Director of Total Rewards and Employee Development

MIDDLESEX COLLEGE; Edison (NJ); On-site; USD 88,000 - 107,000; Full time

Job summary

Middlesex College in Edison, NJ is seeking a Director of Total Rewards and Employee Development to provide strategic leadership across benefits, compensation, and learning initiatives, guiding the employee life cycle from recruitment through retirement.

Reporting to the Executive Director of Human Resources, you will oversee onboarding, HRIS, reporting, and staff development, ensure compliant, equitable programs, and collaborate with leaders and vendors to deliver comprehensive rewards and

Qualifications

• Master's degree from an accredited institution.
• Three years of professional HR experience in higher education, government, or another complex public-sector environment.
• Experience directing and supervising employee benefits and compensation functions, including program administration and compliance.
• Functional expertise in an additional HR discipline, such as labor/employee relations, training and development, or talent acquisition.
• Experience in a unionized environment and applying federal and state employment laws to HR administration.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic and operational leadership for the Office of Human Resources and oversee HR functions.
• Direct benefits programs, including ADA accommodations and FMLA leave administration, with vendors and internal stakeholders.
• Oversee compensation functions, including classification, market analyses, salary actions, and regulatory compliance.
• Lead training and professional development initiatives and HR data reporting.
• Supervise HR staff and ensure compliant, timely HR services.

Skills

HR leadership

Benefits & compensation

Employee development

HRIS

Labor relations knowledge

Education

Master's degree

Tools

HRIS

Job description

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Director of Total Rewards and Employee Development

Full Time Edison Main Campus, Edison, NJ, US

7 days ago Requisition ID: 2329

Salary: $97,560.00 Annually

Classification Title: Director of Total Rewards and Employee Development

Salary: $97,560.00 Annually

Department: The Office of Human Resources

Pay Grade: ADM8

Reports To: Executive Director, Human Resources

FLSA Status: Exempt

Unit: Administrative
Opening Date: 9/3/2026

Closing Date: 9/17/2026 11:59 p.m.

GENERAL STATEMENT OF JOB

Reporting to the Executive Director of Human Resources, this position provides strategic leadership in the development, administration, coordination, and evaluation of the College's Human Resources functions that support the entire employee life cycle, from recruitment through retirement. The role collaboratively provides direction and oversight for the College's employee benefits, compensation, training and professional development functions.

SPECIFIC DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Essential Functions:

• Assists the Executive Director in providing strategic and operational leadership for the Office of Human Resources and serves as the Executive Director's designee in their absence, ensuring continuity of all HR functions and services.
• Spearheads strategic and operational leadership for benefits, talent acquisition, compensation, employee development, and performance management. Directs onboarding, HRIS, and HR data reporting functions, assuming leadership responsibility for these areas in the absence of the Executive Director.
• Provides direct supervision, leadership, coaching, performance management, and professional development for assigned full-time and part-time Human Resources staff.
• Oversees the administration of all processes associated with the employee life cycle, directly or through subordinate supervisors, ensuring efficient, consistent, and compliant delivery of HR services.
• Directs the administration of the College's employee benefits programs, including ADA accommodations and FMLA leave administration, and collaborates with internal stakeholders, third-party administrators, and vendors to ensure the effective delivery of health, prescription, dental, retirement, and other employee benefit programs.
• Oversees the College's compensation function, including classification and compensation administration, salary actions, market analyses, and compliance with applicable laws, regulations, and collective bargaining agreements.
• Provides leadership for the College's employee training and professional development initiatives by overseeing the planning, coordination, implementation, and evaluation of learning and development programs.
• Supervises the College's Certifying Officer with the New Jersey Division of Pensions and Benefits, ensuring timely and accurate benefit enrollments, pension transactions, and required state reporting.
• Finalizes benefits-related actions reflected in Human Resources Board resolutions and coordinates with Payroll, the President's Office, and other departments to ensure accurate and timely processing.
• Collaborates with the Director of Labor Relations and other College leaders to ensure compliance with applicable federal and state employment laws, regulations, policies, collective bargaining agreements, and HR best practices.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

• Master's degree from an accredited institution
• Three (3) years of progressively responsible professional Human Resources experience in higher education, government, or another complex public-sector environment
• Demonstrated experience directing and supervising employee benefits and compensation functions, including responsibility for program administration, compliance, staff oversight, and strategic planning, and applying current laws, regulations, and industry best practices within those functions.
• Functional expertise in at least one additional Human Resources discipline, such as labor/employee relations, training and development, talent acquisition, or related areas
• Experience working in a unionized environment and applying federal and state employment laws and regulations to human resources administration

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Five (5) years of progressively responsible Human Resources leadership experience in higher education, government, or another complex public-sector environment; community college experience
• Experience working with the New Jersey Division of Pensions and Benefits, including supervision of pension administration, and serving in a senior HR leadership capacity with responsibility for department operations in the absence of the chief human resources officer
• Master’s degree in a relevant field
• Experience with HRIS systems, HR analytics, and data reporting; active CEBS, SHRM-SCP, SHRM-CP, SPHR, or PHR certification
  

SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION

SCHEDULE : Monday – Friday 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

RETIREMENT : Pension Eligible

NJ First Act

Any Middlesex College employee hired after September 1, 2011 will have to meet the New Jersey residency law requirement.

Equal Opportunity Employer

Middlesex College is an equal opportunity employer and prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, creed, color, national origin, ancestry, age, gender, marital status, familial status, religion, affectional or sexual orientation, atypical hereditary cellular or blood trait, genetic information, liability for service in the armed forces of the United States, or disability.

Affirmative Action and Compliance Statement

Middlesex College is firmly committed to a policy of Equal Opportunity and Aff…