Senior Compensation Analyst

About the role

Vast is looking for a Senior Compensation Analyst to serve as a strategic advisor to business leaders and People Business Partners. This role provides expert guidance on compensation philosophy, market competitiveness, internal equity, and pay decisions, partnering closely with leaders throughout the employee lifecycle. The position is full-time, exempt, and located in our Long Beach office, reporting to the Senior Manager, Compensation.

Responsibilities

• Strategic Business Partnership
  • Serve as the primary compensation partner for assigned business organizations.
  • Consult with People Business Partners and leaders on compensation strategy, pay decisions, promotions, and company initiatives.
  • Influence leaders through data-driven insights and sound compensation practices.
• Compensation Programs
  • Lead compensation planning activities including merit increases, promotions, equity planning, market adjustments, and off-cycle compensation reviews.
  • Review and approve salary offers, promotions, internal mobility, and other compensation changes.
  • Lead or participate in special projects.
  • Build and maintain modeling, costing, and budget analyses to support decisions.
• Market Pricing & Job Architecture
  • Conduct market pricing using salary survey data and compensation benchmarking tools to evaluate the competitiveness of employee compensation.
  • Participate annually in compensation surveys to collect and analyze market data, supporting compensation planning and ensuring alignment with industry trends and organizational pay strategies.
• Compensation Governance
  • Ensure compliance with compensation philosophy, policies, and applicable regulations.
  • Identify compensation risks and recommend mitigation strategies.
  • Maintain data integrity within compensation systems.

Requirements

• 8+ years of progressive compensation experience.
• Strong knowledge of compensation principles including:
  • Salary structures
  • Market pricing
  • Job evaluation
• Advanced Excel or Google skills with experience analyzing large data sets.
• Experience with compensation planning systems and HRIS platforms.
• Analytical mindset with experience using data to provide business recommendations, problem-solving, and presentation skills.
• Excellent consulting and stakeholder management abilities.
• Ability to travel up to 10% of the time.
• Willingness to work overtime or weekends to support critical mission milestones.
• Ability to lift up to 25lbs unassisted.

Preferred Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in human resources, business administration, or related field.
• Certified Compensation Professional (CCP).
• Experience supporting engineering, aerospace, technology, or manufacturing organizations.
• Experience with market survey providers (Aon, Mercer, Radford, WTW, etc.).
• Experience with compensation platforms such as Pave, or similar systems.
• Proven track record of leading projects and driving process improvements.
• Ability to operate both strategically and hands-on in a fast-paced environment.

Pay

California pay range: $105,000—$150,000 USD.

Base salary will vary depending on job-related knowledge, education, skills, experience, business needs, and market demand. Salary is just one component of our comprehensive compensation package.

Benefits

• Company equity for full-time employees.
• Medical, dental, and vision coverage for employees and dependents.
• Generous paid time off: up to 20+ days of vacation for exempt staff and up to 10+ days for non-exempt staff, with the ability to cash-out unused vacation annually.
• Paid parental leave.
• Short and long-term disability insurance.
• Life insurance.
• Access to a 401(k) retirement plan.
• ClassPass credits.
• Personalized mental healthcare through Spring Health.
• Other discounts and perks.
• Exceptional food perks: free snacks, drip coffee, onsite barista, cold drinks, and dinner meals; subsidized lunch.