Senior Compensation Analyst

Chicago Trading Company · Chicago, IL · Human Resources

Posted Sep 11, 2026 · We last checked this listing on Sep 20, 2026

Likely interview questions for this role

Written from this job description, not a generic list. Each one notes what the interviewer is really checking.

Behavioral

Tell me about a time you had to build a financial model or scenario analysis for a bonus pool or comp decision. What did the model need to account for, and how did leadership use it?

depth of hands-on Excel and modeling skill, and comfort translating numbers into a decision tool for non-technical leaders

Tell me about a time you found a pay equity issue during an analysis. What did you do with what you found?

whether they proactively surface fairness problems and how they navigate the political sensitivity of that

Describe the most complex separation package you've had to structure. What made it complicated, and who did you need to loop in?

cross-functional coordination skill and judgment on sensitive, high-stakes situations

Tell me about a process you built or improved in a comp or HR function. What was broken about the old way, and how did you know your fix actually worked?

track record of process ownership and scaling, which the posting explicitly calls out as a growth area

How do you typically build trust with senior leaders or executives when you're the one bringing them data they may not want to hear?

maturity in managing up and navigating ambiguity with authority figures, a named requirement in the posting

What's your comfort level handling confidential compensation data day to day, and can you give an example of a time discretion really mattered?

trustworthiness and judgment around sensitive information, essential given the role's access to pay data

Technical

Walk me through how you'd run an annual compensation cycle end to end, from kicking it off with Finance and HCM to getting comp statements out to employees.

whether the candidate has actually owned a full comp cycle versus just participating in pieces of one

What market surveys have you worked with, like McLagan or similar, and how did you decide which benchmarks were actually relevant to a given role?

real familiarity with survey participation and judgment in choosing comparators, not just data entry experience

What's your experience with deferred compensation, long-term incentive awards, or 401(k) plan administration?

breadth of exposure to compensation programs beyond base salary and bonus, since this role covers all of it

Have you used AI or automation tools in compensation or analytical work? Give me a specific example of what it replaced or sped up.

genuine hands-on use of AI versus a resume buzzword, matching the posting's explicit interest in this

Situational

Say a desk head pushes back hard on the market data you've used to price a new hire offer, insisting the number is too low for the talent they're trying to land. How do you handle that conversation?

ability to hold ground with senior stakeholders using data while staying diplomatic and not just caving to pressure

How would you explain CTC's comp philosophy to a manager who thinks their star analyst is underpaid compared to a friend at another firm?

ability to communicate compensation logic clearly to non-HR audiences without sounding scripted or defensive

You're running the comp cycle and two days before it's due to leadership, you discover an error in the comp tracker that's been feeding numbers to multiple business units. What do you do?

composure and process discipline under timeline pressure, and whether they own mistakes transparently

If you noticed the comp team was buried during a peak cycle but another part of HCM had a reporting request, how would you decide what gets your time?

willingness to flex beyond a narrow comp lane and prioritize under competing demands, as the role explicitly requires

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The full job description

As published by Chicago Trading Company.

<div class="content-intro">Chicago Trading Company (CTC) is a premier proprietary trading firm specializing in options market making.  Our collaborative culture fuels innovation in quantitative research, systematic trading strategies, and cutting-edge trading technology.  For over three decades CTC has provided critical liquidity across derivatives exchanges worldwide - making them fairer, more transparent, and more efficient. We strive to be the most innovative firm in the industry today, tomorrow, and long into the future while upholding ethical excellence. We believe that CTC makes a positive impact on the markets, the lives of our employees, and all the communities to which we belong. Started in 1995 by a team of forward-thinking Traders, we are proud to call ourselves an industry leader that keeps making markets and each other better.</div>As CTC's Senior Compensation Analyst, you will oversee the compensation process from start to finish. This involves running the annual comp cycle, setting packages for new hires and internal moves, and leading market survey submissions. You'll report to our HCM Operations Lead, with a seat at the table for financial modeling and analysis, alongside finance and senior leadership. Over time, as you build experience and demonstrate you're ready, you'll take on more of that work directly. And at a firm our size, your scope will go beyond just comp: you’ll get exposure to other parts of HCM, shaped by your skills, your interests, and what the team needs.  What You'll Do  <ul> <li data-leveltext="" data-font="Symbol" data-listid="3" data-list-defn-props="{"335552541":1,"335559685":720,"335559991":360,"469769226":"Symbol","469769242":[8226],"469777803":"left","469777804":"","469777815":"hybridMultilevel"}" data-aria-posinset="1" data-aria-level="1">Own execution of CTC's annual compensation cycle, including comp statements, comp tracker maintenance, and coordination across HCM, Finance, and business leaders </li> </ul> <ul> <li data-leveltext="" data-font="Symbol" data-listid="3" data-list-defn-props="{"335552541":1,"335559685":720,"335559991":360,"469769226":"Symbol","469769242":[8226],"469777803":"left","469777804":"","469777815":"hybridMultilevel"}" data-aria-posinset="2" data-aria-level="1">Own CTC's market pricing strategy, using benchmarking data and market judgment to help the firm make competitive, well-informed offers for new hires and employee moves </li> </ul> <ul> <li data-leveltext="" data-font="Symbol" data-listid="3" data-list-defn-props="{"335552541":1,"335559685":720,"335559991":360,"469769226":"Symbol","469769242":[8226],"469777803":"left","469777804":"","469777815":"hybridMultilevel"}" data-aria-posinset="3" data-aria-level="1">Lead CTC's participation in market surveys, such as McLagan, and maintain compensation benchmarking data </li> </ul> <ul> <li data-leveltext="" data-font="Symbol" data-listid="3" data-list-defn-props="{"335552541":1,"335559685":720,"335559991":360,"469769226":"Symbol","469769242":[8226],"469777803":"left","469777804":"","469777815":"hybridMultilevel"}" data-aria-posinset="4" data-aria-level="1">Partner with Finance to build bonus pool models and run scenario analysis, taking on more direct ownership as your trust and expertise grows </li> </ul> <ul> <li data-leveltext="" data-font="Symbol" data-listid="3" data-list-defn-props="{"335552541":1,"335559685":720,"335559991":360,"469769226":"Symbol","469769242":[8226],"469777803":"left","469777804":"","469777815":"hybridMultilevel"}" data-aria-posinset="5" data-aria-level="1">Own comp reporting and insights that support HCM and business leaders in decision-making, expanding into other HCM analytics and reporting needs during lower-volume periods </li> </ul> <ul> <li data-leveltext="" data-font="Symbol" data-listid="3" data-list-defn-props="{"335552541":1,"335559685":720,"335559991":360,"469769226":"Symbol","469769242":[8226],"469777803":"left","469777804":"","469777815":"hybridMultilevel"}" data-aria-posinset="6" data-aria-level="1">Conduct pay equity analysis to help ensure fairness across roles and responsibilities </li> </ul> <ul> <li data-leveltext="" data-font="Symbol" data-listid="3" data-list-defn-props="{"335552541":1,"335559685":720,"335559991":360,"469769226":"Symbol","469769242":[8226],"469777803":"left","469777804":"","469777815":"hybridMultilevel"}" data-aria-posinset="7" data-aria-level="1">Partner with HCM Practice Leaders (HR Generalists/Business Partners) to structure and process separation packages </li> </ul> <ul> <li data-leveltext="" data-font="Symbol" data-listid="3" data-list-defn-props="{"335552541":1,"335559685":720,"335559991":360,"469769226":"Symbol","469769242":[8226],"469777803":"left","469777804":"","469777815":"hybridMultilevel"}" data-aria-posinset="8" data-aria-level="1">Manage CTC’s other compensation programs, such as our 401(k) plan, deferred compensation, and long-term incentive awards </li> </ul> <ul> <li data-leveltext="" data-font="Symbol" data-listid="3" data-list-defn-props="{"335552541":1,"335559685":720,"335559991":360,"469769226":"Symbol","469769242":[8226],"469777803":"left","469777804":"","469777815":"hybridMultilevel"}" data-aria-posinset="9" data-aria-level="1">Lead the development and implementation of process and tool enhancements that improve and scale our comp function </li> </ul> <ul> <li data-leveltext="" data-font="Symbol" data-listid="3" data-list-defn-props="{"335552541":1,"335559685":720,"335559991":360,"469769226":"Symbol","469769242":[8226],"469777803":"left","469777804":"","469777815":"hybridMultilevel"}" data-aria-posinset="10" data-aria-level="1">Partner with firm leaders to help managers and employees understand CTC's compensation philosophy and how it's applied </li> </ul> <ul> <li data-leveltext="" data-font="Symbol" data-listid="3" data-list-defn-props="{"335552541":1,"335559685":720,"335559991":360,"469769226":"Symbol","469769242":[8226],"469777803":"left","469777804":"","469777815":"hybridMultilevel"}" data-aria-posinset="11" data-aria-level="1">Learn CTC's bonus pool sizing and modeling process alongside our Finance team, with increasing involvement as your comfort and track record grow </li> </ul> What We're Looking For  <ul> <li data-leveltext="" data-font="Symbol" data-listid="4" data-list-defn-props="{"335552541":1,"335559685":720,"335559991":360,"469769226":"Symbol","469769242":[8226],"469777803":"left","469777804":"","469777815":"multilevel"}" data-aria-posinset="1" data-aria-level="1">5+ years' experience in HR compensation. Prop trading, hedge fund, or financial services experience is helpful but not required. We're equally interested in candidates from adjacent analytical backgrounds (e.g., FP&A, business management) with a genuine interest in managing the comp process </li> </ul> <ul> <li data-leveltext="" data-font="Symbol" data-listid="4" data-list-defn-props="{"335552541":1,"335559685":720,"335559991":360,"469769226":"Symbol","469769242":[8226],"469777803":"left","469777804":"","469777815":"multilevel"}" data-aria-posinset="2" data-aria-level="1">Comfortable operating with senior leadership: someone who can navigate ambiguity, ask good questions, and build trust over time with executives and desk heads </li> </ul> <ul> <li data-leveltext="" data-font="Symbol" data-listid="4" data-list-defn-props="{"335552541":1,"335559685":720,"335559991":360,"469769226":"Symbol","469769242":[8226],"469777803":"left","469777804":"","469777815":"multilevel"}" data-aria-posinset="3" data-aria-level="1">Strong aptitude in building financial models and conducting scenario analysis, employing advanced Excel skills to help inform major compensation decisions with leaders </li> </ul> <ul> <li data-leveltext="" data-font="Symbol" data-listid="4" data-list-defn-props="{"335552541":1,"335559685":720,"335559991":360,"469769226":"Symbol","469769242":[8226],"469777803":"left","469777804":"","469777815":"multilevel"}" data-aria-posinset="4" data-aria-level="1">Proven ability to own and complete a process end to end, including under timeline pressure </li> </ul> <ul> <li data-leveltext="" data-font="Symbol" data-listid="4" data-list-defn-props="{"335552541":1,"335559685":720,"335559991":360,"469769226":"Symbol","469769242":[8226],"469777803":"left","469777804":"","469777815":"multilevel"}" data-aria-posinset="5" data-aria-level="1">High attention to detail and the discretion to always handle confidential comp data appropriately </li> </ul> <ul> <li data-leveltext="" data-font="Symbol" data-listid="4" data-list-defn-props="{"335552541":1,"335559685":720,"335559991":360,"469769226":"Symbol","469769242":[8226],"469777803":"left","469777804":"","469777815":"multilevel"}" data-aria-posinset="6" data-aria-level="1">Genuinely energized by variety and willing to jump into work outside comp when the group requires it  </li> </ul> <ul> <li data-leveltext="" data-font="Symbol" data-listid="4" data-list-defn-props="{"335552541":1,"335559685":720,"335559991":360,"469769226":"Symbol","469769242":[8226],"469777803":"left","469777804":"","469777815":"multilevel"}" data-aria-posinset="7" data-aria-level="1">Experience analyzing benchmarking data to guide compensation decisions  </li> </ul> <ul> <li data-leveltext="" data-font="Symbol" data-listid="4" data-list-defn-props="{"335552541":1,"335559685":720,"335559991":360,"469769226":"Symbol","469769242":[8226],"469777803":"left","469777804":"","469777815":"multilevel"}" data-aria-posinset="8" data-aria-level="1">A track record of building more effective and efficient processes; prior experience using AI for this is a plus, and genuine enthusiasm to leverage AI and automation is a must </li> </ul><div class="content-pay-transparency"><div class="pay-input"><div class="description">Compensation The salary range for this role is listed below. This role is also eligible for an annual discretionary bonus. The discretionary bonus will be dependent upon the individual’s skills, experience, qualifications, and firm performance. </div><div class="title">Salary Range</div><div class="pay-range">$120,000—$170,000 USD</div></div></div><div class="content-conclusion">Most teams at CTC, with the exception of Trading, follow a hybrid workplace model, subject to change based on business need. Our Benefits  We strongly believe in the well-being of our employees and their families so we offer outstanding benefits to support you both professionally and personally. These benefits include generous time off, insurance coverage, paid parental leave, free breakfast and lunch (plus healthy snacks, of course), wellness reimbursement, and a variety of other benefits focused on providing the best employee experience.  (Disclaimer: interns and contractors are not eligible for benefits at CTC)  Our Commitment to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion At CTC, we aim to cultivate a workplace that celebrates diversity and each person feels included, engaged and empowered. Where each of us feels we belong. We are committed to having a diverse workforce and are proud to be an equal opportunity employer. CTC does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, sex, gender, gender expression, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status. We will ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform crucial job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment.  If you have a disability and believe you need a reasonable accommodation in order to search for a job opening or to apply for a position, please contact us at info@chicagotrading.com. Note that emails sent to this email account for non-disability related issues, such as following up on an application, will not receive a response. Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) Information submitted by job applicants may be subject to review and analysis by automated systems, including Artificial Intelligence (AI), as part of the recruitment process. Such systems are utilized to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of our hiring procedures. Applicants are advised that any information provided may be evaluated by AI tools to ensure an equitable and thorough assessment.</div>

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Senior Compensation Analyst

Likely interview questions for this role

Practice this interview out loud.

The full job description

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