Director Executive Compensation and Strategic Services

Position Summary:

Are you seeking an innovative leadership opportunity in the realm of executive compensation? Consider the newly established position of Director of Executive Compensation and Strategic Services in the Human Resources department at UTHealth Houston. This role offers a chance to lead the design, implementation, and optimization of compensation policies and practices, emphasizing the value and competitive edge of executive compensation, particularly for Management Administrative & Professional (MAP) roles and certain physician and faculty positions.

Reporting to the Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer, you'll provide expert insight on executive compensation trends and regulatory requirements. You will oversee the management of various compensation programs and initiatives, working closely with HR partners and institutional leaders to ensure our strategies effectively attract and retain top talent. Join us in creating a competitive and rewarding executive compensation framework.

Candidates with a minimum of 7 years of experience in human resources or finance along with 3 years of experience in executive compensation within an academic health center or university will receive careful consideration.

Position Key Accountabilities:

• Develops the design, analytics, and administration of executive compensation programs and strategies to include base pay, incentives, merit and performance appraisals by directing the creation and implementation of tools, systems, and programs; ensuring coordinated and timely execution across HR functions and stakeholders; identifying and addressing gaps in execution or communication; implementing contingency plans as needed; and continuously adjusting strategies to meet evolving business demands.
• Develops and drafts materials for UTHealth Houston Chief Human Resources Officer and other executive leadership, including analyses, reports, and presentations.
• Leads the development and implementation of executive compensation policies and practices with a customer-centric and solutions-focused approach, to include establishing a regular schedule for sharing market trends, internal factors, and other relevant information with stakeholders.
• Evaluates market data for executive positions and maintains awareness of industry-leading executive compensation market conditions to benchmark and oversee executive-level compensation survey processes.
• Proactively consults with university leadership on executive compensation matters, offering data-driven recommendations for annual salary structures and merit pay adjustments, articulating information clearly to ensure understanding of key components and alignment with business objectives.
• Partners with Classified Compensation Strategy Services leadership to align practices, policies and philosophies with UTHealth Houston's strategies and goals.
• Manages Human Resources as a client for all executive compensation needs with a customer-centric and solutions-focused approach to include but not limited to benchmarking, market reviews, incentives, merit and performance appraisals.
• Provides scheduled education and training sessions on Executive Compensation Strategy Services philosophies, programs and practices to enhance the Executive Recruitment team's expertise and knowledge.
• Partners with Executive Recruitment to develop, present, and streamline compelling compensation packages for executive candidates, and jointly provides strategic consultation to hiring managers as needed.
• Provides input on strategic HR issues as a member of the HR Leadership Team.
• Manages third party vendor contracts, budgets and relationships with a focus on cost efficiency, enhanced service quality, and optimized resource use.
• Continuously monitors and analyzes the effectiveness of executive compensation programs and makes data-driven recommendations for improvements and optimizations.
• Cultivates strong relationships with colleagues across Human Resources, Legal, Finance, and Executive Leadership teams, fostering a collaborative environment and ensuring a positive experience for all stakeholders.
• Provides strong leadership and direction to the Executive Compensation Strategy Services team while building bench strength and expertise.
• Assists HR leadership in responding to Legislative Budget Requests involving compensation programs and directs responses to requests submitted through the Texas Open Records Act.
• Works directly with Legal, Payroll and Audit to ensure accuracy and compliance in compensation issues.
• Manages Human Resources activities for direct reports in regards to: recruiting and selection; hiring and termination, training, development, mentoring, counseling, performance evaluations, and salary planning.
• Responsible for the design, execution and effectiveness of a system of internal controls which provides reasonable assurance that operations are effective and efficient, assets are safeguarded; financial information is reliable and compliant with applicable laws, regulations, policies and procedures.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Qualifications - External

Certification/Skills:

• Significant experience in executive compensation including benchmarking, plan design, and reporting, with strong attention to detail and streamlining processes.
• Excellent working knowledge of executive compensation-related laws, policies, and practices.
• Deep understanding of compensation principles, practices, and methodologies, with specific expertise in job architecture, evaluation, salary benchmarking, and incentive design.
• Excellent communication, presentation, and interpersonal skills, with the ability to collaborate effectively across all levels of the organization.
• High level of spreadsheet expertise, presentation design skills, and strong financial, analytical, project management, and problem-solving skills required.
• Ability to manage multiple complex initiatives at the same time.
• CCP Certification from World at Work preferred
• Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR)-HRCI from the Human Resource Certification Institute (HRCI) preferred
• SHRM-SCP - Senior Certified Professional from the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) preferred

Minimum Education:

Bachelor's Degree in human resources, business administration, psychology, communications or related field required Master's Degree preferred

Minimum Experience:

7 years experience in human resources or finance required 3 years experience in executive compensation required 1 year experience in leading physician and/or faculty compensation preferred