Madison Gas and Electric is looking for a strategic, business-minded Director Total Rewards to lead the design, governance, and continuous improvement of our compensation, benefits, retirement, and rewards programs. This role is an opportunity to shape programs that support employees, strengthen business decisions, and help MGE remain competitive, compliant, and financially responsible in a highly regulated utility environment.
What You'll Do- Lead the strategy, design, administration, and continuous improvement of MGE's total rewards programs, including compensation, health and welfare benefits, retirement programs, and recognition practices.
- Oversee compensation structures, job evaluation, incentive programs, and annual review processes that support internal equity, market competitiveness, regulatory expectations, and sound business decisions.
- Provide strategic oversight for employee benefit programs, ensuring offerings are current, competitive, financially responsible, and compliant with applicable laws and plan requirements.
- Guide retirement program strategy, governance, vendor management, administration, and communication in alignment with organizational objectives and fiduciary expectations.
- Partner with HR leadership, Finance, Legal, senior leaders, and external advisors to evaluate program effectiveness, manage risk, and support executive-level rewards decisions.
- Use workforce, financial, market, and benefits data to evaluate trends, forecast needs, inform recommendations, and communicate insights to leadership.
- Lead rewards-related policy development, process improvements, employee communications, and manager tools that support consistent, transparent, and well-governed decisions.
- Manage vendor, consultant, broker, and advisor relationships to ensure services deliver value, comply with requirements, and support MGE priorities.
- Develop and manage departmental budgets, project plans, and priorities for total rewards initiatives.
- Lead, coach, and develop a team of rewards professionals by setting clear expectations, building capability, and ensuring high-quality service delivery.
What You'll Bring- Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, Finance, Accounting, Economics, or related field required.
- Advanced degree or professional certification such as CEBS, CCP, CBP, SHRM-SCP, or SPHR preferred.
- 10-15+ years of progressive total rewards, compensation, benefits, retirement, or related human resources experience required.
- Experience leading total rewards strategy, program design, governance, vendor management, and executive-level recommendations required.
- Prior people leadership experience with direct reports required.
- Experience supporting compensation and benefit programs in a regulated, unionized, or similarly complex environment preferred.
- Experience partnering with Finance, Legal, senior leaders, external advisors, and vendors required.
Successful Candidates Will Demonstrate- Strategic thinking and the ability to anticipate long-term workforce, market, financial, and regulatory trends.
- Strong financial acumen, including the ability to evaluate cost, funding, market, and business indicators.
- Comfort managing complex compensation, benefits, compliance, vendor, and stakeholder information.
- Clear, confident communication with leaders, employees, vendors, consultants, and other stakeholders.
- The ability to balance employee needs, affordability, compliance, business priorities, and leadership expectations.
- Strong planning, project management, and accountability practices that keep rewards work aligned with organizational goals.
