Classifying a Position & Setting an Initial Salary

From time to time, it may become necessary to create a new job to allow the University to achieve its strategic goals. HR will complete reviews for new positions as needed. When this becomes necessary, the manager, appropriate leader, and HR will follow the following steps:

Step 1: Develop a Position Description for the Job

The manager, working with the appropriate leader and the Office of Human Resources as needed, develops a position description for the job using the position description template to account for the key duties of the job.

Step 2: Assess to Determine if Position Can Fit an Existing Job Title

HR completes a review of the position description to determine whether it fits into a job which currently exists at Xavier. If it does, the position is incorporated into this job title, and pay is based on the grade for the job title. If not, proceed to Step 3.

Step 3: Review the Description and Determine its Grade Assignment

Either through a quantitative market analysis (for benchmark jobs) or a qualitative comparison against jobs already assigned to grades in the salary structure (non-benchmark jobs), the Office of Human Resources will determine the grade in which the job will be placed.

Once this process has been completed and the position is filled (either internally or externally), the starting salary will be set using the process detailed under Setting the Initial Salary.

Setting the Initial Salary

Setting a starting salary involves a review, by the Office of Human Resources, of a job's responsibilities and requirements as well as the skills and experience of the incumbent, using the salary range associated with the job's grade as the guideline.

Step 1: Review Skills and Experience of the Individual

Individual pay will be set within the grade collaboratively by the Office of Human Resources and the employee's manager. This decision will be based on the incumbent's skills, knowledge, and experience.

Step 2: Review Internal Equity

Before any salary is finalized, the Office of Human Resources will conduct a review of salaries of current employees in similar jobs to ensure internal equity.

Step 3: Define Appropriate Salary Level

The Office of Human Resources, the manager and the appropriate leader will work together to set an appropriate starting salary, either for an internal or external candidate, using the chart below:

 

 

Step 4: Process Final Salary Recommendation

The final salary recommendation is submitted to the Office of Human Resources for review.  Upon approval, the Office of Human Resources will submit this information to the Office of Payroll.  Note that this process may vary depending on the level of the job at Xavier.