Job Details

Working/Functional Title

Director of Compensation

Position Summary

Michigan State University (MSU), a leading global research university, seeks candidates for the position of Director of Compensation. Reporting to the Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer, the Director is a key member of the Human Resources (HR) Executive Leadership Team and is responsible for the oversight, organization, and implementation of strategic initiatives related to classification, compensation, consultation, and workforce planning.

The Director will lead a team of HR professionals and develop a collaborative, high-performing, service culture dedicated to improving efficiencies and effectiveness to support our campus partners in attracting and retaining top talent. The Director will also provide advice and guidance to campus leadership in a complex and challenging environment across the full range of classification and compensation matters and be conversant in the most up-to-date best practices in compensation management, organizational development, and workforce planning.

What You'll Be Doing

• Craft a compensation and classification system and strategy to ensure market-based, equitable wage and salary programs for administration, faculty, and staff. Implementation should identify and build on internal and external practices that are leading-edge, scalable, culturally competent, and forward-thinking and must recognize and address diversity, equity, and inclusion imperatives.

• Develop and drive pay strategies that leverage internal and external talent channels. Design, administer, and actively participate in position management for staff positions including academic, administrative, and executive positions. Establish methods to appropriately monitor results against targets.

• Grow the compensation function at the university and serve as a “working manager” in the early phases of growth. Analyze compensation data to identify trends, market competitiveness and benchmarking compensation practices, and analyze competitive salary data to support pay decisions and recommendations.

• Implement a collaborative strategy to successfully realign and modernize MSU’s outdated employee classification system consistent with the University’s 2030 Strategic Plan.

• Provide guidance and input on business unit restructuring, workforce planning, and succession planning. Proactively participate in strategic planning conversations regarding future staff needs and make recommendations based on analytical and historical data.

• Partner with the leadership team to formulate, develop, implement, and evaluate a total rewards and data management strategy and consultation to achieve the organization’s vision, mission, and goals, and to create value to its stakeholders.

• Maintain expertise regarding compensation, classification, data management, and workforce planning best practices. Utilize expertise to help drive strategic agenda. Make recommendations to improve efficiency and service delivery.

• Direct, manage, and oversee the implementation of compensation and classification policies, procedures, and training to support unit goals, ensure consistent and standard application, and meet regulatory requirements. Facilitate committees, teams, and ad hoc groups designed to informally address classification, compensation, and workforce planning.

• Lead implementation and change initiatives, ensuring successful adoption. Measure activities and provide meaningful and actionable analysis to drive continuous improvement efforts. Ensure that Support Staff is knowledgeable and has the most current information to offer employees, allowing them to make informed decisions.

• Build and maintain strong partnerships with the university’s labor community and provide leadership for successful contract negotiations.

• Ensure the University follows the various federal, state, university, and international laws, policies,
  and regulations.

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, citizenship, age, disability or protected veteran status.

Required Degree

Bachelors -Human Resource Management, Business, Statistics, or related field

Desired Degree

Masters -Human Resource Management, Business, Statistics, or related field

Minimum Requirements

• Significant progressively responsible experience in classification and compensation administration or equivalent education, training, and experience.
• Expert knowledge of classification and compensation systems and practices, as well as state and federal regulations pertinent to classification and compensation issues (i.e., FLSA, DOL, EEOC, etc.).
• Experience leading and successfully partnering with stakeholders to implement new classification systems, assessments, and benchmarking.
• High level of communication, management, and leadership skills.
• Experience and skills in critical thinking, decision-making, and developing and presenting data to help support and drive decisions.
• Ability to interpret and act on policies and procedures and develop and implement policies and procedures for the university.
• Strong commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging.

Desired Qualifications

• Proven experience leading transformational change in large, complex, fast-paced, and growing organizations.
• Experience with system implementations, including design, stakeholder engagement, budget, communications, and change management.
• Project management experience, including an ability to balance and effectively manage competing priorities and consistently deliver objectives on time.
• Excellent analytical and technical skills and interpersonal and negotiation skills.
• Experience providing consultation to organizational leadership.
• Ability to work collegially and effectively with a wide range of diverse constituencies.
• Experience working in a unionized environment.
• Experience working in higher education.
• Relevant HR certification such as CCP, PHR, SPHR, SHRM-CP or SHRM-SCP.

Required Application Materials

CV and Letter of Interest

Special Instructions

Review of Applications Begins On

10/02/2023

Remote Work Statement

MSU strives to provide a flexible work environment and this position has been designated as remote-friendly. Remote-friendly means some or all of the duties can be performed remotely as mutually agreed upon.

Website

hr.msu.edu

MSU Statement

Michigan State University has been advancing the common good with uncommon will for more than 160 years. One of the top research universities in the world, MSU pushes the boundaries of discovery and forges enduring partnerships to solve the most pressing global challenges while providing life-