Senior Public Sector Compensation & Classification Consultant

About the role

We are seeking a Senior Public Sector Compensation & Classification Consultant to lead and support compensation, classification, and pay-plan studies for municipal, county, utility, and other public-sector clients.

Responsibilities

• Lead comprehensive compensation and classification studies for public-sector organizations.
• Review job descriptions, organizational structures, reporting relationships, and employee questionnaires.
• Conduct employee and management interviews to understand job duties and organizational needs.
• Evaluate positions using established classification methodologies.
• Develop appropriate job families, classifications, grades, and career-progressive structures.
• Conduct public-sector compensation market surveys and identify appropriate peer organizations.
• Analyze external competitiveness, internal equity, salary compression, and pay relationships.
• Develop salary schedules, pay grades, ranges, and implementation options.
• Review positions for compliance with the Fair Labor Standards Act and recommend exempt or nonexempt classifications.
• Prepare fiscal-impact models and phased implementation scenarios.
• Present findings and recommendations to executive leadership, elected officials, boards, and employees.
• Contribute technical content to government proposals, scopes of work, and project work plans.
• Ensure methodologies, findings, and recommendations are clearly documented and defensible.

Requirements

• Seven or more years of compensation, classification, or human resources consulting experience.
• Direct experience completing compensation and classification studies for municipalities, counties, public utilities, or other government entities.
• Demonstrated experience developing public-sector pay plans and salary structures.
• Strong knowledge of FLSA classification requirements.
• Experience conducting job analysis, market surveys, internal-equity reviews, and salary-compression analysis.
• Ability to interpret complex compensation data and translate findings into practical recommendations.
• Strong report-writing, presentation, and stakeholder-facilitation skills.
• Advanced proficiency with Excel or comparable analytical tools.

Preferred Qualifications

• Ten or more years of relevant experience.
• Experience presenting findings at public meetings or to elected officials.
• Experience with utility, water district, regional authority, or special-district compensation studies.
• Certified Compensation Professional, SHRM-SCP, SPHR, or similar credential.
• Experience supporting government proposal development.
• Familiarity with public-sector collective bargaining environments.