Head of Classification & Compensation

Montclair State University; Montclair (NJ); On-site; USD 150,000 - 170,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Retirement plans

Tuition assistance

Job summary

Montclair State University invites applications for the Director of Classification and Compensation. This leadership role oversees the University’s classification, compensation, and job architecture for a large, diverse workforce, ensuring timely, defensible, and equitable pay decisions.

The position requires strong analytical skills, experience with market pricing, and governance in a unionized environment.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree 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 accountability for team performance 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.
• 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.

Responsibilities

• Set the University’s Compensation Philosophy into practice and update as priorities and market conditions change.
• Design, maintain, and review the University’s job architecture and salary structures for applicable employee groups using market data.
• Lead pay equity analyses and cost remediation.
• Ensure salary ranges meet NJ pay transparency requirements and align with approved structures.
• Model costs of compensation actions and contracts in partnership with Budget and Planning.
• Provide compensation analysis to support collective bargaining and contract administration.
• Direct classification, reclassification, title changes, promotions, and organizational reviews.
• Administer Civil Service requirements and serve as liaison to the Civil Service Commission.
• Maintain defined job evaluation methodology and accurate job descriptions in the system of record.
• Publish service standards and turnaround targets; track backlog and take corrective action.
• Report on volume, turnaround, aging, outcomes, and cost to HR leadership; contribute to governance reporting.
• Oversee Workday data integrity for classification and compensation; pursue automation and process improvements.
• Lead, coach, and develop the Classification and Compensation team; ensure high quality and productivity.

Skills

Analytical skills

Excel modeling

Communication skills

Leadership

Education

Bachelor’s degree (HR/Business/Public Admin)

Master’s degree (preferred)

Tools

Workday HCM

Job description

Montclair State University invites applications for the Director of Classification and Compensation. This leadership role oversees the University’s classification, compensation, and job architecture for a large, diverse workforce, ensuring timely, defensible, and equitable pay decisions.

The position requires strong analytical skills, experience with market pricing, and governance in a unionized environment.