Sr. Classification & Compensation Analyst (Senior Administrative Analyst)–Office of Human Resources

Howard County:

Conveniently located in the heart of central Maryland between Baltimore and Washington, Howard County offers the charm of a historic past mixed with the excitement of a cosmopolitan community. 

Howard County Government:

Howard County Government is a leader in innovation best practices and sustainability. It is consistently ranked as one of the best places to live and work in the country. In 2024, Howard County Government received a record-breaking 63 Achievement Awards from the National Association of Counties (NACo) – the most awards in the state of Maryland, and the fifth highest in the nation, as compared to more than 3000 counties. NACo Achievement Awards are the premier national honor to recognize innovative and transformative programs that provide new services for county residents, improve existing programs, upgrade working conditions, and enhance citizen participation and public policy making. 

What are you we looking for?

We are looking for outstanding individuals to join our team and contribute to excellence in Howard County operations.

What you'll like most about working at Howard County Government:

• We are committed to workplace excellence in every area of County government.  
• We have a highly talented, diverse, and inclusive workplace. Your input will not only be heard, but it will be encouraged!  
• We offer competitive compensation and great benefits including medical, retirement, and wellness programs. 
• As a member of the Howard County Government team, you'll be helping drive our culture and directly impact what makes us an amazing place to work.

POSITION SUMMARY:

The Office of Human Resources is seeking a highly skilled Classification & Compensation Analyst to assist in the administration of the classification and compensation programs for Howard County under the direction of the Chief of Classification & Compensation. 

The position will perform various classification and compensation work including but not limited to participating in job evaluation projects such as the County-wide classification and compensation study; conducting ad-hoc studies (classification studies, salary analysis, development of new classification and/or job descriptions, etc.) and market analysis for a variety of compensation and classification-related subjects; conducting salary analysis and various other compensation data analysis; processes classification and compensation actions using various systems including HRIS and in-house position management system; ensuring compliance with the County Charter, Code, guidelines, and policies; and assists in recommending and drafting new policies and guidelines as needed. 

The position will also assist with proposed changes to job classification plans, compensation structures, collective bargaining agreements, business processes and systems, preparing and maintaining official documents for publication and distribution, including the Howard County Pay Plan, Classification Plan, and Pay Schedules.

CLASS DESCRIPTION:

Performs advanced professional level administrative work, which may include supervisory responsibility, under general supervision from an administrative or technical superior. Work includes the analysis and coordination of complex administrative matters; researching, reviewing, and analyzing legislative, budget, personnel, purchasing and policy issues; and supervising one or more major functional office programs or activities.Include the following. Other related duties may be assigned. 

• Conducting position classification studies, including analysis of written documentation; conducting online and on-site interviews with incumbents, supervisors, and/or managers as needed to clarify and verify data pertaining to classification studies; and reviewing organizational structures to determine appropriate class and salary levels according to County compensation guidelines and policy. 
• Conducting various compensation reviews and analyses ensuring internal pay equity.
• Evaluating position descriptions submitted by County departments for conformity with the requirements of the applicable classification and maintaining approved revisions within the NeoGov applicant tracking system database.
• Participating in multiple classification and compensation ad hoc projects at both the Office of Human Resources and County-wide levels.
• Creating and maintaining HR Classification and Compensation governance guides.
• Preparing new or revising existing job class descriptions and specifications.
• Revising, updating, and maintaining official classification and compensation reference documents (e.g., Pay Plan, Classification Plan, and salary schedules) for publication and distribution.
• Monitoring, tracking, and reporting Class&Comp study completion and recommendation data.
• Analyzing Class & Comp project study outcomes to evaluate consultant recommendations and to assist in creating short and long-range plans for their implementation; assisting with position management, control, and making recommendations regarding position allocation. 
• Developing presentations on recommendations of the study and other classification areas identified by the Chief of Classification and Compensation Division.
• Present classification and compensation and related findings and analysis recommendations to management, leadership, and other stakeholders.
• Other duties as assigned.

Bachelor's Degree and four (4) years of related experience or equivalent combination of education and experience.

PREFERRED EDUCATION, KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES:

Bachelor's degree in industrial/organizational psychology, human resource management, or related field.
Minimum of five (5) years of experience conducting job analysis and evaluation, reclassifications, and compensation work for a large government organization.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS AND WORK ENVIRONMENT:

The physical demands and work environment characteristics described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.  

• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to talk or hear.
• The employee frequently is required to sit and use hands to finger, handle, or feel. 
• The employee is occasionally required to stand, walk, and reach with hands and arms. 
• Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, depth perception, and ability to adjust focus. 
• The employee must be able to travel independently to attend meetings, events, and to perform other job-related functions.  
• The noise level in the work environment is usually quiet to moderate. 

LANGUAGE SKILLS, MATHEMATICAL SKILLS, AND REASONING ABILITY:

• Knowledge and aptitude in the areas of compensation merit planning and administration, compensation survey methodology and participation, analysis of base pay and incentive design and programs, and job evaluation.
• Strong analytical, critical thinking, presentation and writing skills.
• Ability to conduct research, compile data and prepare statistical and narrative reports.
• Strong data analysis and office software (Excel, Access, Word, Power Point) skills and ability to quickly obtain proficiency with enterprise applications, systems, and reporting tools.
• Skill in leading compensation design processes and in leading organization-wide initiatives involving analysis and validation of large and complex dataset.
• Thorough knowledge of labor laws and HR-related court decisions as they relate to compensation, and their impact on the County’s compensation policy and practice
• Considerable knowledge of local government laws, rules, regulations, and practices, particularly those governing the administration of compensation programs.
• Broad HR knowledge in addition to compensation and classification (i.e., knowledge of recruitment and staffing, labor-management relations, training, and benefits practices).
• Ability to effectively present information and respond to questions from groups of executives and leadership members, managers, clients, customers, and the general public.
• Ability to develop and maintain effective working relationships.
• Ability to solve problems and take initiative on any issues that arises within the assigned work area.
• Ability to travel to and move around job sites independently to attend/conduct meetings, trainings, and provide assistance to field personnel.

Salary : $84,113 - $161,968