Merit Matrix Workbook Developer

We are seeking an experienced Excel developer with compensation, HR analytics, workforce planning, or financial modeling experience to build a modernized merit planning workbook and manager recommendation tool. Our goal is to create a simple, intuitive, and sustainable solution that supports a performance-based merit process while ensuring merit allocations remain within approved budget parameters. The tool should be easy for managers to complete, easy for leadership to review, and reusable year after year. Project Deliverables Leadership Merit Planning Workbook Develop an Excel workbook that allows leadership to: • Import employee-level data• Manage merit allocations within an approved budget• Review manager recommendations• Perform merit calibration• Analyze compensation and equity metrics• Produce executive-level reporting and dashboards Key Features Budget Management • Merit pool tracking• Budget vs. actual merit spend• Automatic alerts if recommendations exceed budget• Merit reserve tracking• Scenario modeling for different merit approaches Compensation Analytics • Comp ratio analysis• Salary range penetration analysis• Market midpoint analysis• Compression risk indicators• Equity review by department, manager, and job category Merit Analytics • Rating distribution analysis• Merit spend by division, department, and manager• Merit increase percentage analysis• Merit dollar impact analysis• High performer identification Executive Dashboard Simple visual dashboard displaying: • Total merit budget• Recommended spend• Remaining budget• Rating distribution• Merit distribution• Comp ratio distribution• Employees requiring review Manager Merit Recommendation Workbook The manager-facing workbook should be intentionally simple and easy to complete. Managers should be able to: • Select performance ratings• Recommend merit increases• Provide required justification when applicable Performance Rating Scale • 1 Star = Unsatisfactory• 2 Stars = Needs Improvement• 3 Stars = Meets Expectations• 4 Stars = Above Expectations• 5 Stars = Highly Exceeds Expectations Manager Inputs For each employee: • Performance Rating• Recommended Merit %• Optional Comments Required Justification Written justification should only be required for: • 1 Star ratings• 4 Star ratings• 5 Star ratings This is intended to balance accountability while minimizing administrative burden. Calibration & Governance Features The workbook should include a simple leadership calibration process that captures: • Original manager rating• Original merit recommendation• Final leadership-approved rating• Final merit recommendation• Variance between manager and final recommendation• Reason for adjustment (dropdown menu) Suggested reason codes: • Calibration Review• Documentation Insufficient• Equity Adjustment• Compression Concern• Budget Alignment• Retention Consideration• HR Review This feature should provide an audit trail without creating unnecessary complexity. Employee Review Flags Automatically identify employees requiring additional discussion, such as: • Merit recommendations above a defined threshold• Merit recommendations of 0%• Rating and merit inconsistencies• Compression concerns• High performers with low comp ratios• Budget outliers Usability Requirements The workbook should: • Be visually clean and easy to navigate• Use simple instructions and clear workflows• Minimize manual entry• Include protected formulas• Use drop-down selections where possible• Be maintainable by internal users without advanced Excel expertise Ideal Candidate We are looking for someone with experience in: • Compensation planning• Merit increase modeling• HR analytics• Workforce planning• Financial modeling• Executive dashboard development Strong Excel skills are required, including: • Pivot tables• Power Query• Data validation• Conditional formatting• Dashboard design Deliverables • Leadership merit planning workbook• Manager recommendation workbook• Executive dashboard• Sample data file• User guide• Final walkthrough and knowledge transfer session