Senior HR Analyst, Payroll & Compensation

Description

Lactalis USA is currently seeking candidates to join our Human Resources Team, at a new business unit of Lactalis USA, called MidWest Yogurt located in Minneapolis, MN.

Lactalis Group, the world leader in dairy, is a family-owned business with more than 85,000 pragmatic and ambitious professionals worldwide, committed to providing healthy and delicious dairy products that bring people together every day. At Lactalis, our core values of AMBITION, ENGAGEMENT, and SIMPLICITY are at the heart of everything we do.

If you’re looking for a unique experience with a company that offers strong brands, professional expertise, and a dynamic work environment that champions entrepreneurial spirit, hands-on responsibility, and real opportunity for career development, we want to hear from you!

At Lactalis USA we are dedicated to building a diverse, inclusive, and authentic workplace and we know that our candidates come from many different backgrounds, cultures, and experiences. If you’re excited about this role but your experience doesn’t align perfectly with every qualification in the job posting, we still encourage you to apply and share with us your STORY, your PASSION, and your EXPERTISE! You may be just the perfect candidate for this or other roles within our company.

From your PASSION to ours

The Senior Analyst, Payroll & Compensation plays a key role in supporting various HR functions, with a primary focus on HRIS, payroll administration, and compensation. This position ensures the effective implementation, enrollment, and adherence to HR programs, policies, and guidelines that promote a positive workplace culture.

As the primary point of contact for payroll and employee data management, the Senior Analyst is responsible for maintaining data integrity, conducting audits, generating reports, analyzing trends, and identifying opportunities for process improvement. The role collaborates closely with HR team members to support initiatives across the department.

This position also provides expert guidance and actionable insights to HR and business leaders in the areas of payroll and compensation. By simplifying complex information and ensuring clear communication of HR programs and policies, the Senior Analyst helps enhance the overall employee experience and drive operational excellence.

From your EXPERTISE to ours

Key responsibilities for this position include:

Payroll (50%):

• Manage and maintain the HRIS systems consistent with company guidelines, including data entry, creating, and updating employee records, reporting and analysis, and ensuring data accuracy.
• Train and educate HR team on procedures and processes, acting as “Super User” for the division. Make recommendations to improve departmental procedures and processes.
• Manage payroll processing and reporting, in partnership with USA Shared Services for the division.
• Routinely perform audits of own work and that of others to ensure conformance and accuracy with established procedures. Keep audits documented and present findings, metrics and corrective actions to HR Team.
• Support employees throughout the full employee lifecycle. Initiate and ensure completion of onboarding within the HRIS and other systems, initiate stat changes (promotions, salary changes, LOA, terminations, etc.). 
• Partner with the USA Benefits team to administer benefits programs, facilitate the annual open enrollment campaign and communicate benefits information to employees.
• Deliver accurate and timely reporting, both routine and ad hoc for Finance and Human Resources. Respond to ad hoc data requests.
• Assist with hourly temporary agency hires to include timekeeping setup and reporting of hours worked.
• Resolve unusual issues, investigating their source to minimize or eliminate future occurrences.
• Assist with HR trainings, events and other activities that support our culture.

Compensation (30%):

• Key point of contact of the USA Compensation team related to all Compensation topics, processes and programs. Serves as “Super User” and Subject Matter Expert for the division.
• Lead the Annual Compensation Cycle for the division (Bonus & Annual Salary Review), in partnership with the VP HR: roles mapping, data validation, communication, end to end management, ensuring equitable compensation decisions, data confidentiality & accuracy, compliance with programs and smooth execution.
• Responsible for the documentation and administration of the compensation programs specific to the division (Pay For Performance “PFP”, Sales Incentive Program “SIP”).
• Is consulted when a salary recommendation is submitted for approval by HRBPs and/or Talent Acquisition (new hires, promotions, market adjustments or equivalent), provides insights/recommendations as an internal consultant, ensures compensation guidelines are followed and internal equity is maintained cross-departments.
• Responsible for the Job Library of the division: is the reviewer of job descriptions created within the division (new/updated JD) to ensure consistency & compliance with standards, provide guidance to HR & Leaders, then ensures proper job evaluation is completed by the USA Compensation team and is properly documented. Ensures descriptions accurately reflect the work being performed by incumbents.
• Labor Cost Analysis: provide monthly insights to the Commercial Finance regarding changes impacting the labor cost (headcounts, pay/bonus changes, vacancies, temporary workers, overlaps, etc.), is involved during the budgeting process (headcounts and compensation reviews) in partnership with the VP HR.
• Close partnership with USA Compensation and USA Employment Lawyer to ensure compliance of the division: monitor regulatory changes, confirm minimum wage changes, exempt status rulings, applicable state and federal employment regulations, compensation policies, and human resources policies.
• Is involved in compensation-related projects led by the USA Compensation team. 

HR Administration (20%):

• Create and maintain SOPs for key HR Processes of the division to ensure continuity of service.
• Support employees throughout the full employee lifecycle. Initiate and ensure completion of onboarding within the HRIS and other systems. 
• Responsible for assisting with both written and verbal employment verifications, in accordance with company guidelines.
• Manage the PO process to ensure the payment of Corporate HR invoices: create new vendors and purchase orders in SAP system for Corporate HR (benefits, relocation, training, etc.,) follow up with finance, and process goods receipts. 
• Maintain and audit HR files (Physical & Electronic) as per legal and company requirements. 
• Participate in Human Resources initiatives and special projects.

From your STORY to ours

Qualified applicants will contribute the following:

• Bachelor's degree in Business, Finance or Human Resources Management (or equivalent combination of education and experience) is required.
• 5+ years of Human Resource experience is required, preferably in a multi-national corporation and/or manufacturing environment.
• Confirmed experience with HRIS systems is required, Paylocity and Kronos/UKG preferred.
• Confirmed experience in Compensation is required.
• Strong organizational skills and proven attention to detail.
• Ability to analyze data and situations to identify and analyze causes/effects and to select only appropriate information to make effective decisions.
• Exceptional verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to clearly present ideas and facilitate discussions with diverse audiences.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications. Advanced Word and Excel skills required (charts, tables, pivot tables, concatenate, vlooxup/xlookup, mail-merge).
• Ability to prioritize, plan and manage projects in a changing, complex environment.
• Strong business acumen.
• Excellent interpersonal skills with the ability to build strong relationships across all levels of the organization and influence stakeholders effectively.
• Strong problem-solving and influencing skills, with the ability to identify opportunities for process improvements, standardization, and simplification within assigned area(s).
• Ability to maintain confidentiality and effectively handle highly sensitive and personal information with sound judgement, tact and discretion.
• Ability to define, document, and implement documented internal audits, identify gaps and implement corrective actions.
• Knowledge of HR policies and practices and federal and state employment and tax laws.
• HRIS Knowledge & Maintenance: demonstrate knowledge of functional area processes and systems. Ability to use functional area IS to support internal clients (I.e. inputting of data, development of reports etc.).
• Ability to build a logical approach (assess situation, identify causes, target solutions, deploy it) to address problems or manage a situation by drawing on own knowledge and experience base and calling on other references and resources as necessary.

At Lactalis, we offer a comprehensive Total Rewards Program with a variety of affordable benefits and coverage options. We support insurance costs significantly, contribute generously to retirement plans, and offer Paid Time Off from day one. We are committed to your professional growth, providing training and development opportunities, including Education Reimbursement. Join us and grow your career.

Lactalis is an equal employment opportunity employer. We will not discriminate against applicants with regard to any legally-recognized basis including, but not limited to: veteran status, race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, marital status, sexual orientation, and physical or mental disabilities.