Director Benefits & Compensation

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The University of New Haven, founded on the Yale campus in 1920, is a private, coeducational university that has been recognized by The Princeton Review and U.S. News & World Report for academic excellence. Located between New York City and Boston in the shoreline city of West Haven, the University is a diverse and vibrant community of nearly 9,000 students from across the globe.

Within its five colleges, students immerse themselves in a transformative, career-focused education across the liberal arts and sciences, fine arts, business, engineering, public safety and public service. More than 100 academic programs are offered, all grounded in a long-standing commitment to collaborative, interdisciplinary, project-based learning.

The Director of Benefits & Compensation provides strategic and operational over site in the design, implementation, and administration of the University’s comprehensive total rewards programs. This position oversees aspects of compensation and benefits administration, ensuring programs are competitive, compliant, and aligned with institutional goals to attract, reward, and retain exceptional talent.

Essential to this role is the development and maintenance of equitable staff compensation structures, managing benefits programs such as health, welfare, and retirement plans, and ensuring the effective use of data to guide decisions. The Director partners closely with leadership, HR colleagues, and external vendors to ensure total rewards strategies are fiscally responsible, market-competitive, and supportive of employee wellness, engagement and organizational priorities and performance.

Additionally, this role ensures regulatory compliance, drives continuous process improvement, and provides oversight of systems and analytics related to compensation and benefits. The Director of Compensation & Benefits plays a critical role in fostering a culture of transparency, equity, and recognition across the University.

• Design, plan, and manage the competitive benefits strategy, policies, and procedures which support the University’s goal of attracting, rewarding, and retaining top talent while applying cost controls.
• Assess trends and changes in the benefit realm to ensure the University provides affordable and progressive options for its employees. Recommend plan design changes and present rationale to senior leaders, as appropriate.
• Serve as university liaison with benefit vendors, brokers, and third-party administrators and monitor service level agreements.
• Oversee annual renewal and enrollment. Evaluate alternative plan designs, funding arrangements, and wellness initiatives to improve outcomes and control costs.
• Oversee administration of retirement program ensuring compliance with applicable regulations. Partner with broker, plan fiduciaries, investment advisors, and recordkeepers on plan performance, audits, and participant education.
• Supports RFP processes for benefit providers and evaluate new vendor solutions to enhance program value.
• Provide guidance and support to employees regarding benefit options and claims.

• Develop and implement staff compensation strategies aligned with university goals, including managing salary structures, annual compensation review cycles, and all associated increases (union and non-union).
• Conduct job analyses, market research, and salary benchmarking to ensure competitive pay, when necessary. Monitor compensation trends and recommend adjustments to structures when required.
• Guide hiring managers on compensation decisions, and policy interpretation.
• Ensure internal equity and market competitiveness across academic and administrative units.
• Collaborate with budget and finance offices to align compensation strategies with fiscal planning.

• Ensure compliance and adherence with applicable legal and regulatory provisions, including IRS, DOL, ERISA, FLSA,…