"Director of Faculty Compensation"

Director of Faculty Compensation

Company:
University of Colorado Boulder

Job Location:

Category:
Human Resources

Type:
Full-Time

Requisition Number: 70652

Location: Boulder, Colorado

City: Boulder

State: Colorado

Employment Type: University Staff

Schedule: Full-Time

Posting Close Date: 06-Apr-2026

Date Posted: 16-Mar-2026

Job Summary

The Director of Faculty Compensation serves as the campus subject matter expert and strategic advisor on faculty compensation practices, salary equity, and market competitiveness. The position supports the Provost's Office in advancing fair, competitive, and transparent faculty compensation practices consistent with Regent Law/Policy, CU System Administrative Policy Statements (APS), campus policy, and applicable state and federal laws, including the Colorado Equal Pay for Equal Work Act (EPEWA).

Faculty compensation is shaped by appointment structures, rank, differentiated workloads, and discipline specific labor markets. The Director provides consultation, analysis, and education to academic leaders and shared governance partners to strengthen institutional consistency while respecting unit authority and disciplinary context.

Reporting Relationship:

Reports to the Associate Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, Budget & Finance

Scope and Decision Making:

This position does not set faculty salaries or supplant dean/primary unit authority. Instead, it provides campus level expertise, analysis, and guidance to support academically led decision making and to reduce institutional risk related to pay equity and transparency.

CU is an Equal Opportunity Employer and complies with all applicable federal, state, and local laws governing nondiscrimination in employment. We are committed to creating a workplace where all individuals are treated with respect and dignity, and we encourage individuals from all backgrounds to apply, including protected veterans and individuals with disabilities.

Who We Are

The Division of Academic Affairs is responsible for meeting the mission of the University of Colorado Boulder to serve as the state's comprehensive graduate research university with selective admission standards, offering a comprehensive array of undergraduate, master's and doctoral degree programs. We accomplish that mission through the vision that the University of Colorado Boulder be a leader in identifying and addressing the humanitarian, social and technological challenges of the 21st century.

What Your Key Responsibilities Will Be

Faculty Compensation Strategy & Consultation

• Serve as a strategic and consultative resource to the Provost, deans, associate deans, and relevant faculty governance bodies on faculty compensation issues, including salary structure, market competitiveness, and internal equity considerations.
• Provide guidance on how compensation norms and ranges appropriately vary by field, rank, appointment type (e.g., tenure/tenure track, instructional, clinical), and workload.

Salary Ranges, Posting Support & Pay Transparency

• Partner with academic units, central HR compensation, and data/analytics to support development and documentation of good faith salary ranges for faculty searches and postings, with clear explanations for discipline-based differences.
• Provide expertise on EPEWA pay transparency requirements relevant to postings and notices (compensation range disclosure, application instructions/timelines, and related transparency and recordkeeping obligations).
• Support units in communicating compensation ranges in ways that are accurate, consistent, and aligned with policy requirements.

Faculty Salary Equity Analyses

• Support unit-based and campus level faculty salary equity reviews by helping design methodologies, interpret results, and identify action strategies to address inequities and reduce compression/inversion where feasible.
• Provide guidance on documentation and consistent pay practices for similarly situated faculty, aligned with Regent policy commitments to remedy identified pay inequities and maintain mechanisms for periodic review.
• Promote process clarity and transparency by developing training, FAQs, and guidance for academic leaders and governance partners on equity concepts and appropriate comparisons in equity review work.

Salary Equity Appeals Support (Process, Consistency, Guidance)

• Advise the Provost's Office and Faculty Affairs leadership on salary equity appeals processes and procedures, supporting consistent application of established campus mechanisms.
• Provide analytical support for appeals review where requested (e.g., salary comparisons consistent with the campus approach that places primary responsibility for equity in the salary setting process at the primary unit).

Retention & Counteroffer Strategy Support

• Provide and support retention updates for the Provost and senior academic leadership to strengthen institutional understanding of outside offers, retention activity, and relevant market data.
• Support unit leaders in retention planning by evaluating external market context and potential internal equity impacts to similarly situated faculty, including mitigation strategies that align with campus values and legal obligations.

Unit Policy/Bylaw and Merit/Salary Allocation Process Review

• Review unit level bylaws, annual merit review practices, and salary allocation procedures for alignment with campus and system expectations and provide consultative recommendations for improvement.
• Support academic units engaged in bylaw revisions by providing guidance on compensation related process clarity, equity considerations, and documentation standards.

Education, Training, and Partner Engagement

• Design and deliver education and training for academic leaders and relevant partners on faculty compensation standard methodologies, discipline-based market dynamics, salary equity principles, and EPEWA requirements.
• Translate complex compensation data and policy requirements into actionable guidance that supports decision making in a shared governance environment.

Partnership with HR Compensation, Data & Analytics

• Collaborate closely with central HR compensation to ensure coordination and alignment with the campus compensation philosophy, annual recommendations and applicable laws, recognizing faculty compensation's distinct appointment structures and academic market factors.
• Partner with Data & Analytics/Institutional Research to develop consistent reporting, dashboards, and analyses that inform strategy while protecting confidentiality and minimizing disclosure risk of small data sets.
• Partner with Finance and HR to inform compensation recommendations and strategy in support of talent retention.

What You Should Know

• This position offers a hybrid work modality with both in person and remote work based on business needs.
• Some evening/periodic schedule flexibility may be needed to support governance meetings or time-sensitive retention matters.

What We Can Offer

The annual hiring range for this position is $115,000-$130,850. A signing bonus is available within department guidelines.

Benefits

At the University of Colorado Boulder, we are committed to supporting the holistic health and well-being of our employees. Our comprehensive benefits package includes medical, dental, and retirement plans; generous paid time off; tuition assistance for you and your dependents; and an ECO Pass for local transit. As one of Boulder County's largest employers, CU Boulder offers an inspiring academic community and access to world-class outdoor recreation. Explore additional perks and programs through the CU Advantage program.

Be Statements

Be ambitious. Be pioneering. Be Boulder.

What We Require

• Bachelor's degree in economics, finance, business, public administration, sociology, law, or a related field or equivalent combination of education and progressively responsible experience.
• 6+ years of experience in compensation strategy, labor market analysis, salary equity work, or workforce analytics-preferably in higher education or another complex, decentralized organization.
• Working knowledge of the Colorado Equal Pay for Equal Work Act, including equal pay and pay transparency requirements and recordkeeping expectations.

What You Will Need

• Strategic consulting & influence: Ability to guide without direct authority; skilled at building alignment across autonomous academic units.
• Policy/legal acuity: Ability to operationalize EPEWA and align practices with Regent/CU System expectations, campus mechanisms and federal/state laws.
• Discipline aware market judgment: Understands academic labor markets and how field norms affect competitive ranges and retention dynamics.
• Analytical skills: Comfortable with salary modeling, equity methodologies, market benchmarking, and data interpretation; balances transparency with confidentiality.
• Shared governance fluency: Communicates effectively with faculty governance bodies and understands process expectations for legitimacy and trust.
• Demonstrated ability to interpret and apply policy requirements within a policy hierarchy (system APS and campus policies/procedures) and to develop guidance that supports compliant, consistent practice.
• Strong consultative skills and demonstrated ability to work effectively with senior academic leaders and faculty governance partners.
• Exceptional analytical, written, and verbal communication skills; ability to explain complex compensation concepts clearly to varied audiences.
• High level of professionalism, sound judgment, and a demonstrated commitment to confidentiality and discretion.

What We Would Like You to Have

• Experience supporting faculty salary equity initiatives, campus-wide compensation reviews, or retention/counteroffer analysis in a public research university environment.
• Familiarity with faculty appointment structures and compensation practices (e.g., 9 month academic year salary conventions, differentiated workload, additional remuneration constraints) in a public university setting.
• Experience designing training and guidance materials for academic leaders on compensation, equity, and compliance topics.
• Experience with designing compensation, equity-based programs, or incentive plan design.
• Certified Compensation Professional (CCP) or Certified Compensation Analyst (CAC) credential or similar.

Special Instructions

To apply, please submit the following materials:

1. A current resume.
2. A cover letter that specifically tells us how your background and experience align with the requirements, qualifications, and responsibilities of the position.

We may request references at a later time.

Please apply by April 6, 2026 for consideration.

Note: Application materials will not be accepted via email. For consideration, please apply through CU Boulder Jobs.

In compliance with the Colorado Job Application Fairness Act, in any materials you submit, you may redact or remove age-identifying information such as age, date of birth, or dates of school attendance or graduation. You will not be penalized for redacting or removing this information.