Manager, Compensation

Manager, Compensation
Division of Human Resources
University of Southern California

USC Human Resources is seeking a collaborative and people-focused leader to oversee the day-to-day operations of the Compensation team and ensure the effective delivery of staff compensation programs and services across the university. The Manager of Compensation leads, coaches, and develops a team of compensation professionals while fostering a culture of collaboration, accountability, continuous learning, and exceptional client service.

Working closely with HR leadership, university leaders, and HR partners, this role oversees the administration of compensation programs, job evaluations, market pricing, and salary actions while ensuring work is completed accurately, consistently, and in compliance with university policies and applicable regulations. The ideal candidate is an experienced people manager who enjoys developing talent, improving processes, and helping a high-performing team deliver outstanding results in a complex, fast-paced environment.

About the Role

The Manager of Compensation is responsible for leading the day-to-day administration and continuous improvement of staff compensation programs and services while overseeing a team of compensation professionals. This role is part of a broader organizational realignment designed to strengthen operational excellence, enhance client service, improve efficiency through technology, and support consistent, equitable compensation practices across the university.

The Manager leads, coaches, and develops a team of compensation professionals while partnering closely with HR leadership, HR Business Partners, Talent Acquisition, and university leaders to provide consultative compensation support. This position oversees job evaluations, market pricing, salary recommendations, and compensation administration, ensuring work is delivered accurately, consistently, and in compliance with university policies and applicable regulations.

Success in this role requires a strong commitment to people leadership, operational excellence, and continuous improvement. The Manager is expected to develop team members at various stages of their careers, establish meaningful performance expectations, leverage technology to improve service delivery, and foster a culture of accountability, collaboration, and exceptional client service.

The ideal candidate is an exceptional communicator who can translate complex compensation analyses into clear, actionable recommendations. The ability to present data, explain methodology, and build confidence in compensation decisions will be essential to supporting university leaders and advancing transparency in compensation practices.

The Manager also serves as a key liaison for compensation audits, salary survey participation, compliance activities, and other operational initiatives that support the university's compensation function.

This position requires an on-site presence of a minimum of three days per week at the University Park Campus.

Key Responsibilities will include the following:

Leadership & Operations

• Lead, coach, mentor, and develop a team of compensation professionals, fostering a culture of collaboration, accountability, continuous learning, and exceptional client service.

• Manage the team's day-to-day operations, workload, and priorities to ensure timely, accurate, and high-quality service delivery.

• Recruit, onboard, coach, evaluate, and develop team members through regular performance feedback and professional development.

• Establish, monitor, and communicate meaningful team and individual performance metrics that promote accountability, quality, responsiveness, and continuous improvement.

• Identify opportunities to improve operational effectiveness, streamline processes, and leverage technology to enhance efficiency and the client experience.

• Measure client satisfaction with compensation services and implement improvements informed by feedback.

• Foster strong partnerships across HR and the university, promoting collaboration and a consistent, high-quality client experience.

Compensation Consulting & Program Administration

• Manage the administration of staff compensation programs and services, ensuring compliance with university policies, applicable regulations, and service delivery standards.

• Provide expert consultation to HR Business Partners, Talent Acquisition, managers, and university leaders regarding job evaluations, market pricing, salary recommendations, promotions, reclassifications, equity reviews, and other compensation-related matters.

• Review and evaluate job descriptions for appropriate classification, job family placement, and internal equity; oversee appeals and exception requests.

• Oversee participation in internal and external salary surveys and ensure accurate market analyses that support sound compensation recommendations.

• Ensure the integrity of compensation data and job profile information within HR systems while supporting ongoing process improvements and technology enhancements.

• Maintain current knowledge of federal, state, and local compensation regulations, wage and hour laws, compensation methodologies, and industry trends.

• Communicate compensation analyses and recommendations effectively, using market data, benchmarking resources, and clear methodology to support informed decision-making.

• Promote a culture of equity, respect, accountability, and ethical conduct consistent with USC's values and Code of Ethics.

Perform other related duties and special projects as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Human Resources, or a related field. A combination of education and experience may be considered where appropriate.

• Four to six years of progressively responsible compensation experience, including demonstrated success leading, coaching, and developing professional staff.

• Experience administering compensation programs in a corporate, healthcare, higher education, or similarly complex organization.

• Strong knowledge of compensation principles, job evaluation methodologies, market pricing, salary administration, and applicable wage and hour laws.

• Demonstrated ability to analyze and interpret compensation data and communicate findings clearly to diverse audiences.

• Strong analytical, critical thinking, problem-solving, and customer service skills.

• Excellent interpersonal, written, verbal, and presentation skills, with the ability to build relationships and influence stakeholders at all organizational levels.

• Proven ability to communicate effectively in face-to-face and group settings with diverse stakeholders.

• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced, service-oriented environment.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master's degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or a related field.

• Certified Compensation Professional (CCP) designation.

• Experience administering compensation programs in higher education or another large, decentralized organization.

• Experience with compensation survey tools, job evaluation methodologies, and job classification frameworks.

• Demonstrated success coaching and developing employees at varying career stages.

• Experience presenting complex compensation analyses using data visualization, benchmarking, and clear business narratives to support decision-making.

Additional Information

Occasional evening, weekend, or holiday work may be required based on business needs.

This position requires an on-site presence of a minimum of three days per week at the University Park Campus.

The annual base salary range for this position is $156,000 – $165,000. When determining an offer, the University of Southern California considers factors such as the scope and responsibilities of the role, the candidate's experience, education, training, key skills, internal equity, applicable laws, contractual requirements, grant funding, and market conditions.

To support the well-being of our faculty and staff, USC provides benefits-eligible employees with a comprehensive Total Rewards package that includes health and welfare benefits, retirement programs, paid time off, professional development opportunities, and other resources designed to support employees and their families.

Minimum Education: Bachelor's degree In Business Administration Or Human Resources Or in related field(s) Addtional Education Requirements Combined experience/education as substitute for minimum education Minimum Experience: 4 years of job-related experience With 2 years years of management experience and/or a one-year development program Minimum Skills: Experience in managing a compensation program in a corporate or university environment. Ability to identify and solve problems creatively. Knowledge of mathematics and statistical analysis and presentation of compensation data. Demonstrated analytical, customer service, oral and written communication, and critical thinking skills. Demonstrated excellent interpersonal skills with the ability to interface and communicate with all levels of employees. Ability to multi-task and set priorities in a fast- paced environment. Preferred Education: Master's degree in related field(s) Preferred Certifications: Certified Compensation Professional (CCP). Preferred Experience: 6 years of job-related experience 4 years years of management experience and/or a one-year development program Preferred Skills: Experience in managing a compensation program in a university environment. Through knowledge of compensation best practices, principles and theories, wage and hour regulations and compensation methodologies.