Compensation Specialist Jobs

Description

Classification & Compensation Specialist (HRC 3)

Initial review of candidates will be on 6/22

At the Department of Commerce, we’re reimagining what’s possible in government. We’re builders, thinkers, and change-makers, working at the intersection of innovation, community, and impact. From unlocking critical funding to fueling inclusive economic growth, we’re turning big ideas into real-world solutions that uplift people and places. Our agency’s strength lies in the diversity of our workforce and the breadth of the lived experiences and perspectives employees bring to the work. We believe equity is not just a value but a practice, which is reflected in how we design programs, engage communities, and deliver outcomes. We foster a workplace culture where curiosity is encouraged, bold thinking is welcomed, and collaboration drives our impact.

Let’s build what’s next, together.

Located within the Agency Operations Administration, the Human Resource Division aligns human resources with strategic goals and objectives to enhance business performance and cultivate an organizational culture that promotes innovation and flexibility. The HRD provides services in five main areas: labor relations, employee leadership and development, operations, hiring and recruitment, and position management.

Reporting to the Classification & Compensation Manager, this position contributes to meeting the mission of the agency and HRD by serving as a senior human resource consultant who is a strategic partner to executives, managers, supervisors, and employees in providing senior-level professional human resource services and promoting equity, access, and inclusion with a focus on classification and compensation.

Duties

Senior-Level Classification & Compensation Consulting

As a senior-level human resource consultant, this position is a strategic partner to executives, managers, and supervisors within COM for classification tasks such as position planning, allocation, and developing or updating position descriptions.

Classification Tasks include:

• Provides guidance to executives, managers and supervisors when establishing, reallocating, or updating position descriptions to ensure consistency and alignment within their divisions and across the agency.
• Reviews and analyzes management-initiated establishments and/or management/employee-initiated reallocations of Washington General Service (WGS) positions. Determines appropriate allocation and continuity of positions, ensuring adherence with classification specifications.
• Accurately provides interpretation and explanation of applicable WACs, RCWs, CBA, agency policies and procedures related to classification and compensation, providing clarification when needed.
• Evaluates and determines overtime eligibility. Ensures proper documentation is retained in position files.
• Participates in the analysis and preparation of Classification and Compensation Needs Assessments (classification packages) for OFM, State Human Resources.

Compensation Tasks include:

• Assesses and determines overtime eligibility to positions based on Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). Ensures completion of the Washington State Minimum Wage Overtime Eligibility Review and Recommendation (salary and duties test) in accordance with RCW 49.46 and Washington Administrative Code 296-128.
• Consult with supervisors and managers to determine proper salary placement while following applicable policies, CBAs, WACs, and RCWs.
• Provide divisions with guidance on pay-related HR topics such as, overtime eligibility, exchange time, equal employment opportunity (EEO), job category descriptions, and assignment pay.

Participate in the review and preparation of the Position Review Request process, Washington Management Service, Exempt Management Service, and the Information Technology Professional Structure.

Tasks include:

• Prepare interview questions, conduct interviews, analyze information, and prepare decision letters for PRRs. May be required to attend Personal Resource Board appeals with the Classification & Compensation Manager.
• Acts as the WMS Banding meeting staffer. Takes notes at the banding meeting, completes banding summaries for the Coordinator, completes the notation of the allocation of the WMS PD with the banding results.
• Assists the Classification & Compensation Manager with gathering and analyzing data for establishments and updates to EMS positions.
• Participates in the ITPS Committee meetings. Attends meetings, takes notes for COM IT review committee members, and prepares summaries when necessary.
• Assists with the development of internal tracking of compensation such as, salary adjustments per CBA and WAC, salary increases due to growth & development, etc.

Classification and Compensation Processing and Tracking

Tasks include:

• Receives, tracks and processes assigned PARs and corresponding budget approvals in accordance with HR procedures.
• Assists with file maintenance for position files. Ensures position files have the required documentation and are uploaded into MARS.
• Monitors shared email inbox; processes requests, responds to inquiries, and/or forwards to appropriate staff members.
• Participates in the tracking for the review of employees’ overtime eligibility annually. Reviews job duties and salary levels, ensuring employees are properly classified as exempt of non-exempt. Prepares letters for employees if changes occur.

Other duties as assigned.

Tasks include:

• Communicates and coordinates with other human resource staff on a regular and ongoing basis to ensure consistency in consultation and provide HR management with all pertinent information.
• Facilitates and leads the HR Talking Tuesday’s meetings on classification and compensation topics.
• Provide guidance and options on technical HR issues relating to personnel services and employee related actions in compliance with the authorizing environment using principles of diversity, access, and inclusion.
• Works with the HRD team members to implement ongoing HR process improvement activities.
• Maintains the highest level of confidentiality, ensuring that work is completed within the anticipated timeframes, in alignment with the HRD Service Level Agreement, and information is only shared outside the HRD on a need-to-know basis.

Qualifications

Six (6) years of combined experience and/or education as described below:

Experience

in broad-based professional human resources in three or more of the following areas:

• Advising and consulting on human resource issues such as classification and compensation, professional development organization development, performance management, workforce planning, and generalist functions
• Manage multiple internal relationships with the HRD, agency executives, managers, supervisors, and internal clients, including professional-level staff and subject matter experts.
• Experience researching and providing senior-level based solutions to solve customer needs.
• Experience researching complex data.
• Experience providing training to large groups of diverse attendants.
• Experience in an organization’s human resource office in the State’s civil service classification and compensation system, applying federal and state employment laws, rules, processes, and agency policies.

Education

involving a major study in human resources, business administration, public administration, social or behavioral sciences or related field. Qualifying education post High School or equivalent may be substituted year for year for experience.

Examples of how to qualify:

• 6 years of experience
• 5 years of experience and one year of education
• 4 years of experience and two years of education
• 3 years of experience and three years of education
• 2 years of experience and four years of education
• 1 year of experience and five years of education

Preferred/Desired Qualifications:

• Professional Human Resource Certification or a Master’s Degree in one of the above fields.
• Knowledge of complex Washington State civil service laws, rules, policies, and collective bargaining agreements.
• Knowledge of Fair Labor Standards Act and Washington State overtime rules.
• Experience using the Washington State Human Resource Management System (HRMS).

Required Position Competencies:

• Maintain professional working relationships with peers, co-workers, other professionals and the public that are inclusive, collaborative, and respectful.
• Must be dependable, flexible and willing to accept responsibilities.
• Must be ready to take initiative to do assigned work without prompting.
• Accepts responsibility for actions taken.
• Accepts supervisory authority and maintain professional workplace conduct.
• Maintain a high degree of accuracy on any form of incoming or outgoing communication.
• Completes all work assignments in an appropriate and timely manner.

To be considered for this position, the following are needed:

• A complete and detailed online application.
• A cover letter (enter online).
• At least three professional references (enter online).

For questions about this recruitment, please contact our recruitment team via email: comrecruitment@commerce.wa.gov - please reference the job number in your message.

Supplemental Information

Work from Anywhere in Washington State

This position may be located anywhere within Washington State though occasional travel to a Commerce office building or in-state travel to attend events or meetings may be required. If selected, you will need to travel to pick up equipment and receive instruction. Many Commerce employees work remotely or have a hybrid schedule. The hours for this position will be Monday-Friday 8:00am - 5:00pm.

This recruitment may be used to fill future vacancies over the next 60 days.

Technical support is provided by NEOGOV, 855-524-5627 (can't log in, password or email issues, error messages). DES job seeker support may answer general questions regarding the recruiting system at careershelp@des.wa.gov.

Our Commitment to Equal Opportunity

The Washington State Department of Commerce is an equal opportunity employer. We strive to create a working environment that includes and respects cultural, racial, ethnic, sexual orientation and gender identity diversity. Women, racial and ethnic minorities, persons of disability, persons over 40 years of age, veterans or people with military status, and people of all sexual orientations and gender identities are encouraged to apply. Persons needing accommodation in the application, testing, or interview process or this job announcement in an alternative format may email Human Resources at Human.Resources@commerce.wa.gov. Applicants who are deaf or hard of hearing may call through the Washington Relay Service by dialing 7-1-1 or 1-800-833-6388.

Department of Commerce also offers a competitive benefits package including: medical and dental insurance benefits, retirement and deferred compensation plans, 11 paid holidays each year, 14-25 vacation days per year (depending on length of employment), 8 hours of sick leave per month (if full time employed), bereavement leave, an employee assistance program, as well as other benefits. Please see the Benefits Tab for more details.