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

First for a reason:

At First Student, we are a family of 60,000+ employees who take pride in safely transporting more than 5 million students and passengers to and from their destinations each day! Our family of brands include Transco, Total Transportation, Maggies Paratransit, and GVC II. Our employees are at the forefront of safety and innovation; they create and implement the most advanced training and technology the transportation industry has to offer.

In the state of Washington, all technician and driving positions, including but not limited to van drivers and any other position requiring employees to drive a company-owned vehicle, are considered safety-sensitive and are therefore subject to drug and alcohol testing, including cannabis.

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability or veteran status. First is also committed to providing a drug-free workplace. First will consider for employment qualified applicants with criminal histories consistent with the requirements of the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, Los Angeles Fair Chance Ordinance, and any other fair chance law. Philadelphia's Fair Criminal Record Screening Standards Ordinance Poster is at this link or upon request https://www.phila.gov/media/20210423160847/Fair-Chance-Hiring-law-poster.pdf.