Director of Classification and Compensation

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Job Description

SUMMARY :

Reporting to the Associate Vice President, Human Resources Operations, the Director of Classification and Compensation leads Montclair State University’s classification, compensation, and job architecture programs for a workforce of more than 6,600 full- and part-time employees spanning civil service, unclassified, managerial, and multiple collective bargaining units. As head of the Classification and Compensation Center of Expertise, the Director sets direction for how the University values its jobs, puts the University’s Compensation Philosophy into practice, and ensures that every classification and pay decision is timely, defensible, equitable, and clearly explained.

The Director is accountable for both the strategy and the service: building a market-informed job architecture and salary structure while running a high-volume, deadline-driven operation with published standards, reliable data, and a capable, accountable team. The Director is the University’s principal advisor on compensation to senior leadership and works closely with HR Business Partners, Budget and Planning, Employee and Labor Relations, Payroll, and HR Operations.



PRINCIPAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES :

• Set the University’s Compensation Philosophy into practice and recommend updates as institutional priorities and market conditions change.
• Design, maintain, and periodically review the University’s job architecture (job families, functions, levels, and career paths) and salary structures for applicable employee groups, using a defined peer set and a documented market-pricing methodology (e.g., CUPA-HR, NJASCU, and R2 peer data).
• Lead periodic pay equity analyses consistent with New Jersey equal pay requirements; recommend and cost remediation.
• Ensure salary ranges included in job postings meet New Jersey pay transparency requirements and are consistent with approved structures.
• Model the cost of compensation actions, reclassifications, structure adjustments, salary increase programs, and contract proposals, in partnership with Budget and Planning.
• Provide compensation analysis and costing to support collective bargaining and contract administration in partnership with Labor Relations.
• Direct classification, reclassification, title change, promotion, and organizational restructuring reviews, including desk audits, position evaluation, and internal and external benchmarking; serve as final departmental reviewer of recommendations.
• Interpret and administer New Jersey Civil Service Commission requirements, including Title 4A, across the civil service employee lifecycle; serves as the University’s working liaison to the Civil Service Commission on classification matters.
• Administer the classification and compensation provisions of collective bargaining agreements, including the professional staff performance-based promotion process, and ensure contractual deadlines are met to prevent retroactive pay liability.
• Maintain a consistent, documented job evaluation methodology so that comparable requests produce comparable, defensible outcomes.
• Ensure job descriptions and position records are accurate, current, and maintained in the system of record.
• Establish and publish service standards and turnaround targets for each request type, and holds the unit accountable to them.
• Maintain a case tracking process that provides real-time visibility into the status, ownership, and age of every request; conduct regular backlog and aging reviews and take documented corrective action.
• Report regularly to HR leadership on volume, turnaround, aging, outcomes, and cost; contribute classification and compensation metrics to division, annual, and Board of Trustees reporting.
• Own classification and compensation business processes, position management, and compensation data integrity in Workday; identify and lead automation and process improvement.
• Maintain standard operating procedures and cross-training so that service continues without reliance on any single individual.
• Serve as the principal compensation advisor to the President’s Cabinet, deans, and division leaders, and as the escalation point for HR Business Partners on complex classification and organizational design questions.
• Build pay literacy across the University through plain-language guidance, manager toolkits, and workshops explaining how jobs are classified, how pay is set, and how reclassification and promotion work.
• Communicate decisions clearly and promptly to employees, managers, and union representatives; escalate complex, sensitive, or high-risk matters appropriately.
• Coordinate annual classification, reclassification, reappointment, and promotion calendars with Learning and Talent Development, Employee and Labor Relations, and Academic Affairs.
• Lead, coach, and develop the Classification and Compensation team; set clear performance expectations, distribute work equitably, and monitor quality and productivity.
• Build analyst capability and bench strength aligned with the HR division’s Capability Development Framework.
• Address performance gaps promptly and in accordance with University procedures and applicable agreements.
• Model the service culture and partnership expectations of the HR division.
• Perform other duties as assigned.
• Management retains the right to add or change job duties at any time.

QUALIFICATIONS :

REQUIRED :

• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution in human resources, business administration, public administration, finance, or a related field.
• Minimum of five years of progressively responsible classification and compensation experience, including job evaluation, market pricing, and salary structure design or administration.
• Minimum of three years supervising professional staff, with demonstrated accountability for team performance, workload, and service outcomes.
• Experience in a unionized environment administering the classification and compensation provisions of collective bargaining agreements.
• New Jersey public sector experience, including Civil Service Commission and Title 4A requirements.
• Demonstrated success managing a high-volume operation against measurable service standards, using data to manage backlog and turnaround.
• Advanced analytical skills, including Excel-based modeling and cost projection, and experience with a human resources information system.
• Ability to explain complex compensation concepts clearly — in writing and in person — to executives, managers, employees, and union representatives.

PREFERRED :

• Master’s degree in a relevant discipline.
• Higher education experience, including familiarity with CUPA-HR survey data.
• Experience with Workday HCM compensation, position management, and reporting.
• Experience leading a job architecture build, salary structure redesign, or pay equity study.
• Certified Compensation Professional (CCP); SHRM-SCP or SPHR.
• Experience presenting to senior leadership or a governing board.

PROCEDURE FOR CANDIDACY

Applicants should include a resume and cover letter describing how their background, skills and education match the needs of the University. When applying, please take a moment to carefully read and follow the steps in the application instructions.

Salary Range

$150,000.00-$170,000.00 Annually

The position may also be eligible for comprehensive benefits, including health insurance, retirement plans, and tuition assistance. For further details, please visit: https://www.montclair.edu/human-resources/benefits/

Montclair State University considers factors such as, but not limited to, scope and responsibilities of the position, candidate’s relevant work experience, education, skills, and internal equity, when extending an offer.

Salary offers for internal employees who are part of a collective bargaining unit (CBU) and are applying to a position that is within a CBU will be determined in accordance with contractual provisions.

Department

HR Operations

Position Type

Administrative

Contact Information:

For questions or concerns, please contact Human Resources' Workday Recruiting Support at 973-655-5000 (Option 2), or email talent@montclair.edu .

Inclusion Statement

Montclair State University values access and educational excellence. We are committed to an environment of diverse perspectives which ensures that graduates will be civically engaged, committed to democracy, and prepared to thrive as global citizens. We foster a community that promotes varied experiences and voices. We seek applicants who will contribute diverse ideas and perspectives and who value an environment that promotes educational growth and advancement for all.

EEO/AA Statement

Montclair State University is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action institution with a strong commitment to diversity.

Additional information can be found on the website at
www.montclair.edu/human-resources/about-us/eo-aa-and-diversity/

Title IX and 34 C.F.R. 106 Policy

Montclair State is required by Title IX and 34 C.F.R. 106 not to discriminate on the basis of sex or gender, and does not discriminate on the basis of sex or gender in the operation of education programs and activities. The requirement to not discriminate on the basis of sex or gender in the operation of education programs and activities extends to admission and employment. For further details, please visit: https://www.montclair.edu/human-resources/job-seekers/