Volunteer (Non-Paid) Position - Salary Commission

Do you expect Portland to make transparent, fair, and fiscally responsible decisions about paying its elected officials? Would you like to apply your professional human resources expertise to help determine the compensation of City of Portland elected officials? The City needs community help to assess whether the pay for the City’s elected officials—including the Mayor, the City Auditor, and City Councilors—is appropriate for their service to the community. As required by section 2 of the City Charter, pay determined by the next Salary Commission will take effect July 1, 2027. Salary Commission results are expected to be completed within the first few months of 2027, to align with the City’s budget process for fiscal year 2027-2028.

About the Role

The Salary Commission is an advisory body responsible for determining annual salaries for Portland’s elected officials. Commission members will provide expertise around best practices in compensation, review and analyze compensation data, and document how pay determinations are made.

Responsibilities

• Attend meetings by phone, virtually, or in person
• Provide expertise around best practices in compensation
• Identify, review, and analyze compensation data
• Determine annual salaries for elected officials
• Document how pay was determined

Requirements

• City of Portland residents who are human resource professionals with compensation experience
• Cannot be filled by elected or appointed City officials, employees, or candidates for elected City office who have filed and been qualified to the ballot by the City Elections Office
• Willing to commit to serving at least 6 months, from October 2026 to March 2027, to align with the City's annual budget process
• Available to attend meetings and participate in discussions

Qualifications

We seek individuals from all over Portland with a human resources background to share their knowledge and expertise. The following attributes will guide the selection process:

• Professional experience in compensation practices
• Support for the City’s core values of anti-racism, equity, transparency, communication, collaboration, and fiscal responsibility
• Passion for civic engagement and how the City of Portland works
• Experience working effectively with traditionally underserved communities
• Belief that government is better when the community is involved

Time Commitment

• Monthly meetings on weekdays, scheduled at a time optimal for members
• Meetings may occur virtually, by telephone, in person, or in a hybrid format
• In-person meetings will take place at The Portland Building – 1120 SW Fifth Avenue, Portland, Oregon 97204
• Expect to spend 6–8 hours per month preparing for meetings on your own time
• Members may choose to meet more regularly as a full commission or in subcommittees
• Appointment term: at least 6 months, from October 2026 to March 2027

Volunteer Ethics

Commission members will be considered “Public Officials” and must behave in a fair and ethical manner. Training will be provided upon acceptance. Members must disclose any potential conflicts of interest, including financial benefits to themselves or relatives from their recommendations. Disclosure does not automatically disqualify a candidate but ensures a fair and ethical process.