Job Framework FAQs

A: Over the course of several years, a cross-functional team of members of the Wilson Group, a human resources consulting firm specializing in the design and implementation of compensation systems, and an internal consulting group drawn from the College of Arts & Sciences, Questrom School of Business, Henry M. Goldman School of Dental Medicine, Information Services & Technology, and Human Resources helped devise this framework. We’re excited about the collaborative effort that led to this workable solution.

A: Yes and no. The foundation of the structure is widely used at peer institutions and is standard compensation practice. The specific details of the structure, such as job families, subfamilies, and job titles are reflective of BU and were developed based on existing and anticipated positions at the University.

A: Job titles are general descriptions of function. They allow us to easily and simply relate different work functions across the University. Position titles will have more specific information about roles and responsibilities and which unit you work in, like the titles on business cards.

A: Career categories provide a framework for aligning like-positions based on responsibility levels of the factors that comprise a position and required experience. Within this framework there are three main career categories: management, professional, and support. Further details are included on the Career Categories and Levels page.

A: Many factors are considered when determining career levels. Some factors include scope of responsibilities, organizational impact, and subject expertise. Career levels are based on the requirements of the position, not the employee in the position. Further details are included on the Career Categories and Levels page.

A: Career categories broadly describe the scope of professional function. To this end, in order to be considered management, an individual must have at least two direct reports and the chief aspect of their work must be supervising others. Career categories do not serve to value one sort of work over another, only to characterize the fundamental nature of functions.

A: Market data provides a reasonable guide for matching job levels with grades/salary ranges. For internal roles without exact external equivalents, we’re making connections among similar job families across the University and using this information as another point of reference. By design, this initiative is flexible to allow for as much precision as possible.

A: While market data is a contributing factor, it is not the only thing driving the grade assignments and the competitive pay ranges.  Market data was utilized for initial grade alignment and then we applied internal equity in compliance with the Massachusetts Equal Pay Act.

A: “Market” is defined as the organizations from which an employer recruits and/or loses their talent. To stay competitive most compensation departments in organizations carefully select surveys that provide data regarding jobs in their industry and/or geographic areas. The data is carefully collected from a number of participating employers and vetted by a third party before publishing to patrons. While career sites available to the public are also third parties, they receive self-reported data that is not vetted in the same manner.

A: The new salary ranges are a way to lump similar jobs based on external and internal equity.  As a practice we consider +/- 15% of the midpoint competitive internally and externally.  Please note: individuals may fall outside of + / – 15% based on other factors, such as less or more experience. The full ranges are considered fair value for a position. We will be developing guides to provide managers with direction for utilizing the pay ranges. The job framework implementation was just the beginning of this endeavor. The next phase will be to develop tools to identify and highlight areas where additional adjustments may be needed based on a number of factors. Some of these factors include relevant experience, time in position, and performance. This will be an ongoing effort.  We recognize this is not an easy message, but this framework gives us a sound foundation for managing pay going forward!

A: The salary ranges will be updated on an annual basis to reflect market movement. The maximum salary of a grade may be increased based on the annual assessment. This could partially, if not fully, offset merit increases; it depends on the updated salary range and the amount of your merit increase.

A: You should speak with your manager or department HR liaison. Mapping of positions was completed at the department level so your manager or HR liaison can provide additional insight. If you still have questions or concerns please contact your HR Business Partner.