Senior Compensation Analyst

Equity Residential is an S&P 500 real estate company and an industry leading multi-family REIT, headquartered in downtown Chicago. Our portfolio of high-quality properties in growth markets –New York City, Boston, Washington DC, Seattle, San Francisco and Los Angeles, to name a few– provides homes where people most want to live. We've got the best people in the business, and our experience shows in our dedication to residents and in how much we value each other as colleagues. That’s why our employees say they are proud to work at Equity, a company that knows how to “Live Remarkably”. That’s what our Be.Think.Play.Live. culture is all about.  

Under the direction of the Assistant VP, Compensation & Retirement Benefits, you will be responsible for the analysis and tactical execution of the company’s broad-based and variable pay programs, ensuring the plans are fair, competitive, equitable, and administered timely and accurately. In addition, this role is responsible for the daily administration of the Company’s 401(k) and non-qualified deferred compensation plans, and will gain exposure to executive comp and equity awards plans. The Senior Compensation Analyst will serve as a subject matter expert on compensation related projects and will provide support to Senior Management. Each day will be unique, requiring an ability to prioritize, multitask, think strategically, take initiative, and utilize a diverse set of skills.  Expect to be a key member of the company’s HR Compensation & Benefits Team, which means you’ll have the opportunity to get involved in a variety of projects, from incentive plan program redesigns to participating in the administration of the annual year-end salary planning process. Above all, you’ll have a direct hand in ensuring that Equity Residential’s total wellbeing package is competitive and helps us attract great employees.

WHO YOU ARE

• Analytical. You are comfortable building models, analyzing data, interpreting compensation survey data, and evaluating trends. Without a doubt, you’ve got strong quantitative skills and you know how to apply them accordingly across a variety of compensation-related activities.
• Knowledgeable. You have a broad-based familiarity with Human Resources programs, regulations, and best practices and your knowledge of Total Reward plan elements, including compensation and benefits, are subjects you can easily engage in conversation about.
• Technologically Savvy. You’ve got a deep knowledge of Microsoft Excel and have successfully navigated compensation survey data management systems in your previous work experience. You’ve also got familiarity with cloud based HR systems and will partner closely with the Human Capital Management Technology team to ensure HR systems are meeting the business needs.
• A Team Player. You are known for serving as a resource and trusted business partner for internal groups.  Participating in cross-functional projects is the type of work you love.
• Passionate. Motivated. Eager to Learn.  You are resourceful, ask smart questions, challenge the status quo, and regularly seek to understand. You invest extra energy to reach your goals. And when a special project arises, you volunteer.

WHAT YOU’LL DO

• Conduct job evaluation reviews for new and existing jobs, using benchmark data, external market analysis, and internal information.
• Apply compensation knowledge and perform data analysis in order to recommend salary grades, cash bonus targets, and long-term compensation targets.
• Complete compensation benchmarking analyses to assess employee pay competitiveness against the market.
• Participate in the administration of the annual year-end compensation process by preparing the manager web-based tool for the compensation cycle, disseminating reports to senior leaders, and responding to inquiries pertaining to the program, process, and/or online tool
• Partner with internal and external teams to administer the Company’s retirement plans that help our employees achieve financial wellbeing.
• Prepare, participate, and analyze salary surveys in order to gather information on labor markets and salary trends.
• Create ad hoc reports, impact analysis reports, and financial modeling of compensation program expenses for budgeting and annual planning purposes.
• Provide ongoing consultation, support, follow-up, and education to ensure effective administration of compensation policies across the organization.
• Handle special projects relevant to acquisitions/mergers, plan re-designs, as well as training initiatives surrounding the organization’s compensation practices.

• Strong analytical skills, problem solving capabilities, as well as project management experience.
• Solid understanding of employment and wage regulations impacting compensation policies, practices, and procedures.
• Proven strong work ethic, ability to make decisions, and work in a fast-paced environment under tight deadlines, without sacrificing quality of work product. Detail oriented and well-organized, with an ability to multitask.
• Team player that demonstrates flexibility and the ability to integrate and work well with others.
• Strong communication and presentation skills – able to speak and write in a clear and articulate manner.
• Demonstrated ability to work with confidential information and use discretion.
• Motivated to succeed with capacity to assume increasing responsibility.

PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE

• Bachelor’s degree in a related field and 5+ years of broad compensation, benefits, or HRIS analyst experience required. Experience working with salary and variable pay plans and compensation survey data management systems a plus!
• Experience working with HR systems is required, cloud-based systems preferred.
• Advanced Microsoft Excel data analysis skills.
• CCP designation is a plus!