Associate Director, Compensation Center of Excellence (CCoE)

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Job Category:

Academic Staff

Employment Type:

Regular

Job Profile:

HR Assoc Dir (Inst)

Job Summary:

Lead Strategic Compensation at a World Class Institution. Join UW - Madison as Associate Director, Compensation Center of Excellence

Are you ready to shape the future of compensation at one of the nation’s top public universities?

The University of Wisconsin - Madison is seeking a visionary Associate Director to join our Compensation Center of Excellence (CCoE) to help shape strategic compensation practices that drive transparency and market alignment across campus. In this influential leadership role, you will collaborate with HR professionals across a vibrant academic community, guiding compensation strategies that support thousands of employees and advance the university’s mission.

Why UW - Madison?

• Be part of a prestigious institution known for innovation, research, and academic excellence.

• Join a dynamic HR team committed to continuous improvement and inclusive practices.

• Lead initiatives that shape compensation policies and practices across a complex organization.

• Enjoy a collaborative culture where your expertise is valued and your impact is far-reaching.

If you are a strategic thinker with a passion for shaping compensation philosophy and a drive to make a meaningful impact in higher education, we invite you to explore this exciting opportunity.

This position provides workplace flexibility, with two to three days a week onsite at 21 North Park Street, Madison, WI. 

Key Job Responsibilities:

• Audits the unit budget and approves expenditures

• Coordinates HR activities, such as recruitment, pay administration programs, new hire orientation, employee benefits, and health and safety plans, through managerial HR staff

• Serves as an advisor and liaison to unit managers and staff providing organization information and interpretation of human resources policies and procedures

• Exercises supervisory authority, including hiring, transferring, suspending, promoting, managing conduct and performance, discharging, assigning, rewarding, disciplining, and/or approving hours worked of at least 2.0 full-time equivalent (FTE) employees

• Implements, operationalizes, and monitors the use of policies and procedures to comply with laws, regulations, institutional policies, and unit objectives

• Leads the development and stewardship of strategic relationships with campus, peer institution, and external partners, collaborating closely to advance institutional priorities.

• Identifies needs and recommends improvements to leadership regarding HR matters such as workforce performance and competency gaps, organizational structures, compensation discrepancies and assists with the development of training plans and mitigation strategies as needed

• Assists with planning, implementation, and management of strategic initiatives for one or more human resources function

Department:

• Located within the Division of General Services, Office of Human Resources, Compensation Center of Excellence (CCoE)

Compensation:

• The starting salary for a candidate who may still be learning some aspects of the job and will work towards proficiency is expected to be between $100,000 and $115,000.

• The starting salary for an experienced candidate who can fulfill most job responsibilities independently is expected to be between $115,000 and $130,000.

• Actual pay is determined at hire and is based on experience and qualifications

• This position offers a comprehensive benefits package, including generous paid time off, competitively priced health/dental/vision/life insurance, tax-advantaged savings accounts, and participation in the nationally recognized Wisconsin Retirement System (WRS) pension fund. For a summary of benefits, please see https://www.wisconsin.edu/ohrwd/benefits/download/fasl.pdf.

Required Qualifications:

• Proven leadership experience in team management and operations oversight

• Strong problem-solving and decision-making abilities to navigate complex HR policies and challenges

• Excellent communication, collaboration, and stakeholder engagement skills to align business needs with HR strategies

• Proven ability to manage through ambiguity and change, fostering resilience and adaptability in dynamic environments.

• Skilled in handling difficult conversations with professionalism and empathy

• Demonstrated cross-functional collaboration, fostering a supportive and strategically aligned workplace

• Proficiency in HR technology, including HRIS systems, data analysis tools, and digital platforms for effective operations

• Advanced problem-solving and decision-making skills in navigating complex human resources structures, regulatory compliance, and organizational challenges.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Background in complex organizations with multiple stakeholders, including experience motivating and aligning groups.

• Experience with change management and project leadership to support ongoing HR initiatives

• Leadership experience in position evaluation and management, including compensation analysis, job titling, and alignment with organizational frameworks

• Ability to design and implement training programs that support strategic objectives

• Experience utilizing an HRIS or other HR technology platforms to inform strategy, support decision-making, and leverage data for organizational insight

Education:

• Preferred: Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or a closely related field; or HR certification designation with 5 years of progressively responsible experience in compensation, HR operations, or a related field; or no formal degree with 7 years of progressively responsible experience in compensation, HR operations, or a related field

How to Apply:

• Interested candidates should submit a cover letter and resume. The cover letter should highlight how their background aligns with the role and qualifications, including specific details about their supervisory experience, such as the number and types of positions supervised. Additionally, applicants should describe a time they navigated ambiguity in a professional setting, outlining the challenges faced and the approach taken to support stakeholders.

• Please note that successful applicants are responsible for ensuring their eligibility to work in the United States (i.e. a citizen or national of the United States, a lawful permanent resident, a foreign national authorized to work in the United States without need of employer sponsorship) on or before the effective date of appointment. UW-Madison is not an E-Verify employer, and therefore, is not eligible to employ F1 STEM OPT Extension participants.

• The application deadline is 11:59 pm on December 7, 2025.

Contact Information:

Kayla Eckerty, kayla.eckerty@wisc.edu, 608-890-4609

Relay Access (WTRS): 7-1-1. See RELAY_SERVICE for further information. 

Institutional Statement on Diversity:

Diversity is a source of strength, creativity, and innovation for UW-Madison. We value the contributions of each person and respect the profound ways their identity, culture, background, experience, status, abilities, and opinion enrich the university community. We commit ourselves to the pursuit of excellence in teaching, research, outreach, and diversity as inextricably linked goals.

The University of Wisconsin-Madison fulfills its public mission by creating a welcoming and inclusive community for people from every background - people who as students, faculty, and staff serve Wisconsin and the world.

The University of Wisconsin-Madison is an Equal Opportunity Employer. 

Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to, including but not limited to, race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, age, pregnancy, disability, or status as a protected veteran and other bases as defined by federal regulations and UW System policies. We promote excellence by acknowledging skills and expertise from all backgrounds and encourage all qualified individuals to apply. For more information regarding applicant and employee rights and to view federal and state required postings, visit the Human Resources Workplace Poster website.

To request a disability or pregnancy-related accommodation for any step in the hiring process (e.g., application, interview, pre-employment testing, etc.), please contact the Divisional Disability Representative (DDR) in the division you are applying to. Please make your request as soon as possible to help the university respond most effectively to you.

Employment may require a criminal background check. It may also require your references to answer questions regarding misconduct, including sexual violence and sexual harassment. 
 
The University of Wisconsin System will not reveal the identities of applicants who request confidentiality in writing, except that the identity of the successful candidate will be released. See Wis. Stat. sec. 19.36(7). 
 
The Annual Security and Fire Safety Report contains current campus safety and disciplinary policies, crime statistics for the previous 3 calendar years, and on-campus student housing fire safety policies and fire statistics for the previous 3 calendar years. UW-Madison will provide a paper copy upon request; please contact the University of Wisconsin Police Department.