Market-based pay is an approach to compensation that uses external salary date to help inform pay decisions. This is achieved by market pricing positions requiring collection and interpretation of market data external to the organization. Positions are \u201cmatched\u201d to comparable roles in reputable third-party salary surveys to understand competitive market pay and support fair, consistent compensation practices.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Staff will\u00a0not see a reduction in their pay, or a general or automatic increase in pay,\u00a0<\/strong>as a result of this initiative. As part of this initiative, the university is establishing a compensation structure that will allow for fair and transparent compensation decisions, including pay ranges that better represent our pay practices and market benchmarks. Another outcome will be new compensation levels and pay grades, as well as titling guidelines to create consistencies across URI. This is critical to support transparency and foster greater understanding about career pathways.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Compass Compensation is designed to build a more consistent, market-informed framework for compensation decisions. While is not an automatic salary adjustment program, market data and defined pay ranges will help guide future compensation decisions and support \u00a0equitable and competitive compensation practices. HR will continue to review compensation practices and provide guidance to departments to support fair and informed pay decisions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n While many roles can be matched to positions in external salary surveys, some are more specialized or may include a blend of responsibilities. In these cases, roles are evaluated based on factors, including primary responsibilities, scope, required knowledge, skills and experience, and with similar positions across the University. Supporting career growth is a critical component of this initiative. The new job architecture introduces defined job families, career levels and clearer career pathways to help staff understand how roles are connected across URI and identify opportunities for growth. . Having a consistent and transparent structure will illustrate career pathways and advancement opportunities so staff can map out long-term opportunities for growth and development.<\/p>\n\n\n\n While not all roles will have the same number of advancement levels, the framework is designed to make growth opportunities more visible. This may include upward movement where available, as well as lateral transitions, skill development, and expanded responsibilities within or across job families. The intent is to provide employees with greater clarity about potential paths for growth over time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Compass Compensation will be implemented in phases, with communication shared at key milestones throughout the process. As elements such as job families, pay structures, and role placements are finalized, employees will receive advance notice before changes take effect. The University is committed to providing clear and timely communication to help employees understand what to expect during implementation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n No. This initiative will not change roles, responsibilities or individual job descriptions. Job families, subfamilies and job profiles have been developed to help managers write job descriptions. As a reminder, managers and employees should review job descriptions on an annual basis and update as appropriate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Compass Compensation applies to non-classified staff positions at the University. It does not apply to classified civil service staff, faculty, or other excluded groups. Compass Compensation establishes a consistent framework for classifying roles and guiding compensation decisions across non-classified staff positions. While funding sources, such as grant or \u201csoft money,\u201d may continue to determine how positions are funded, the overall job structure and compensation approach are intended to be applied consistently. Additional guidance will be shared with departments that manage grant-funded roles.<\/p>\n\n\n\nWhat happens if my current salary is not aligned with the external market?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
How will roles be evaluated if they don\u2019t have a clear market match?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
For positions where employees \u201cwear multiple hats,\u201d placement is determined by the primary purpose and majority of responsibilities of the role and where employees spend the majority of time over the course of a year. This helps ensure that all positions are appropriately aligned within the job framework while bringing greater clarity and consistency to roles that may have evolved over time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\nCareer Growth & Development<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
How will Compass Compensation support growth and career advancement?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
How will this Compass Compensation support career growth, especially for roles with limited upward pathways?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\nImplementation & What to Expect<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
When will employees learn about their placement, and how much notice will be provided before implementation?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Will my job description change as a result of this initiative?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\nScope & Eligibility<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Which employees are included in Compass Compensation?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Non-classified employees are those who have higher education professional roles that are generally not offered at other State Agencies such as the DMV or DEM. This includes research, academics, and student affairs roles. If you are in PSA, PTAA, MPA, or AAUP you are a non-classified employee.<\/p>\n\n\n\nDoes Compass Compensation apply to grant-funded (\u201csoft money\u201d) positions?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n