Associate Vice President, Total Rewards

The mission of The University of Texas MD Anderson is to eliminate cancer in Texas, the nation, and the world through outstanding programs that integrate patient care, research and prevention, and through education for undergraduate and graduate students, trainees, professionals, employees and the public.

The Associate Vice President (AVP) provides enterprise-wide leadership for the strategy, design, and execution of Total Rewards. This role ensures compensation, benefits, and recognition programs are competitive, compliant, scalable, and aligned with institutional and workforce strategies. Serving as a trusted advisor to senior leadership, the AVP drives operational excellence across People systems and processes while leading and developing a high-performing Total Rewards organization. The AVP provides strategic oversight to teams delivering compensation, benefits, and recognition, advancing innovative and data-driven programs that enhance workforce engagement and impact.

As a critical partner to People Leaders and executive leadership, the AVP ensures the consistent delivery of high quality, responsive, and trusted People support across the institution. The role coaches’ leaders throughout the employee lifecycle and drives leadership effectiveness through thoughtful guidance, data informed decision making, and proactive people solutions.
 

The AVP continuously identifies and advances opportunities to enhance HR effectiveness through process improvement, technology optimization, and the adoption of AI enabled solutions. In close collaboration with HR leadership, this role ensures an integrated, forward looking HR strategy and the seamless delivery of services that support institutional priorities.

Areas of Accountability
•    Faculty Compensation
•    Executive Compensation
•    Classified Compensation
•    Faculty & Executive Benefits
•    Benefits
•    Recognition

KEY FUNCTIONS

Lead the strategy, design, and execution of innovative enterprise compensation and benefits programs, including base, variable, parity, physician, academic, and executive compensation through an integrated approach that balances operational excellence, strategic leadership, and systems thinking.

•    Serve as a trusted advisor on Faculty Rewards to the Chief Physician Executive and Chief Scientific Officer, partner closely with the Chief Academic Office on faculty rewards implementation.  Partner with the Chief People Officer, People Operations & Strategy leadership, and external consultants to deliver innovative, scalable rewards solutions.
•    Own market benchmarking, budgeting, and forecasting processes to ensure competitive positioning and informed workforce planning.
•    Direct the annual compensation cycle with disciplined planning, governance, and execution.
•    Oversee executive compensation programs, including base pay, incentives, long term awards, parity, and retention arrangements.
•    Ensure physician and executive compensation programs align with regulatory, governance, and compliance requirements in partnership with Legal, Finance, and external advisors.
•    Monitor regulatory and governance trends, proactively advising leadership on risk, compliance, and mitigation strategies.
•    Provide strategic guidance on workforce cost management, incentive design, rewards investment effectiveness, and pay fairness.
•    Drive transparency, education, and leader capability to enable effective rewards decisions across the organization.
•    Represents Human Resources both internally and externally, leveraging opportunities to share best practices and enhance the institution’s reputation.

Skills & Competencies

•    Total Rewards & Compliance Expertise
Deep knowledge of compensation administration, benefits, and pay practices, with strong understanding of legal and regulatory compliance across varied and complex environments.

•    HR Technology, Analytics & Process Optimization
Strong command of HR processes, systems, and shared services delivery models. Proven ability to leverage HR technology, data, automation, and AI to drive scalable process improvements and operational efficiency.

•    Strategic Business Acumen
Clear understanding of business operations and financial drivers, with the ability to align total rewards strategies to organizational goals and workforce needs.

•    People Leadership & Team Development
Effective people leader with experience building, developing, and retaining high performing teams within a scaled HR organization.

•    Change Leadership
Demonstrated strength in leading and managing change, supporting transformation initiatives, and enabling team capability growth in evolving environments.

•    Influence & Stakeholder Partnership
Proven ability to engage, influence, and advise leaders without direct authority, collaborative, trusted partner with a strong network across the organization. Strong capability in navigating sensitive people issues, and conflict resolution, with professionalism, sound judgment, and discretion.

•    Workforce Data & Insights
Highly proficient in analyzing workforce and compensation data to identify trends, generate actionable insights, and inform enterprise level reward strategies.