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Classification & Compensation Expert (HRBP)
Description
Classification & Compensation Expert (HRBP)
**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, the HRBP Classification and Compensation Expert contributes to meeting the agency's mission and HRD objectives by providing highly complex, expert-level analysis and consultation to management and staff on multidimensional classification and compensation issues with strategic and long-range impacts on the agency. Additionally, acts as a lead over lower-level classification and compensation professionals, focusing on daily assignment planning, developing skills, evaluating and monitoring work outcomes, motivating the C&C Team, bridging strategy and action, and fostering a positive environment. This position serves as a liaison between the C&C team members and senior management, ensuring smooth daily operations and the success of projects.
Duties
Classification Tasks include:
- Provides expert-level classification consultation to executives, managers, and supervisors in job analysis activities when establishing, reallocating, or updating position descriptions to ensure consistency and alignment within their divisions and across the agency.
- Accurately provides interpretation and explanation of applicable WACs, RCWs, CBA, agency policies, and procedures related to classification and compensation, providing clarification when needed.
- Reviews and analyzes management-initiated establishments and/or management/employee-initiated (position review request (PRR)) reallocations of Washington General Service (WGS) positions. Maintains allocation authority using employee-neutral criteria such as job duties and levels of responsibility. Determines appropriate allocation and continuity of positions, ensuring adherence with classification specifications.
- Research, analyze, and document responsibilities, knowledge, and abilities for positions throughout the agency. Performs analysis on classification allocation factors and existing classification specifications to determine the same and unique functional areas of responsibilities to identify inefficiencies in the classification structures. Presents findings, documentation, and makes recommendations to the C&C Manager for proposed classification structure solutions for targeted job class series within the agency.
- Consults with management on areas of turnover, assisting the C&C Manager with the development of action plans to address issues.
- Provides guidance and consultation to lower-level staff regarding complex or contentious allocation decisions.
- Consult with executive leadership, supervisors, and managers to determine proper salary placement while following applicable policies, CBAs, WACs, and RCWs. Monitors and ensures internal equity of compensation decisions amongst supervisors and managers, ensuring the criteria are applied consistently and equitably across the agency workforce.
- Provide divisions with guidance on pay-related HR topics such as, overtime eligibility, equal employment opportunity (EEO), job category descriptions, and assignment pay.
- Assists the C&C Manager with gathering information and analysis to inform agency compensation policy.
- Assesses and determines overtime eligibility for positions based on the 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.
- Plan, organize, and assign daily work to C&C team members to ensure efficient operations.
- Review completed work for accuracy, completeness, and quality, ensuring it meets standards.
- Ensure daily, weekly, or project-based tasks are completed on time.
- Provides technical guidance on difficult or unusual classification and compensation assignments.
- Provides informal feedback to the C&C Manager regarding employee performance.
- Leads the C&C team in the PRR process and, with the Classification & Compensation Manager, represents the agency in allocation appeals.
Special Project Leadership – Leads Classification and Compensation team projects as assigned
Tasks include:
- Leads in the analysis and preparation of Classification and Compensation Needs Assessments (classification packages) for OFM, State Human Resources.
- Leads annual pay equity evaluation and analysis, proposing remediation solutions as needed.
- Leads the annual position review of the state Minimum Wage Act changes. Evaluates and determines position overtime eligibility. Ensures proper documentation is retained in position files.
- Leads the development of internal tracking of compensation, such as salary adjustments per CBA and WAC, salary increases due to growth & development, etc.
- Leads the development of internal position allocation training.
Washington Management Service, Exempt Management Service, and the Information Technology Professional Structure.
Tasks include:
- Acts as the WMS Banding meeting staffer. Completes banding summaries for the Coordinator, and completes the notation of the allocation of the WMS PD with the banding results.
- Leads the gathering and analysis of data for establishments and updates to EMS positions.
- As the ITPS Coordinator, reviews all IT positions and hosts meetings, and prepares summaries when necessary, and enters evaluations into the IT PET tool.
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 as requested.
- 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. · Updates and maintains assigned HR Desk manual chapters, policies, procedures, and or process documents.
- 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
Seven (7) 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.
- 7 years of experience
- 6 years of experience and one year of education
- 5 years of experience and two years of education
- 4 years of experience and three years of education
- 3 years of experience and four years of education
- 2 years of experience and five years of education
- 1 years of experience and six years of education
- 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).
- 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.
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.
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