Compensation Specialist

Company:

Marsh Corporate

Description:

We are seeking an experienced and highly analytical compensation professional to join our Compensation Center of Expertise (COE) at Marsh.

The Compensation Specialist for Guy Carpenter serves as a strategic partner to HR and business leaders, developing data-driven and scalable solutions to enhance and grow the business. This role serves as a subject matter expert, providing actionable insights and assessing the effectiveness of compensation plans, programs, and processes.

The Specialist supports key compensation initiatives, including market pricing, job evaluation, incentive design, annual compensation planning, and compensation governance. The role operates across multiple client groups and geographies, analyzing data, formulating recommendations, and implementing programs. This is an opportunity to play a visible role in shaping compensation strategy and delivering high-impact solutions for a leading global business.

The position is based in New York and is a hybrid role that requires working in the office at least three days per week. The Compensation Specialist partners closely with—and reports to—the Compensation Leader for Guy Carpenter. The ideal candidate combines strong analytical capability, attention to detail, sound judgment, and the ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced, highly collaborative environment.

We will count on you to:

• Act as a trusted client advisor and consultant to Guy Carpenter’s People Partners and business leaders, delivering strategic compensation advice and solutions.
• Manage compensation initiatives and projects with significant organizational impact, including variable compensation plan design, salary structure reviews, market analysis, and year-end compensation planning.
• Prepare advanced compensation analyses, including complex models, dashboards, and reports that inform decision-making.
• Conduct job evaluations and benchmark roles using market data and compensation survey sources to support pay decisions.
• Support the design, implementation, and administration of base pay, incentive, and other reward programs aligned to business strategy.
• Independently lead compensation project workstreams, including tracking milestones, risks, dependencies, and stakeholder decisions.
• Develop clear, executive-ready materials and present findings and recommendations to HR and business stakeholders with clarity and confidence.
• Ensure data accuracy, process consistency, and adherence to compensation policies, governance standards, and applicable regulatory requirements.
• Provide insights and market intelligence on competitive landscape trends and practices.
• Handle highly sensitive information with discretion and maintain strict confidentiality.
• Partner with HR, Finance, and business leadership to support compensation forecasting, budgeting, and annual compensation cycles.
• Translate complex data into practical recommendations that support business priorities and talent decisions.
• Contribute to the continuous improvement of compensation processes, tools, and reporting.

What you need to have:

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent relevant experience.
• A minimum of 5 years of professional experience in compensation, rewards, or a closely related analytical field.

What makes you stand out:

• Demonstrated client management skills and broad knowledge of compensation issues, including market trends, regulatory changes, and best practices.
• Experience leading rewards projects, with the ability to build consensus, manage expectations across a wide range of stakeholders, coordinate multiple workstreams, and prioritize work.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities, including advanced Excel skills (pivot tables; XLOOKUP; INDEX-MATCH; nested IF statements; SUMIFS/COUNTIFS; IFERROR) and experience performing scenario analysis, reconciliations, and trend analysis to interpret complex data sets and inform compensation decisions.
• Experience using AI to simplify work and enhance results; AI fluency and genuine curiosity about using AI to reshape work.
• Experience with compensation benchmarking, job evaluation, salary structures, and incentive plan analysis.
• Experience working with HRIS and compensation planning systems, such as Workday or similar platforms.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to translate complex analysis into practical recommendations.
• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple priorities with strong attention to detail, accuracy, and follow-through.
• Proficiency in Excel modeling, PowerPoint, and data visualization/reporting tools.
• Ability to handle sensitive and confidential information with sound judgment and discretion.
• Experience working effectively in a global, matrixed, and fast-paced environment.
• Proven track record of developing and implementing strategic compensation programs in a complex, global organization.
• High ownership and drive; pushes work forward without waiting for direction and is comfortable operating at a fast pace with high expectations.
• Consulting-grade problem-solving skills: structures ambiguity, reasons from hypotheses, and builds a compelling, evidence-based case for change.
• Outcomes over activity: relentless focus on delivering results.
• Ability to influence stakeholders through strong judgment, credible analysis, and a collaborative approach.
• Experience supporting annual compensation review cycles, incentive planning, and market pricing in a complex organization.
• Experience supporting compensation in financial services, insurance, or a similarly regulated industry.
• Familiarity with compensation survey providers, including Mercer, WTW, and Radford McLagan, and other external market data sources.
• Experience operating effectively across regions and within a global, matrixed organization

Why join our team:

• We help you be your best through professional development opportunities, interesting work, and supportive leaders.
• We foster a vibrant and inclusive culture where you can work with talented colleagues to create new solutions and have impact for colleagues, clients, and communities.
• Our scale enables us to provide a range of career opportunities, as well as benefits and rewards to enhance your well-being.

The applicable base salary range for this role is $91,000 to $181,900.

The base pay offered will be determined on factors such as experience, skills, training, location, certifications, education, and any applicable minimum wage requirements. Decisions will be determined on a case-by-case basis. In addition to the base salary, this position may be eligible for performance-based incentives.

We are excited to offer a competitive total rewards package which includes health and welfare benefits, tuition assistance, 401K savings and other retirement programs as well as employee assistance programs.

Marsh (NYSE: MRSH) is a global leader in risk, reinsurance and capital, people and investments, and management consulting, advising clients in 130 countries. With annual revenue of over $27 billion and more than 95,000 colleagues, Marsh helps build the confidence to thrive through the power of perspective. For more information, visit corporate.marsh.com, or follow us on LinkedIn and X.

Marsh is committed to embracing a diverse, inclusive and flexible work environment. We aim to attract and retain the best people and embrace diversity of age background, disability, ethnic origin, family duties, gender orientation or expression, marital status, nationality, parental status, personal or social status, political affiliation, race, religion and beliefs, sex/gender, sexual orientation or expression, skin color, veteran status (including protected veterans), or any other characteristic protected by applicable law. If you have a need that requires accommodation, please let us know by contacting [email protected].

Marsh is committed to hybrid work, which includes the flexibility of working remotely and the collaboration, connections and professional development benefits of working together in the office. All Marsh colleagues are expected to be in their local office or working onsite with clients at least three days per week. Office-based teams will identify at least one “anchor day” per week on which their full team will be together in person.