Interim Director, Compensation & Total Rewards (Higher Ed)

The Recruitment Alliance by HRKS; Washington (District of Columbia); Hybrid; USD 166,000 - 277,000; Full time

Job summary

HR Knowledge Source (HRKS) is seeking an experienced Total Rewards leader for an interim engagement with a confidential higher education institution in the Washington, DC area. You will oversee the compensation function, guide a 3-analyst team, and partner with executives to drive market-aligned pay practices.

The role focuses on design, governance, and implementation of compensation programs, including executive benchmarking, market pricing, and compliance with laws.

Qualifications

• Minimum 8 years of progressive compensation leadership experience.
• Expertise in compensation program design, implementation, and analysis.
• Strong consultation, stakeholder management and executive coaching skills.
• Advanced financial analysis, budgeting, data analysis, and Excel abilities.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic leadership of the compensation function and supervise a team of 3 analysts.
• Manage compensation consulting for executive leadership and department heads.
• Design, administer, and evaluate compensation programs aligned with recruitment and retention goals.
• Lead annual compensation initiatives: merit planning, market adjustments, and budgeting.
• Develop salary structures, job analyses, and market pricing methodologies.

Skills

Compensation leadership

Executive compensation

Market pricing

Salary structures

Excel analysis

Stakeholder management

Labor law knowledge

Team leadership

Workday

Union negotiations

Education

Bachelor's degree in HR/Business/Finance

Master's degree preferred

Tools

Workday

Payscale/MarketPay

JDXpert

Job description

HR Knowledge Source (HRKS) is seeking an experienced Total Rewards leader for an interim engagement with a confidential higher education institution in the Washington, DC area. You will oversee the compensation function, guide a 3-analyst team, and partner with executives to drive market-aligned pay practices.

The role focuses on design, governance, and implementation of compensation programs, including executive benchmarking, market pricing, and compliance with laws.