Associate Vice President, Total Rewards

Job Description Stanford University is one of the world’s premier academic and research institutions, devoting tremendous intellectual and physical resources toward the betterment of humanity. As a major Silicon Valley employer, Stanford seeks people committed to excellence and to improving our world. In turn, the university is committed to supporting its employees as they develop their careers and enrich their lives. Job Description Stanford University is one of the world’s premier academic and research institutions, devoting tremendous intellectual and physical resources toward the betterment of humanity. As a major Silicon Valley employer, Stanford seeks people committed to excellence and to improving our world. In turn, the university is committed to supporting its employees as they develop their careers and enrich their lives. Reporting to the Vice President for Human Resources and serving as a core member of the HR Leadership Team (HRLT), the Associate Vice President, Total Rewards (AVP, Total Rewards) leads strategy and operations for university-wide staff compensation, executive compensation, and benefits, overseeing a team of specialists and consultants who execute against that strategy. The AVP, Total Rewards owns the full lifecycle of total rewards, from strategy and policy design through implementation, and is accountable for the oversight, design, and implementation of new total rewards strategies, policies, and programs across the entire compensation and benefits portfolio. This role is critical in reviewing existing offerings and recommending changes and upgrades aligned with university values and strategic goals, ensuring Stanford remains a competitive employer within the higher education market . The AVP also supports the Vice President for Human Resources in advising the Board of Trustees Compensation Committee on executive compensation and governance matters, and brings demonstrated, full-scope mastery across both compensation (executive, staff, and market-based pay structures) and benefits (health, welfare, retirement, and well-being programs). As a trusted partner and senior-level advisor to the Vice President for Human Resources, fellow members of the HRLT, and leaders across Stanford’s schools/units, a critical aspect of the role is building and managing relationships, driving enterprise-wide outcomes, and shaping high-stakes communication and strategy with university leadership, governance bodies, and key stakeholders. This position is hybrid with a minimum of two on-site days per week at Stanford’s Redwood City campus. Core Duties Lead the university’s total rewards strategy, setting vision and direction for compensation and benefits programs that align with institutional values, financial sustainability, and long-term strategy goals. Serve as a core member of the HR Leadership Team, partnering directly with the Vice President for Human Resources and fellow HRLT leaders to shape enterprise-wide HR strategy, policy, and priorities. Lead a multi-year transformation of the total rewards function, rebuilding the service delivery model and the total rewards organization, including job architecture, job evaluation and leveling methodology, and the creation of clear, scalable guidelines and communication tools. Exercise accountability for both compensation and benefits, ensuring integrated, end-to-end total rewards programs rather than siloed oversight of either discipline. Drive strategic and operational excellence in total rewards by championing incremental change, building organizational maturity, and instilling consistency and clarity across all total rewards programs, policies, and practices. Design, govern, and continuously evolve market-based compensation and benefits programs that are competitive within higher education and broader labor markets, and that support the university’s Employee Value Proposition (EVP). Conduct current state assessments, model ideal future state, and recommend and lead pay structure movement, job structure redesign, and organizational job architecture changes. Build and sustain relationships and partnerships across the university, including with senior HR leaders, finance leadership, general counsel, and other key stakeholders, to influence and drive institutional outcomes. Lead and develop the total rewards team, setting organizational structure, goals, and performance standards, and ensuring team capability aligns with the strategic and operational needs of University Human Resources. Ensure superior end-to-end delivery of benefits services to active staff, retirees, former employees, and other university customers. Oversee executive compensation, including design, governance, and delivery of executive rewards programs; proactively identify risk areas and develop and implement solutions. Serve as the primary management-level liaison to the Board of Trustees Compensation Committee (or equivalent governing body), preparing board materials, presenting executive compensation analyses and market data, and advising the Board and senior leadership on governance, risk, and regulatory considerations related to executive pay. Direct the analysis of market data and other compensation factors, determining and recommending pay structures and market-competitive solutions to university leadership. Manage total rewards program budget and financial performance, managing costs and annual spend while ensuring programs remain competitive, engaging, and sustainable. Support the university’s annual budget process for total rewards, analyzing and communicating financial implications, cost drivers, and benefit trade-offs to senior leadership and finance partners. Nurture and evaluate relationships with Stanford’s total rewards consulting partners, claims payors, insurers, and other vendors, ensuring alignment with Stanford’s procurement process and practices. Ensure compliance with state and federal regulations governing tax-qualified benefit programs, including but not limited to annual audits, accurate, timely filing of annual plan forms and schedules, and timely distribution of required participant communications. Direct university participation in compensation and benefit surveys and ensure survey findings are translated into actionable guidance on market competitiveness, policy, and program design. Keep abreast of compensation and benefits trends, external benchmark best practices, regulatory requirements, and labor laws to gain insights and provide strategy, vision, and direction for university-wide compensation and benefits programs. Oversee university-wide standards and strategy for compliance with Fair Labors Standards Act (FLSA) and applicable federal and state pay equity and pay transparency regulations and reporting, including but not limited to: developing and implementing plans to assess university risk and liability; creating teams or task forces to address policy changes, compliance, or to mitigate potential risks; and developing education and communication strategy plans to support #J-18808-Ljbffr Stanford University School of Medicine