Working/Functional Title

Compensation Manager

Position Summary

Reporting to the Director of Compensation, this position manages, implements, communicates, consults, and trains on all staff compensation programs. The incumbent works collaboratively on classification and compensation issues with the Director, team members, and various HR Business Partners and stakeholders. Oversees the day-to-day operations for staff compensation and assists in short- and long-term strategic planning and priorities. Provides expertise and counsel to leadership, university colleges/divisions/departments, and supervisors regarding compensation best practices, market comparisons, policies, and procedures.

MSU Human Resources has a firm commitment to serving the university with thoughtfulness and professionalism. The person in this position will support diversity, equity, and inclusion in every aspect and responsibility associated with the job.

This position is based in East Lansing and includes job flexibility including the option to work a hybrid schedule.  All adjusted work arrangements require supervisor and leadership approval.

What you’ll be doing:

• Manage the administration of compensation policies, procedures, and strategies that leverage internal and external talent channels. Provide collaborative leadership in identifying, developing, and communicating policies, procedures and training related to compensation.
• Responsible for day-to-day management and operation of the area to ensure expertise in strategic business partnerships with campus units. Provide HR policy guidance and interpretation. Partner with the Office of General Counsel as needed/required.
• Identify and build on internal and external practices that are leading edge, scalable, culturally competent, and forward thinking.
• Conduct analysis of compensation data to identify trends, market competitiveness and benchmark compensation practices. Analyze competitive salary data to support pay decisions and recommendations. This includes preparing compensation analyses for job audits and equity requests and performing market pricing evaluations of new and revised positions.
• Stay informed of current compensation-related legislation to ensure compliance with applicable employment-related federal and state statutory requirements regarding employee pay and independent contractor versus employee classification. Conduct exempt testing to determine appropriate FLSA status of new and updated positions.
• Conduct ad-hoc research and compensation modeling in support of project assignments including presentation of findings and recommendations. Manage implementation and change initiatives, ensuring successful adoption.
• Build and maintain strong partnerships with the university’s labor community and provide expertise for successful contract negotiations.
• Advise on job description development, including job content, title, and qualifications to ensure consistency across the university. Develop tools on writing job descriptions, including generic job descriptions, compensation resources and training programs to assist staff and managers.
• Conduct job evaluations to determine the appropriate job grade, title, FLSA status and compensation package, ensuring consistency across the university. This includes determining if a reclassification is warranted, reviewing internal and external salary data, and benchmarking to similar positions at the university.

You will thrive in this role if you have:

• Strong commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging.
• Experience and skills in critical thinking, decision making, and developing and presenting data to help support and drive decisions.
• Excellent interpersonal and crucial conversation skills.
• Excellent leadership, analytical, technical and communication skills.
• Ability to work collegially and effectively with a wide range of diverse constituencies.
• Ability to interpret, revise, develop, and implement policies and procedures for the university.

Unit Specific Education/Experience/Skills

Knowledge equivalent to that which normally would be acquired by completing a four-year college degree program in human resources, business, statistics, or a related field; three to five years of related and progressively more responsible or expansive work experience in compensation administration; experience conducting compensation assessments, benchmarking positions, and analyzing and interpreting market data; or an equivalent combination of education and experience.

Desired Qualifications

Experience in higher education; expert knowledge of compensation systems and practices, as well as state and federal regulations pertinent to compensation issues (i.e., FLSA, DOL, EEOC, etc.); experience working in a unionized environment; relevant HR certification such as CCP, PHR, SPHR, SHRM-CP or SHRM-SCP; experience providing consultation to organizational leadership; project management experience.

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 Application Materials

Resume

Cover Letter

Work Hours

STANDARD 8-5

Website

hr.msu.edu

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.

Bidding Eligibility ends September 26, 2023 at 11:55 PM

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About Michigan State University

Spartans work every day to advance the common good in uncommon ways.Together, we tackle some of the world?s toughest problems to find solutions that make life better?from alternative energy to better food safety to breakthrough medical and environmental applications achieved through rare isotope research.We teach. We explore and we discover. We collaborate and lead. We innovate, inspire, and empower. We achieve our potential and create circumstances that help our students and others achieve theirs.We're good at it, and we've been at it for more than 150 years.The nation?s pioneer land-grant university, MSU began as a bold experiment that democratized higher education and helped bring science and innovation into everyday life. The revolutionary concept became a model for the nation.Today, MSU is one of the top research universities in the world?on one of the biggest, greenest campuses in the nation. Home to nationally ranked and recognized academic, residential college, and service-learning programs, we?re a diverse community of dedicated students and scholars, athletes and artists, scientists and leaders.In ways both practical and profound, we work to create a stronger, more sustainable, and more hopeful future for all.

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