Compensation Specialist

Job Details:

Gainesville Regional Utilities, Florida's most comprehensive utility service provider, is building a new team to support our human resources needs. We're looking for a Compensation Specialist with technical and analytical expertise to play a critical role in implementing and maintaining our classification and compensation programs.

Key responsibilities include researching and recommending innovative classification and compensation programs to enhance efficiency and responsiveness; conducting thorough salary analyses and job audits and reviewing pay adjustment requests; maintaining and updating job descriptions to ensure accuracy and relevance; participating in salary surveys to keep our compensation packages competitive.

Join us in this exciting opportunity to help shape the future of GRU!

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS

Delivers classification and compensation services and initiatives that achieve the goals of the department, the division and the City. 

Serves as a consultant and communicates to management in all areas of classification and compensation by providing technical and analytical expertise, guidance and interpretation of City policies, collective bargaining agreements and Federal, State and local wage and hour regulations.

Assists in implementing and maintaining the classification and compensation programs in accordance with City policies, collective bargaining agreements and Federal, State and local wage and hour regulations. 

Assists in implementing and maintaining all City pay plans and classification systems in accordance with City policies, collective bargaining agreements and in support of City Commission approved budgets. 

Researches and recommends innovative and strategic classification and compensation programs and process changes to improve efficiency and responsiveness.

Supervises, plans, and coordinates the work of subordinates.

Assists management with departmental reorganizations; makes recommendations on appropriate hierarchy, develops or revises job descriptions, recommends classification and pay grades, calculates related costs and assists with implementation.

Conducts job audits for new positions, reclassification requests and Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) exemption status by analyzing position questionnaires, conducting FLSA testing, conducting field audits and interviewing employees and supervisors; evaluates jobs, develops or revises job descriptions, recommends classification, pay grades and FLSA overtime exemption status and calculates related costs.

Oversees the maintenance of job descriptions to ensure that they accurately reflect the work to be performed; works with management to create new job descriptions or revise current job descriptions, as necessary.  Reviews initial salary offer analysis before communicating the salary offer recommendation.  Partners with the Talent Acquisition Division to provide recommendation of a starting salary for the hiring manager’s consideration of what is the appropriate salary offer for a job opportunity.

Reviews requests for pay adjustments (acting and special assignments, internal equity, involuntary demotions, reclassifications, special merits, etc.) for potential impact and to ensure compliance with City policies and collective bargaining agreements.  Recommends appropriate actions.

Assists in performing costing and analysis of effect of proposed changes to collective bargaining agreements during the negotiation process; prepares reports and presentations to support findings and presents findings to union and management representatives, as requested.

Partners with the Learning and Organizational Development Division to establish and monitor performance evaluation processes, timelines and related wage increase entry. Assists in preparing merit matrix based on actual performance ratings for the performance evaluation period.  Distributes to each Department Head and coordinates the merit increases to be processed.

Develops and implements appropriate and timely classification and compensation communication and training strategies for all employee groups.  Assists in identifying when, where and what communication or training is needed and develops and delivers it to employees and/or management.

Designs, conducts, and analyzes custom salary survey questionnaires to support job audits, reorganizations and collective bargaining negotiations; determines agencies to survey, determines comparability of positions, analyzes data and prepares reports reflecting survey findings.

Engages and coordinates with consultants hired to conduct pay studies; may determine benchmark jobs, reviews matched jobs, analyzes job documentation and consultant data and reports and assists with implementation of recommendations.

Oversees the completion of compensation surveys from other organizations using knowledge of City positions.

Researches, collects, and analyzes compensation and classification data; presents data that includes quantitative and/or qualitative information about the organization.  Assists management and employees in interpreting data for effective results.

Researches, collects, and analyzes compensation and classification data to develop recurring and ad hoc reports, addresses public records requests and completes external salary surveys.

Performs ad hoc studies (including developing compensation cost-models) and research of related subjects.

Remains current on trends in compensation and classification, changes in Federal, State and local wage and hour regulations and the City’s collective bargaining agreements and ordinances.

Attends and participates in work related committees.

Attends work on continuous and regular basis.

Performs other related duties as assigned.

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE

Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university with major course work in Human Resources Management, Business Administration, Accounting, Finance or a closely related field; and five (5) years of progressively responsible experience in classification and compensation administration utilizing an Human Resources Information System (HRIS).  Possession of a current Certified Compensation Professional (CCP) certification through WorldatWork is preferred and may substitute for two (2) years of the required experience.

Or an Associate’s degree from an accredited college or university with major course work in Human Resources Management, Business Administration., Accounting, Finance or a closely related field and a current Certified Compensation Professional (CCP) certification through WorldatWork; and five (5) years of progressively responsible experience in classification and compensation administration utilizing an Human Resources Information System (HRIS).

Intermediate level Microsoft Excel, Word and PowerPoint skills are required.

Experience working in a union environment at a public utility and/or municipality is preferred.

CERTIFICATIONS OR LICENSES

Licenses

Valid driver license required.  Valid Florida Driver License required within thirty (30) days of appointment.

Certifications

Current Human Resources Professional (PHR, SPHR) certification through the Human Resources Certification Institute or current Certified Professional (SHRM-CP, SHRM-SCP) through the Society for Human Resource Management and Compensation Professional (CCP) certification through WorldatWork is preferred.