Strategy Analyst III – Compensation Strategy

The Compensation Strategy Enablement function within Finance’s Compensation Governance & Execution department leads the execution of future strategy and advances the finance compensation function with a commitment to financial integrity, operational excellence, and robust governance. This department ensures Edward Jones associates are compensated fairly and accurately through effective, transparent, and easily understood compensation and expense programs designed to attract, retain, and motivate top talent.

The Strategy Analyst III will join a team of Strategy Analysts and Business Support Specialists responsible for partnering closely with product teams and business areas across the firm to drive compensation strategies into execution. This role operates with a high degree of independence, shaping strategic direction, influencing enterprise-level decisions, and leading the design and evolution of business processes with simplicity, transparency, and scalability in mind.

What You’ll Do:

• Partner with firm leaders, including senior and executive leadership, as the incentive compensation subject matter expert (SME) to conceptualize, critique, and recommend enterprise-level compensation strategies aligned to firm priorities

• Lead the design, development, and implementation of incentive compensation solutions in partnership with product teams and business areas, ensuring alignment to strategic direction and long-term scalability

• Drive complex, ambiguous, and large-scale analyses that transform data into insights which directly influence firm strategy and decision-making

• Regularly present strategic insights, recommendations, and firm-direction implications to senior and executive firm leaders, demonstrating credibility in executive forums

• Develop and influence divisional and firm-level metrics that shape strategic direction, performance management, and accountability

• Frequently lead through cross-functional teams delivering complex, high-impact initiatives across divisions or at the enterprise level

• Champion innovation and transformation of processes, controls, and technology to address increasing organizational complexity and evolving strategic priorities

• Independently identify opportunities with broad enterprise impact, define solutions, and lead implementation with minimal oversight

• Build and manage relationships with executive-level stakeholders across the organization, influencing strategic outcomes and alignment

• Mentor and develop analysts and team members, setting standards for analytics, communication, and strategic thinking

What You’ll Need:

• Bachelor’s degree with an emphasis in a business discipline such as accounting, finance, economics, data science, or analytics (or relevant work experience)

• 7+ years of relevant work experience

What Could Set You Apart:

• Strong understanding of agile product management

• Proficiency in Business Intelligence and data extraction tools such as SQL or Power Query

• Deep experience with financial business processes and incentive compensation design

• Demonstrated experience leading complex, cross-functional initiatives with enterprise impact

• MBA or Master’s degree in a relevant field preferred

Functional/Technical Qualifications:

• Ability to independently prioritize and execute across multiple high-impact initiatives with minimal direction

• Ability to define business problems, shape analytical approaches, and translate strategy into business and technical requirements

• Advanced financial analysis, forecasting, and complex modeling expertise applied to ambiguous business challenges

• Advanced Microsoft Excel, Word, and PowerPoint skills, including pivot tables, advanced formulas, and executive-level presentations

• Strong understanding of accounting processes and financial statements

• Ability to synthesize complex financial and strategic concepts into clear, actionable insights for executive audiences

• Ability to lead, influence, and align diverse stakeholders across all levels of the organization, including executive leadership

Problem Solving:

Issues are often complex, ambiguous, and high-impact in nature. The Strategy Analyst III must independently frame problems, determine appropriate analytical approaches, and develop solutions that influence firm-wide strategy. This role is responsible for leading and delivering moderate to high complexity initiatives, often involving multiple stakeholders, divisions, and external partners.

Decision Making:

Decisions made in this role frequently carry moderate to high complexity and high strategic impact on firm performance. The Strategy Analyst III independently makes decisions across a broad range of scenarios, including those involving ambiguity and risk, with only the most complex or highest-risk decisions requiring leadership consultation.

Span of Influence:

The Strategy Analyst III operates with consistently high influence across the firm, working directly with senior and executive leadership to shape strategic decisions and enterprise priorities. This role requires a deep understanding of cross-divisional interdependencies and their impact on firm performance. While there are no direct supervisory responsibilities, this role is expected to lead through influence by mentoring associates, guiding cross-functional teams, and elevating the capabilities of others across the organization.