Director of Total Rewards

Current Employees: If you are currently employed at any of the Universities of Wisconsin, log in to Workday to apply through the internal application process.

Position Title:
Director of Total Rewards

Job Category:
Limited

Employment Type:
Regular

Job Profile:
HR Dir (Inst)

Job Duties:

Reporting to the Associate Vice President for Human Resources, this position is a key member of the Human Resources leadership team, and has primary responsibility for the design, implementation, administration and communication of the Universities of Wisconsin comprehensive total rewards strategy. This total rewards strategy includes health and wellbeing, retirement (defined benefit plans and supplemental retirement plans), as well as maintenance of the UWs compensation structures and array of perquisites with a focus on continuous improvement. The selected candidate will foster a culture of excellence, accountability, and responsive customer service through strong leadership and team development.


Key Job Responsibilities:

• Oversee and administer state group health benefits, supplemental benefits and leave structures across all employment categories for UWs

• Oversee the continuous development and improvement of the UWs benefits counseling team, a centralized team that supports the UW universities

• Work collaboratively with UWs stakeholders to ensure the title and compensation structures are maintained and updated as needed. Continue development of resources to provide guidance and direction to the compensation function to support UWSA and UW universities.

• Analyze various benefits delivery models with the goal of consolidation and standardization of benefits and retirement services, establishing a center of excellence. Drive enhancements to streamline program delivery and encourage program participation in supplemental retirement plans.

• Supervise market research and compilation of statistics on compensation and job classifications that align with industry standards to inform compensation decisions and meet reporting requirements. Interface with and serve as a resource to UW universities to provide support for the compensation function.

• Develop, implement, communicate, and maintain a UWs total wellness strategy, including but not limited to: health benefits, financial wellness, employee wellbeing and retirement planning. Provide support to UW universities on policies and make recommendations on leveraging the total compensation package to attract, develop and retain the highest quality talent.

• Maintain knowledge of best practices and stay abreast of regulatory compliance to guideUWs reporting requirements across all health, welfare and benefit plans. Make recommendations for changes in policies and procedures based on survey research findings and other data collection methods, with a focus on continuous quality improvement.

• Convene and/or serve on committees related to benefits, classification and compensation functions.

• Consult with the division of Employee Trust Funds, Department of Administration and other state agencies as a representative of the UWs on compensation, benefits and retirement matters.

Department:

Universities of Wisconsin Administration Human Resources (UWSA HR) is the strategic partner to the 13 UW universities. We consult, partner and collaborate to provide strategy and leadership support to advance the mission of the Universities of Wisconsin. To that end, we provide expertise across the employee life cycle, including talent acquisition, employee engagement, learning and development, performance management, and total rewards.


Compensation:

The Director of Total Rewards (Official Job Title: HR Director (Inst)) is a full-time, limited, exempt position. Well-qualified candidates can expect a starting annual salary within a range of $130,000 - 150,000 , commensurate with the candidate's education, related experience, and qualifications.

Work Location:

The office location is located at 780 Regent Street, Madison WI. An in-office requirement is expected three days per week with the option to work the remaining days off-site/remote. Telecommuting agreements are subject to change at any time.


Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree

• Demonstrated experience administering compensation and/or benefits programs in a complex organization.

• Experience using HRIS and data analytics tools to support decision-making and reporting.

• Demonstrated leadership experience supervising professional staff and leading teams within a complex organizational environment, including responsibility for employee development, operational oversight, and achievement of strategic objectives.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Master's degree in human resources, business administration, public administration, or related field.

• Experience in higher education, public sector, healthcare, or another highly regulated and decentralized environment.

• Experience developing or leading enterprise-wide total rewards strategies, including compensation structures, benefits, retirement, wellness, and recognition programs.

• Experience with compensation studies, market benchmarking, pay equity analysis, and job architecture.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Demonstrated ability to communicate effectively and build collaborative relationships with leaders, employees, and stakeholders across an organization.

• Knowledge of applicable federal and state laws and regulations related to compensation and benefits administration (e.g., FLSA, ACA, ERISA, HIPAA, leave laws).

• Ability to lead organizational change, policy development, and large-scale HR initiatives.

• Strong analytical and financial acumen, including budgeting and vendor management experience.

How to Apply:

To ensure full consideration, please submit application materials as soon as possible. Applicant screening will begin immediately and be ongoing through 11:59 pm, Monday, June 8, 2026 . However, applications may be accepted until the position has been filled.


To receive full consideration, interested applicants are required to apply online and provide:

• Resume (PDF Format)

• Cover letter addressing your experience and education as it applies to all minimum and preferred qualifications (PDF Format)

Contact Information:

Questions may be addressed to: Shelby Buchanan, HR Manager: View email address on click.appcast.io.

Accommodation Request

If you need to request an accommodation because of a disability, you can find information about how to make a request by contacting View email address on click.appcast.io.


Criminal Background Check and Reference Check Policy

This offer of employment is conditional pending the results of a criminal background check and a reference check process that includes questions regarding employee misconduct, sexual violence, and sexual harassment. If you have prior work history within the past 7 years with the Universities of Wisconsin, your personnel file will also be reviewed for employee misconduct. If the results are unacceptable, the offer will be withdrawn or, if you have started employment, your employment will be terminated.

Employment Authorization

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 the need of employer sponsorship) on, before, or after the effective date of appointment.


Confidentiality

The Universities of Wisconsin 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. §. 19.36(7).


Benefits Information

Universities of Wisconsin employees receive an excellent benefits package. To learn more about the benefits package, review the Faculty, Academic Staff & Limited Appointees or University Staff Please see this link for total compensation information: Universities of Wisconsin Health & Retirement Contributions Estimator to provide you with total compensation information.


Clery Act information

The Universities of Wisconsin provides statistics on campus crime in its Annual Security Report. For more information on university campus statistics see

UW is an Equal Opportunity Employer

Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, pregnancy, disability, status as a protected veteran, or any other bases protected by applicable federal or State law and UW System policies. We are committed to building a workforce that represents a variety of backgrounds, perspectives, and skills, and encourage all qualified individuals to apply.