Classification and Compensation Services

The Vendor is required to provide a market-based, internally equitable, and administratively sustainable compensation system that supports recruitment and retention, workforce effectiveness, employee development, and long-term financial sustainability.
- Goals for this project include improving:
• Market competitiveness
• Internal equity
• Career progression and workforce development
• Organizational calibration and consistency
• Long-term administrative and financial sustainability
- Objectives
• Assess the effectiveness and sustainability of the current classification and compensation system
• Explore alternatives to the current compensation structure and progression model, including approaches that support organizational effectiveness, employee development, and long-term sustainability
• Develop a market-based compensation structure and pay administration approach aligned with the City’s organizational, workforce, and financial goals
• Refine and finalize the City’s job architecture, classification, and compensation framework to support organizational alignment, internal equity, consistent compensation practices, and long-term sustainability
• Support successful implementation through stakeholder engagement and change management
• Build internal Human Resources capability through training, documentation, and knowledge transfer
- Project Initiation and Current State Assessment
• Conduct kickoff meetings with City leadership and Human Resources (HR)
• Review current compensation policies, practices, and administration
• Assess the City’s current classification, compensation, and progression structure, including grade and step administration practices
• Evaluate market competitiveness, internal equity, pay compression, and structural sustainability
• Identify operational challenges, inconsistencies, and opportunities for improvement
• Develop or refine a compensation philosophy to guide the project
• Confirm benchmarking methodology, project scope, and work plan
- Compensation Strategy and Market Analysis
• Identify and validate relevant labor markets and comparator organizations in partnership with the City
• Conduct job matching, salary surveys, and market pricing analysis
• Evaluate market competitiveness, internal equity and market positioning
• Assess compensation progression approaches, including step-based, merit-based, broadband, hybrid, or other market practices
• Develop recommendations for compensation philosophy, market positioning, pay administration strategy, and progression methodology aligned with the City’s organizational and financial goals
- Job Architecture, Classification and Compensation Framework
• Develop or refine job families, job levels, career pathways, and classification methodology
• Review and validate existing job descriptions and leveling process as necessary, and calibrate job levels across departments to ensure consistency in scope, complexity, responsibility, and organizational impact
• Create alignment between job architecture, classification practices, compensation structure, and workforce strategy
• Develop salary structures and range relationships aligned with market data and organizational needs
• Address pay compression, progression, and structural equity considerations
- Financial Analysis and Implementation Planning
• Develop cost modeling and financial impact scenarios
• Provide implementation and transition recommendations
• Develop a cost-conscious implementation strategy, including employee transition considerations
• Provide governance and ongoing administration recommendations
• Develop guidance for future market reviews and compensation adjustments
• Coordinate with City staff and/or third-party Workday support vendors to support operational alignment within Workday HCM
- Stakeholder Engagement, Communication, Training, and Change Management
• Provide structured engagement, communication, training, and change management support to ensure successful adoption of the recommended framework
• Identify stakeholders and facilitate engagement sessions and decision-making workshops
• Provide education on job architecture and compensation concepts to stakeholders
• Develop employee communication materials and messaging
• Develop a change management plan, including readiness assessment and adoption support
• Present findings, options, trade-offs, and financial impacts to senior leadership and City Council (in-person required)
• Provide administration training, knowledge transfer, and train the trainer support to HR Staff
• Provide leadership training on administration of the updated framework
- Post implementation Support and Sustainability
• Ensure the final compensation and classification framework is administratively sustainable and can be maintained by internal staff without ongoing consultant dependency, and is aligned with the City’s long-term financial planning
• Provide an option for ongoing advisory support for up to two years following implementation, to include assistance with annual compensation structure reviews and market adjustments, and support for ongoing refinement of the compensation framework.