Global Compensation Analyst

Role summary/purpose of job

Working with the Global Senior Compensation Manager and Head of Performance and Reward, the purpose of this role is to provide specialist support for the global compensation team including the global compensation process (budgeting and reporting), strategic reward projects, job evaluation and the design and management of local compensation programmes and processes globally, with an emphasis on data provision, analysis, and advice.

Key responsibilities and deliverables

• Global annual compensation cycle – coordinating with Freshfields regions to gather annual compensation data, conducting data analysis, and assisting with the preparation of reports for budgeting and year-end reporting. Support the annual compensation cycle for bonus and salary reviews, including compiling supporting data for calculations, ensuring Workday is configured for annual bonus and salary review processes, and generating summaries of annual bonus and salary review expenditures by practice groups and functions.
• Ad hoc regulatory reports and reviews, such as the UK Gender Pay Gap Report – collect required gender pay gap data, calculate gender and diversity pay results, analyse outcomes, and contribute insights for external pay gap reporting.
• Support strategic global and local reward projects – collaborate with finance and HR stakeholders, provide analysis where necessary, and assist with the creation of presentations and reports, including modelling changes to associate pay grids and bonus plan proposals.
• Job Evaluation – coordinate job evaluation panels, accurately record results, and work with the HRIS team to implement relevant changes.
• Maintain internal and external compensation insights – update the external market insight database and internal compensation knowledge repository and compile an overview of compensation structures, including salary scales and bonus plans for each Freshfields region.
• Provide guidance on salary offers, promotions, and merit increases to ensure consistent pay decisions aligned with compensation policies.
• Compliance knowledge – monitor labour laws and ensure compensation practices adhere to legal requirements such as minimum wage and overtime regulations.
• Data management – maintain comprehensive compensation records, utilise HR information systems (Workday), and prepare reports to communicate compensation statistics and analyses.
• Provide ad-hoc support to the Global Senior Compensation Manager.

Key requirements (Communication/skills/experience)

Essential:

• Experience of working in an ‘in-house’ reward function 
• Advanced Excel skills including v-lookup, pivot tables and IF statements and experience dealing with large volumes of data
• Experience of using Microsoft PowerPoint and PowerBI
• Working knowledge of broader HR implications relevant to this role (payroll interfaces, HRIS, HRBPs and advisors)
• Ability to multi-task and effectively prioritise
• Strong interpersonal and relationship management skills
• Exceptional attention to detail

Desirable:

• Experience of using HR Systems in particular Workday
• Knowledge of benchmarking and job evaluation methodology (HAY advantageous)
• Knowledge of applying AI tools in compensation and broader HR processes
• Bachelor’s degree with an emphasis on HR or another relevant field