Director, Compensation

Medica is a nonprofit health plan with more than a million members that serves communities in Minnesota, Nebraska, Wisconsin, Missouri, and beyond. We deliver personalized health care experiences and partner closely with providers to ensure members are genuinely cared for.

We're a team that owns our work with accountability, makes data-driven decisions, embraces continuous learning, and celebrates collaboration — because success is a team sport. It's our mission to be there in the moments that matter most for our members and employees. Join us in creating a community of connected care, where coordinated, quality service is the norm, and every member feels valued.

The Director of Compensation provides strategic direction and operational leadership for Medica’s enterprise compensation function. This role builds and governs a clear, equitable, and scalable job and compensation architecture; leads executive and board compensation analysis and materials; and develops a high-performing team supported by disciplined processes, effective technology, and automation. The Director serves as a trusted thought partner to business leaders, HR Business Partners, Finance, Legal, and other stakeholders, translating market expertise and data into practical recommendations that support business, talent, and financial objectives. Perform other duties as assigned.

Key Accountabilities:

• Job Architecture & Compensation Structure
  • Lead the design, implementation, and ongoing governance of enterprise job architecture, including job families, career streams, levels, titles, job descriptions, market-pricing standards, salary structures, and pay administration guidelines
  • Partner across HR and the business to map roles, calibrate decisions, strengthen internal equity and external competitiveness, enable career paths, talent mobility, workforce planning, and reliable workforce data
• Executive & Board Compensation
  • Direct executive and board compensation strategy, benchmarking, program design, annual processes, and governance
  • Prepare accurate, concise, decision-ready analyses and materials for executive leadership and the Board or its committees; coordinate with Finance, Legal, and external advisors; and maintain appropriate controls, confidentiality, documentation, and alignment with organizational strategy and market practice
• Enterprise Compensation Strategy & Business Partnership
  • Serve as a trusted advisor to business leaders and HR partners on compensation strategy, organization design, talent decisions, offers, promotions, retention, and pay actions
  • Translate complex market data, internal equity considerations, performance, affordability, and business context into clear options and recommendations; influence decisions through expertise, sound judgment, transparency, and collaborative problem solving
• Team, Process & Technology Leadership
  • Standardize and document core processes; strengthen controls and data quality; and implement tools, workflows, integrations, and automation that simplify administration, improve employee and leader experience, reduce manual effort, and produce timely, reliable insights
• Program Governance & Continuous Improvement
  • Oversee broad-based compensation programs and annual cycles, including salary structure administration, market pricing, merit and incentive planning, pay equity monitoring, reporting, and communications
  • Establish governance, service measures, audit routines, and change-management practices; monitor program effectiveness, external developments, risks, and exceptions; and recommend improvements that increase consistency, compliance, scalability, and business value
• People Leadership
  • Leads and develops employees to achieve business objectives while fostering an inclusive, compliant, and performance-driven work environment

  • Build and lead a high-performing compensation team with clear roles

  • Sets clear expectations, operating priorities, and service standards; provides ongoing coaching, feedback, and development

  • Builds team capability, succession depth, collaboration, and accountability while aligning resources to enterprise priorities

  • Creates an inclusive environment and ensures compliance with company policies, employment laws, and HR programs

  • Leads through change, removes barriers, and equips the team with effective processes, tools, and data to deliver high-quality results

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent combination of education and relevant experience
• 10 years of progressive compensation or total rewards experience, including experience designing job architecture and salary structures, supporting executive compensation and board governance, leading teams, and implementing compensation processes or technology

Preferred Qualifications:

• 5 years of people leadership experience
• Certified Compensation Professional or similar credential

This position is an Office role, which requires an employee to work onsite at our Minnetonka office, on average, 3 days per week.

The full salary grade for this position is $130,300-$223,400. While the full salary grade is provided, the typical hiring salary range for this role is expected to be between $130,300-$195,510. Annual salary range placement will depend on a variety of factors including, but not limited to, education, work experience, applicable certifications and/or licensure, the position's scope and responsibility, internal pay equity and external market salary data. In addition to base compensation, this position may be eligible for incentive plan compensation in addition to base salary. Medica offers a generous total rewards package that includes competitive medical, dental, vision, PTO, Holidays, paid volunteer time off, 401K contributions, caregiver services and many other benefits to support our employees.

The compensation and benefits information is provided as of the date of this posting. Medica’s compensation and benefits are subject to change at any time, with or without notice, subject to applicable law.

Eligibility to work in the US: Medica does not offer work visa sponsorship for this role. All candidates must be legally authorized to work in the United States at the time of application. Employment is contingent on verification of identity and eligibility to work in the United States.

We are an Equal Opportunity employer, where all qualified candidates receive consideration for employment indiscriminate of race, religion, ethnicity, national origin, citizenship, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, veteran status, disability, genetic information, or any other protected characteristic.