Analyst, Senior Compensation

Salary: Depends on Qualifications
Location : Houston, TX
Job Type: Regular Full-time
Job Number: 16674
Department: Human Resources and Talent
Opening Date: 05/04/2026
Closing Date: 6/5/2026 12:59 PM Central


Position Description
Position Overview:
Serves as the organization's Senior compensation subject-matter expert, responsible for the full spectrum of compensation strategy, analysis, and administration. Performs a range of analytical and reporting functions in support of county-wide compensation programs, projects, and services. Gathers, consolidates, processes, and analyzes compensation-related data using automated systems to support informed decision-making. Utilizes data findings to develop recommendations related to compensation policies, procedures, and practices, and serves as a resource for compensation-related inquiries and issue resolution.

The incumbent is responsible for executing the duties and responsibilities listed below and other duties as assigned. Some positions may require working before, during, or after an emergency or disaster at the department's discretion.

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Compensation Policy & Governance: Leads the development and ongoing maintenance of the Harris County Salary Administration Guide, establishing compensation policies, procedures, and governance standards to ensure equitable, consistent, and compliant pay practices across the organization.
• Strategic Compensation Analysis & Reporting: Leads the other compensation analysts in extracting, validating, and analyzing complex compensation datasets to evaluate pay equity, market alignment, and classification accuracy; develops and maintains multiple complex reports and queries; applies advanced statistical and exploratory analysis techniques to identify trends, support strategic initiatives, and deliver actionable insights for leadership decision-making.
• Market Benchmarking & Competitive Positioning: Leads and guides the other compensation analysts in researching and analyzing internal and external salary survey data to determine market trends, validate job classifications, and recommend competitive salary ranges-applying geographic, industry, and skill-based differentials to maintain market competitiveness.
• Enterprise Compensation Initiatives: Project manages compensation frameworks, including job architecture implementation, career pathway development, and pay equity initiatives to support workforce planning, talent retention, and long-term organizational alignment.
• Consultative Business Partnership: Serves as the senior subject-matter expert and trusted advisor to business units and leadership on compensation strategy, job evaluations, reclassifications, salary recommendations, and position control management-ensuring departmental structures align with organizational objectives and compensation parameters.
• Data Integrity, Budget Alignment & Compliance: Leads and develops the auditing and validation of compensation data to identify discrepancies and recommend corrective actions; ensures position salaries and budgets align with approved salary ranges and assigned budget amounts while maintaining audit readiness and regulatory compliance.
• Technology & Cross-Functional Collaboration: Leads projects with Universal Services and cross-functional stakeholders throughout the full IT project lifecycle-from initiation and planning through execution, testing, and closure-to implement county wide Commissioners Court-approved pay initiatives (e.g., COLAs, law enforcement increases, targeted salary adjustments). Prepares, validates, and reconciles complex data files (e.g., salary administration grades/plans, step structures, job codes, position reclassifications, employee data, budget maximums) and conducts rigorous testing across multiple environments to ensure system accuracy and successful deployment. In addition, conducts biweekly position management uploads in collaboration with county business units.
• Survey Administration & Peer Benchmarking: Leads and mentors other compensation analysts in designing, administering, and participating in compensation surveys with public-sector peers and cross-industry organizations throughout the United States; consolidates complex survey data into actionable insights that inform compensation strategy and maintain competitive market positioning.

Other Duties:

• This Job Description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties, or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this position. Management may, at its discretion, assign, or reassign duties and responsibilities to this job at any time.

Harris County is an Equal Opportunity Employer
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Requirements

Education and Experience:

• Bachelor's degree in a directly related field from an accredited college or university and
• Five (5) years of directly related work experience.

Certification:

• Certified Compensation Professional (CCP) designation.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Excellent communication skills.
• Excellent organizational skills and a strong attention to detail.
• Ability to organize, set priorities and exercise sound independent judgment within areas of responsibility.
• Ability to make mathematical and statistical calculations quickly and accurately.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships in a diverse environment.
• Proficiency with PeopleSoft.
• Proficient with Microsoft Suite which includes Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and other related softwares.
• Comprehensive knowledge of principles and practices of Compensation and position control management.

NOTE: Qualifying education, experience, knowledge and skills must be documented on your job application. You may attach a resume to the application as supporting documentation but ONLY information stated on the application will be used for consideration. "See Resume" will not be accepted for qualifications.

General Information

Position Type and Typical Hours of Work:

• Regular Full-time
• Monday - Friday | 8:00 am - 5:00 pm
  • Schedules may vary based on the needs of the department and must be approved.

Work Environment and Physical Demands:

• This job operates in a professional office environment and routinely uses standard office equipment such as computers, phones, photocopiers, etc.
• This is a largely sedentary role that may require sitting for long periods of time.

Salary:

• Depends on Qualifications
• Based on 26 Pay Periods
  • Plus, benefits

Reporting Relationships:

• Reports To Position: Manager, Compensation and Position Control
• Supervises Positions: N/A

Employment is contingent upon passing a background check and drug screen.

Due to a high volume of applications positions may close prior to the advertised closing date or at the discretion of the Hiring Department.

HARRIS COUNTY EMPLOYEE BENEFITS

Harris County offers a highly competitive benefits program, featuring a comprehensive group health plan and defined benefit retirement plan.
The following benefits are offered only to Harris County employees in regular (full-time) positions:
Health & Wellness Benefits

• Medical Coverage
• Dental Coverage
• Vision Coverage
• Wellness Plan
• Life Insurance
• Long-Term Disability (LTD) Insurance
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
• Healthcare Flexible Spending Account
• Dependent Care Flexible Spending Account

Paid Time Off (PTO)

• Ten (10) days of vacation leave per year (accrual rate increases after 5 years of service)
• Eleven (11) County-observed holidays
• One (1) floating holiday per year
• Paid Parental Leave*
• Sick Leave

Retirement Savings Benefit

• 457 Deferred Compensation Plan

The following benefits are available to Harris County employees in full-time and select part-time positions:

• Professional learning & development opportunities
• Retirement pension (TCDRS defined benefit plan)
• Flexible work schedule*
• METRO RideSponsor Program*

* Participation may vary by County department. The employee benefits plans of Harris County are extended to all eligible participants across various departments with the exception of the Harris County Community Supervision and Corrections Department, for which the cited Health & Wellness Benefits are administered through the State of Texas.
In accordance with the Harris County Personnel Regulations, group health and related benefits are subject to amendment or discontinuance at any time. Harris County Commissioners Court reserves the right to make benefit modifications on the County's behalf as needed.
For plan details, visit the Harris County Benefits & Wellness website:
01


Which of the following best describes your highest level of education completed as it relates to this position?Qualifying information must be documented in the Education section of your application.

• High School or GED diploma
• Associates Degree
• Bachelor's Degree
• Master's Degree or higher
• None of the above

02


Which of the following best describes your verifiable directly related experience?(To be considered, qualifying experience must be documented in your application's employment history)

• Less than three (3) years
• Three (3) years but less than four (4) years
• Four (4) years but less than five (5) years
• Five (5) years but less than six (6) years
• Six (6) years but less than seven (7) years
• Seven (7) years or more
• I do not have this experience

03


Are you a Certified Compensation Professional (CCP)?(Certification MUST be documented in the "Certificates and Licenses" section of your application to be considered.)

• Yes
• No

04


Which of the following describes your level of proficiency using a personal computer and common office software such as MS Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook). Please select your level of proficiency based on the following descriptions:Advanced:A person with this level of skills is able to produce very large, complex formal documents that require a table of contents, footnotes, endnotes, bookmarks, and other special elements; a wide range of graphic effects, and use advanced techniques for analyzing and manipulating data. Has full mastery of Macro commands and skills to tie the objects together into a cohesive system by using Macros and Visual Basic for Applications code. Makes interactive presentations by using hyperlinks and action buttons.Intermediate:A person with this level of skills is able to customize toolbars, import and insert graphs, embed Excel data, and elaborate reports. Understands the concepts of databases and is able to work with charts and to use the list management capabilities of Excel. Able to use complex query techniques, create efficient forms and reports, and create Macros to automate these forms. Makes interactive presentations by using hyperlinks and action buttons.Basic:A person with this level of skills is able to use basic formatting, editing, printing functions, and understands the document page setup. Has the ability to enter and correct data, modify a workbook, format a worksheet, and use printing functions. Understands the different database concepts and structures and is familiar with data validation and is able to create a simple presentation in PowerPoint, run it, and print it.Entry Level:A person with this level of skills has the ability to open, create, save and modify documents in Word, send and receive email in Outlook and create spreadsheets in Excel. Format documents for printing, comfortable using the printer menu to preview documents. Has ability to change the font, the margins, insert or delete pages and use the built-in spellchecker and grammar check.

• Advanced
• Intermediate
• Basic
• Entry Level
• Not proficient

Required Question