Exec Director HR - Total Rewards (Human Resources)

Exec Director HR - Total Rewards (Human Resources)

We are seeking an Executive Director HR - Total Rewards who will provide strategic leadership for Johns Hopkins University's compensation and benefits programs. This role is responsible for aligning these programs with the University's mission and goals while enhancing the overall employee experience.

The successful candidate will be a hands-on leader who thrives in highly decentralized environments with competing priorities and complex stakeholder needs. This role serves as a key collaborator and people leader, fostering excellence, transparency, and innovation across Human Resources.

This is an on-site leadership role requiring presence in the office 3-4 days per week or more, as business needs dictate.

Specific Duties & Responsibilities

Compensation Strategy & Career Architecture Integration

• Lead the design, governance, and communication of competitive and equitable compensation programs that drive candidate attraction, staff retention, internal mobility, and fiscal responsibility. Introduce a proactive approach to market benchmarking and internal equity reviews, enabling ongoing visibility into pay competitiveness and fairness across job families and levels. Oversee and lead the annual merit increase review process, including planning, analysis, budgeting, and execution to ensure alignment with compensation strategy and organizational objectives. Serve as executive leader for the institution's Career Architecture (myCareer), ensuring its long-term sustainability and integration with talent management programs, including performance, development, and workforce planning. Provide strategic guidance to HR partners and senior stakeholders on compensation structure, job classification, and pay decisions. Oversee executive compensation planning and materials preparation for Compensation Committee review. Proactively manage review and approvals for family members of Disqualified Persons. Operate fluently in Workday, leveraging compensation-related tools and, ideally, Advanced Compensation functionality to optimize salary and bonus planning processes.
• Lead the design, governance, and communication of competitive and equitable compensation programs that drive candidate attraction, staff retention, internal mobility, and fiscal responsibility.
• Introduce a proactive approach to market benchmarking and internal equity reviews, enabling ongoing visibility into pay competitiveness and fairness across job families and levels.
• Oversee and lead the annual merit increase review process, including planning, analysis, budgeting, and execution to ensure alignment with compensation strategy and organizational objectives.
• Serve as executive leader for the institution's Career Architecture (myCareer), ensuring its long-term sustainability and integration with talent management programs, including performance, development, and workforce planning.
• Provide strategic guidance to HR partners and senior stakeholders on compensation structure, job classification, and pay decisions.
• Oversee executive compensation planning and materials preparation for Compensation Committee review.
• Proactively manage review and approvals for family members of Disqualified Persons.
• Operate fluently in Workday, leveraging compensation-related tools and, ideally, Advanced Compensation functionality to optimize salary and bonus planning processes.

Benefits & Work Life

People Leadership & Team Development

Strategic Alignment & Partnership

Minimum Qualifications

Preferred Qualifications

Please be aware that our employment offer is contingent upon the successful completion of our pre-employment process, including criminal background, education, employment, and reference checks. This will require you and your references to answer questions regarding substantiated findings of serious misconduct.

The expected base pay salary range for this position is $225,000 - $300,000.

Total Rewards

The referenced base salary range represents the low and high end of Johns Hopkins University's salary range for this position. Not all candidates will be eligible for the upper end of the salary range. Exact salary will ultimately depend on multiple factors, which may include the successful candidate's geographic location, skills, work experience, market conditions, education / training and other qualifications. Johns Hopkins offers a total rewards package that supports our employees' health, life, career and retirement. More information can be found here : https : / / hr.jhu.edu / benefits-worklife / .

Education and Experience Equivalency

Please refer to the job description above to see which forms of equivalency are permitted for this position. If permitted, equivalencies will follow these guidelines : JHU Equivalency Formula : 30 undergraduate degree credits (semester hours) or 18 graduate degree credits may substitute for one year of experience. Additional related experience may substitute for required education on the same basis. For jobs where equivalency is permitted, up to two years of non-related college course work may be applied towards the total minimum education / experience required for the respective job.

Applicants Completing Studies

Applicants who do not meet the posted requirements but are completing their final academic semester / quarter will be considered eligible for employment and may be asked to provide additional information confirming their academic completion date.

Background Checks

The successful candidate(s) for this position will be subject to a pre-employment background check. Johns Hopkins is committed to hiring individuals with a justice-involved background, consistent with applicable policies and current practice. A prior criminal history does not automatically preclude candidates from employment at Johns Hopkins University. In accordance with applicable law, the university will review, on an individual basis, the date of a candidate's conviction, the nature of the conviction and how the conviction relates to an essential job-related qualification or function.

Diversity and Inclusion

The Johns Hopkins University values diversity, equity and inclusion and advances these through our key strategic framework, the JHU Roadmap on Diversity and Inclusion .

Equal Opportunity Employer

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or status as a protected veteran.

EEOis the Law

https : / / www.eeoc.gov / sites / default / files / 2023-06 / 22-088_EEOC_KnowYourRights6.12ScreenRdr.pdf

Accommodation Information

If you are interested in applying for employment with The Johns Hopkins University and require special assistance or accommodation during any part of the pre-employment process, please contact the Talent Acquisition Office at jhurecruitment@jhu.edu . For TTY users, call via Maryland Relay or dial 711. For more information about workplace accommodations or accessibility at Johns Hopkins University, please visit https : / / accessibility.jhu.edu / .

Vaccine Requirements

Johns Hopkins University strongly encourages, but no longer requires, at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.The COVID-19 vaccine does not apply to positions located in the State of Florida. We still require all faculty, staff, and students to receive the seasonal flu vaccine . Exceptions to the COVID and flu vaccine requirements may be provided to individuals for religious beliefs or medical reasons. Requests for an exception must be submitted to the JHU vaccination registry. This change does not apply to the School of Medicine (SOM). SOM hires must be fully vaccinated with an FDA COVID-19 vaccination and provide proof of vaccination status. For additional information, applicants for SOM positions should visit https : / / www.hopkinsmedicine.org / coronavirus / covid-19-vaccine / and all other JHU applicants should visit https : / / covidinfo.jhu.edu / health-safety / covid-vaccination-information / .

The following additional provisions may apply, depending upon campus. Your recruiter will advise accordingly.

The pre-employment physical for positions in clinical areas, laboratories, working with research subjects, or involving community contact requires documentation of immune status against Rubella (German measles), Rubeola (Measles), Mumps, Varicella (chickenpox), Hepatitis B and documentation of having received the Tdap (Tetanus, diphtheria, pertussis) vaccination. This may include documentation of having two (2) MMR vaccines; two (2) Varicella vaccines; or antibody status to these diseases from laboratory testing. Blood tests for immunities to these diseases are ordinarily included in the pre-employment physical exam except for those employees who provide results of blood tests or immunization documentation from their own health care providers. Any vaccinations required for these diseases will be given at no cost in our Occupational Health office.