Senior Compensation Analyst

First Financial Bank; Cincinnati (OH); On-site; USD 74,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

First Financial Bank is seeking a Senior Compensation Analyst to design, administer, and analyze compensation programs. You will partner with HR, Finance, and leaders to ensure market-competitive pay practices and governance across merit, incentives, and long-term programs.

The role requires strong data analysis, Excel proficiency, and knowledge of compensation regulations. You will manage data in Workday and contribute to forecasting, modeling, and reporting for executive-ready insights.

Qualifications

• Strong knowledge of compensation principles, market pricing, and pay structures.
• Ability to analyze complex compensation data and present insights clearly.
• Advanced Excel skills: formulas, pivot tables, lookups, modeling, data validation.
• Knowledge of employment laws and compensation compliance considerations.
• Experience with Workday compensation modules preferred.

Responsibilities

• Support administration and analysis of annual compensation programs, including merit and incentive plans.
• Conduct market pricing, salary survey submissions, benchmarking, and analyses.
• Evaluate jobs and provide compensation recommendations for new roles and reorganizations.
• Partner with HR and leaders to provide guidance and modeling on pay decisions.
• Prepare analyses, reports, dashboards, and presentations for leadership.
• Assist with incentive plan design, governance, documentation, and tracking.
• Ensure data integrity and compliance across compensation systems.
• Maintain compensation data in Workday and other HR, finance, and survey tools.
• Identify opportunities to improve processes, tools, and reporting.
• Participate in pay equity analysis, job architecture, and salary structure design projects.

Skills

Compensation principles

Market pricing

Salary structures

Incentive compensation

Job evaluation

Data analysis

Excel proficiency

Communication skills

Regulatory compliance

Workday / HRIS awareness

Education

Certified Compensation Professional (CCP)

SHRM / PHR certification

Advanced degree in HR/Finance (optional)

Tools

Workday compensation

HRIS/Reporting tools

Data modeling / dashboards

Job description

We do the right things, right now. We do them in a way that is relevant to our clients. Become a part of our history as it continues to be written!

If you are interested and qualified for this role, we invite you to apply.

The Senior Compensation Analyst supports the design, administration, analysis, and governance of the organization’s compensation programs. This role provides analytical and consultative support for corporate short-term incentive, merit, long-term incentive, salary structure, market pricing, job reviews, incentive design, incentive governance and compensation forecasting processes. The role partners with Human Resources, Finance, business leaders, and other stakeholders to deliver accurate compensation insights, support equitable and market-competitive pay practices, and ensure compensation programs are administered consistently and in alignment with business objectives, internal policies, and regulatory expectations.

Essential Functions/Responsibilities

• Support administration and analysis of annual compensation programs, including merit, short-term incentive, long-term incentive, salary structure updates, and compensation planning processes.
• Conduct market pricing, salary survey submissions, benchmarking, and competitive pay analyses using external survey data and internal compensation information.
• Evaluate jobs and provide compensation recommendations related to new roles, reorganizations, promotions, transfers, and other job review requests.
• Partner with HR Business Partners and business leaders to provide compensation guidance, modeling, and consultation on pay decisions and program application.
• Prepare compensation analyses, reports, dashboards, and presentations to support leadership decision-making.
• Assist with incentive plan design, governance, documentation, eligibility review, performance tracking, and modeling.
• Support compensation governance practices by ensuring program consistency, documentation quality, data integrity, and compliance with applicable policies and regulations.
• Maintain and audit compensation data in Workday and other HR, finance, survey, and reporting systems.
• Identify process improvement opportunities and support enhancements to compensation tools, reporting, workflows, and overall program administration.
• Participate in compensation-related projects, including pay equity analysis, job architecture, salary structure design, incentive modeling, and system/process improvements.

Minimum Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities Needed to Perform Essential Functions of the Job

• Strong knowledge of compensation principles, market pricing, salary structures, incentive compensation, job evaluation, and compensation administration.
• Ability to analyze complex compensation data, identify trends, develop insights, and present recommendations clearly and accurately.
• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel, including formulas, pivot tables, lookups, modeling, and data validation.
• Strong attention to detail, data integrity, organizational skills, and ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines.
• Ability to communicate effectively with HR partners, managers, business leaders, Finance, and other stakeholders.
• Sound judgment and discretion in handling confidential employee, compensation, and business information.
• Understanding of applicable employment laws, pay practices, and compensation compliance considerations.
• Ability to work independently while appropriately escalating issues, risks, and policy exceptions.

Preferred Knowledge and Skills

• Hands-on experience with Workday compensation, advanced compensation, job profiles, business processes, reporting, or related HRIS functionality.
• Experience supporting annual merit, bonus, long-term incentive, or compensation planning cycles.
• Experience with salary survey platforms and compensation market data providers.
• Experience in financial services, banking, or another regulated industry.
• Experience with incentive design, incentive governance, forecasting, or compensation cost modeling.
• Knowledge of pay equity analysis, job architecture, career frameworks, or compensation structure design.
• Experience creating executive-ready reports, dashboards, presentations, and compensation summaries.
• Certified Compensation Professional, SHRM, PHR, or related certification preferred but not required.

Level of Complexity and Scope

• Role works on complex compensation matters involving sensitive employee data, multiple stakeholders, and competing business needs.
• Supports broad-based and incentive compensation programs across the organization and contributes to decisions affecting pay competitiveness, internal equity, budgeting, and governance.
• Works requires strong analytical capability, policy interpretation, business judgement, and the ability to balance market data with internal practices and organizational objectives.

Degree of Independence and Decision-Making

• Operates with moderate to high independence in conducting analyses, preparing recommendations, responding to compensation inquiries, and supporting compensation processes.
• Role makes recommendations based on data, policy, market practice, and business context.
• Decisions or recommendations involving significant cost, exceptions, incentive design, or sensitive employee matters will be escalated to compensation manager.

Required Supervisory Responsibilities

• No direct supervisory responsibilities.
• May provide guidance, training, peer review, and mentorship to other team members or HR partners as needed.
• May coordinate workstreams or project tasks involving cross-functional contributors.

Physical Requirements

• Prolonged periods of sitting and working at a computer.
• Frequent use of standard office equipment, including computer, mouse, phone, and video conferencing tools.
• Ability to communicate verbally and in writing with employees, managers, and business partners.
• Ability to attend meetings, training, and business events as needed.

Compliance Statement

The associate is responsible for meeting all compliance requirements imposed on First Financial Bank by State and Federal law and regulation, as well as all related First Financial Bank policies and procedures. This includes all Bank Secrecy Act, Anti-Money Laundering, OFAC and Suspicious Activity reporting requirements, as well as all other lending and deposit compliance requirements.

Development and Training

Pay Range

$74,000/year to $100,000/year

Benefits

We have relevant, thoughtful benefits and programs that support every aspect of our associates’ holistic wellbeing. Please review our Benefits Guide.

Incentive Eligibility

All roles are incentive eligible with the exception of Co-Op, Intern, or Student positions.

It is our policy to not discriminate against any individual in violation of federal, state, and local laws as it relates to age, race, color, religion, national origin, sex, marital status, pregnancy, gender identity, disability, sexual orientation, genetic information, veteran/military service, or any other characteristic protected by law.

We are an E-Verify Employer.