Senior HR Analyst

Our restaurants are only the tip of the flame. If you’re looking for a fast-paced, innovative and welcoming workplace then a career with our Corporate Familia is right for you.

What’s in it for you!

• Hybrid work schedule
• Competitive pay and bonus
• Medical + Dental + Vision Insurance
• 401(K) Plan with match and immediate vesting
• Flexible Spending Accounts
• Vacation + Sick Pay + 12 Paid Holidays
• Amazing office culture
• Free El Pollo Loco food (Dine Out Card) + Restaurant Discount
• Discounts on theme parks, movie tickets, sports events, hotels and more…

POSITION PURPOSE:
The Senior HR Analyst plays a critical role in advancing El Pollo Loco’s people strategy through data-driven insights. This role partners with Total Rewards, HRIS, Talent Acquisition, and executive leadership to design and deliver analytics that enhance team member experience, improve workforce efficiency, and support key business objectives. By combining strategic thinking with strong technical expertise, this position ensures people data is accurate, actionable, and aligned to organizational goals.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:
Compensation Analysis

• Conduct job evaluations and market pricing using salary survey tools.
• Analyze internal and external compensation data to support pay decisions and structures.
• Assist in the development and maintenance of salary structures and pay grades.
• Assist the Sr. Director, Total Rewards in completing external salary surveys and ad hoc executive compensation projects.
• Support annual compensation processes, including but not limited to merit increases, bonuses, equity, and incentive programs.

Benefits Administration

• Monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of team member benefits programs.
• Conduct benchmarking and trend analysis to assess competitiveness and cost-effectiveness.
• Assist with benefits renewals, vendor/broker management, and team member communications.
• Assist with annual open enrollment including but not limited to team member education sessions, open enrollment system testing, and open enrollment communications

Reporting & Analytics

• Prepare regular and ad hoc reports on compensation, benefits, and workforce metrics.
• Develop dashboards and presentations for HR and business leaders.
• Analyze restaurant staffing levels, turnover trends, and labor costs to drive smarter workforce decisions at scale. Analyze key Team Member data which impacts store performance.
• Identify trends and provide actionable insights to inform strategy.

Compliance & Policy Support

• Assist in ensuring total rewards programs comply with all legal and regulatory reporting requirements.

Data Integration & Governance

• Consolidate and maintain data from HRIS and ATS systems to ensure clean, reliable people data across platforms.

Predictive Modeling

• Build models to forecast staffing needs, identify risk factors for attrition, and support workforce planning at both restaurant and corporate levels.

Survey Analytics

• Analyze team member engagement and exit survey data to identify trends and help shape targeted interventions.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Work closely with HR Business Partners, Operations, and Finance to translate analytics into business strategy, especially around hourly workforce needs.

QUALIFICATIONS – EDUCATION, EXPERIENCE, LICENSE/CERTIFICATIONS:
To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to satisfactorily perform the essential functions of the job, with or without a reasonable accommodation. Reasonable accommodations will be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of the job. The requirements listed below are representative of the education and/or experience required.

Education/Work Experience:
Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, Analytics, or related field required. Minimum 5+ years of experience in People Analytics, Total Rewards, or HR data analysis, preferably supporting multi-unit retail, restaurant, or hospitality operations. Familiarity with HR platforms, experience with Dayforce is a plus

License/Certifications:
N/A

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Strong analytical and quantitative skills, including advanced Excel proficiency.
• Ability to distill complex data into clear, actionable insights tailored to different audiences.
• Strong project management and organizational skills; able to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.
• Excellent communication and storytelling skills to influence business decisions.
• Knowledge of compensation, benefits, and workforce analytics best practices.
• Familiarity with data governance, integration, and predictive modeling.
• Ability to handle sensitive and confidential information with integrity and discretion.
• Detail-oriented with a commitment to accuracy and continuous improvement.
• Familiarity with HR platforms; Dayforce experience is a plus.
• Strong knowledge of HRIS systems (Workday, SAP, Oracle).
• Proficiency in compensation survey tools (Radford, Mercer, Willis Towers Watson).
• Experience with mainstream BI & Analytics tools such as Power BI or Tableau.
• Ability to work at the Support Center consistent with the hybrid work policy.

Our Company
In 1980 the first American El Pollo Loco opened on Alvarado Street in Los Angeles, quickly becoming a destination for the best citrus-marinated, fire-grilled pollo in town. Over the past four decades, El Pollo Loco has grown into more than 490 restaurants across 7 states, becoming an L.A. mainstay and cultural benchmark along the way. And today, we continue to work just as hard to always provide customers with fresh and innovative L.A. Mex from our famous family dinners to Mexican entrees.

The pay range identified is the hourly or salary rate El Pollo Loco expects to pay for the posted position. This range does not include any benefits or bonus opportunities that might be available for the position based on position and eligibility criteria. Individual pay will vary based on a variety of factors including years of experience, industry experience, education, geography, etc.