Specialist, Classification and Compensation

Lindenwood University • St. Charles, IL

1d • Hybrid

About The Position

The classification and compensation specialist oversees and administers employee compensation programs and position control. This role manages the development, implementation, and administration of the University’s classification and compensation programs. It involves conducting market salary research, benchmarking positions, and serving as the primary administrator for compensation surveys. The specialist establishes internally equitable compensation rates aligned with the external market, develops and maintains job descriptions, and reviews new and existing positions for accurate FLSA exemption status and proper job classification. Additionally, this role approves new hire recommendations and salary offers within Workday, ensures compliance with compensation-related laws, and leverages HRIS tools for position control and budget adherence. The specialist also facilitates the faculty and staff raise increase process, collaborates with HR leadership on position allocations, and conducts audits of compensation programs. Service excellence is key, involving staffing-related research, data analysis, and supporting University initiatives. The role also involves building rapport with leaders, providing training on compensation practices, and collaborating with managers on staffing needs and salary structures. Special projects related to compensation, organizational effectiveness, and workforce strategy are also part of the role, as are HR system implementations and process improvements.

Requirements

• Master’s degree in business administration, human resources, or related field
• Minimum of 3 years’ prior relevant work experience
• Experience conducting pay equity analyses and compensation program design
• Minimum of 2 years’ higher education experience preferred
• Experience with Workday preferred
• Demonstrated ability to work effectively with individuals from diverse communities and cultures
• Knowledge of compensation principles, practices, and methodologies.
• Knowledge of job evaluation, classification systems, and understanding of labor market trends
• Demonstrated Microsoft Office skills, including advanced Excel skills
• Demonstrated effective attention to detail
• Demonstrated effective analytical and problem-solving skills
• Ability to analyze large data sets and present findings to various audiences
• Ability to effectively preserve confidentiality and exercise discretion
• Knowledge of government regulations as they apply to HR and compensation programs, including knowledge of federal and state wage and hour laws
• Analytical skills to facilitate understanding and application of research and statistics in report writing and decision making
• Ability to prioritize multiple goals with competing deadlines
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills

Nice To Haves

• CCP from World at Work organization preferred

Responsibilities

• Manages the development, implementation, and administration of the University’s classification and compensation programs
• Conducts market salary research and benchmarking positions against external data
• Serves as the institution's primary administrator for compensation surveys, ensuring timely and accurate participation in local, regional, industry-specific, and higher education salary surveys
• Establishes internally equitable compensation rates while keeping in line with the external market
• Develops, reviews, and maintains job descriptions to ensure accurate documentation of essential functions, qualifications, reporting relationships, and compensation alignment
• Reviews new and existing positions to ensure accurate FLSA exemption status and proper job classification for alignment with regulations and organizational structure
• Approves new hire recommendations, salary offers, and data inputs within Workday to ensure compliance with University policies and wage and hours laws
• Ensures compliance with applicable federal, state, and local compensation-related laws and regulations, including the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), Equal Pay Act, and other relevant employment laws across the various states in which the University operates
• Leverages Workday and Adaptive Insights to ensure position control, adherence to personnel budget, and accurately track personnel changes and funding
• Collaborates with HR leadership and HRIS to develop Workday Adaptive Insights and Workforce Planning to accurately assess the current competition and forecast future demand for qualified professionals
• Facilitates faculty and staff raise increase process, reviews raise recommendations and distributes accurate faculty agreements and staff raise letters
• Works closely with HR leadership in managing all position allocations and reorganizations
• Conducts periodic audits of compensation programs and practices to identify opportunities for improvement
• Maintain accurate compensation records and documentation
• Utilize HRIS and reporting tools to support compensation planning and decision-making
• Supports University leaders by conducting staffing-related research and data analysis aimed at aligning workforce needs with University initiatives
• Supports the mission of the University and serves as an ambassador of the Q2 culture of service excellence
• Models, supports, and holds others accountable to the University’s values
• Builds rapport with leaders across the university, communicating in a concise, customer-focused manner
• Provides training and guidance on compensation practices, salary administration, and job classification processes
• Provides guidance and education to HR liaisons and department managers on pay decisions, salary offers, policy, and guideline interpretation and job evaluation
• Collaborates with managers to determine staffing needs, designs and adjusts salary structures, and develops policies and procedures related to the compensation program
• Prepares communication related to compensation
• Lead or support special projects related to compensation, organizational effectiveness, and workforce strategy.
• Participate in HR system implementations, upgrades, and process improvement efforts.
• Job may require other duties as assigned.

Benefits

• Employer-paid tuition benefits for bachelor’s (employee, spouse, and dependent) and master’s degree programs (employee and spouse only)
• Tuition discounts for doctoral programs (employee only)
• Comprehensive benefits plan: medical, dental, vision, life insurance, disability insurance, and retirement options
• Paid holidays: MLK Jr. day, Good Friday, Memorial Day, Juneteenth, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving break (Wednesday – Friday), and winter break (Dec. 23 – Jan. 1)
• Free lunch Fridays: LU employees are eligible for a free meal on Fridays at the Evans Commons Dining Hall or Spellman Dining Hall; Chick-fil-A and Qdoba included.
• Professional development opportunities through the Lindenwood Learning Academy.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level