work independently and collaboratively.
• High degree of discretion, trustworthiness, and integrity.
• Knowledge of compensation terms, standard calculations, foreign exchange currency conversion, and compensation‑related laws and regulations (across the Americas, EMEA, and Asia Pacific preferred).
• Ability to apply compensation insights to support business decisions and reward outcomes aligned with performance and firm priorities.
• Experience with sensitive employee, compensation, or financial data.
• Interest in scalable reporting solutions and process improvement.

Education Preferred

• Bachelor of Arts (B.A) or Bachelor of Science (B.S) degree or comparable experience.

Experience

• 2–4 Years of experience in a compensation, recruiting, finance and/or HR analytics role preferred (Associate level).

Base Pay Range

$90,000.00 - $105,000.00. This USD base salary range represents only one component of total compensation for this role and is provided in accordance with local requirements. This role is eligible for a discretionary annual bonus, which is determined based on individual and overall firm performance. In addition to salary and bonus, total compensation may include eligibility for long‑term reward programs and a comprehensive total rewards package that may include retirement, health, insurance, paid time off, and wellness programs. Our total rewards offerings are influenced by several business factors, and eligibility for certain components will vary by position and geography. This position is non‑exempt and therefore eligible for the payment of overtime.