1. InsideHR
  2. Staff HR
  3. Compensation
  4. University and Academic Professionals
  5. Roles and responsibilities

Roles and responsibilities

Managers have latitude to administer pay within the established compensation program guidelines. VCU HR and HR professionals provide compensation data, reporting, advice and guidance to assist managers in making sound salary decisions. 

Role of executive management
Executive management is charged with establishing the compensation philosophy for the university and the administrative practices in support of the compensation philosophy. Executive management also sets the amount for any merit increase pool as part of the annual budget process. They determine compensation priorities, balancing the importance of competitive salaries with stewardship of the university’s financial resources. Executive management is also responsible for effective execution of the compensation program - ensuring that managers are making effective and compliant data-driven compensation decisions.

Role of VCU Human Resources
VCU Human Resources provides consultative and technical guidance to managers and HR Professionals on issues related to compensation management, job evaluation and Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) status determinations. All compensation actions for University employees must follow the Working@VCU: “Great Place” HR Policies. The role of the VCU HR Compensation team is to:

  • Work collaboratively with management and HR professionals to provide policy implementation guidelines, reports, data analytics, training, and decision-making tools to support local compensation decision-making.
  • Review and approve appropriate compensation exceptions and review job titling and other compensation decision appeals.
  • Provide consultative services that aim to ensure best practice compensation decision-making, and compliance with applicable legal requirements, to include determination of Fair Labor Standards Act exemption status.
  • Maintain the job family structure, FLSA, SOC and Role Code crosswalks, and market based salary ranges, ensuring alignment with VCU strategic priorities and compensation best practices and sharing any major updates or changes, as applicable, with Human Resources Professionals and managers.
  • Perform quality assurance on job title assignments, correcting jobs that are incorrectly placed in the job structure.
  • Develop annual merit pay guidelines.
  • Consult on, and approve, variable pay plans.
  • Perform periodic compensation plan assessment and process improvements to meet emerging and ongoing university needs.
  • As requested, provide guidance and consultation on individual position description development.  

Role of Human Resource consultants
Provide consultative services to HR Professionals and HR Administrators regarding unusual or complex organizational redesigns and compensation situations. Coordinate, as needed, with VCU Compensation.   

Role of managers
Managers play an active role in the administration of the University’s compensation plan.  They are responsible for using available compensation tools as a part of the plan for making VCU a Great Place to Work. Specific tasks include:

  • Reviewing the department’s staffing needs and submitting requests for creation of new positions, retitling of positions, and abolishing positions, when appropriate.
  • Developing and maintaining up-to-date position descriptions, determining working titles, determining job content and KSA’s, and providing input into identification of physical/cognitive requirements for a job.
  • Consulting with HR Professional and reviewing compensation analysis in order to determine appropriate initial salary offer.  Coordinating with HR Professional in seeking VCU HR Compensation approval if offer is above the 75th percentile of the market range.
  • Actively participating in merit increase process, salary review process, and determination of career advancement and promotion salary increases.
  • Judiciously using the off-cycle salary increase process to address unforeseen circumstances.
  • Using reward and recognition practices to help drive performance and employee engagement.

Role of Human Resource professionals

            1. Provide consultative services to meet the needs of the school/unit, applying best practices, and ensuring compliance with applicable policies, regulations, and laws.

            2. Partner with and consult management on compensation best practices and using compensation as a management tool.

            3. Assist managers in organizational design and drafting position descriptions.

            4. Execute or ensure execution of transactions needed to complete pay actions.

            5. Facilitate and consults on decision-making for merit increase process,  salary review process, and determination of career advancement and promotion salary increases.

            6. Provide managers with data and policy guidance needed to make effective compensation decisions, including off-cycle salary increases and starting salary determination.

            7. Support managers in understanding and using compensation tools available to University and Academic professionals.

            8. Oversee and implement appropriate process for approvals and exceptions.

            9. Partner with VCU HR in design of improvements to compensation program.

            10. Collaborate with HR in job family and position reviews.

            11. Partner with management and VCU HR Compensation in design of effective Reward & Recognition and variable pay programs.

          Role of Human Resource administrator
          Department HR Administrators support administration of the compensation program and provide managers with information regarding compensation policy, procedures and guidelines. The role of the Human Resource Administrator is to:

          • Understand and explain compensation program, procedures and guidelines to managers and employees;
          • Consult with HR Professional or HR Consultant regarding posted salary hiring ranges, salary offers, merit process implementation, off-cycle increases, and non-base pay adjustments;
          • Provide systems expertise and implement transactions.
          • Collaborate with VCU HR and VCU HR Operations in the timely resolution of unprocessed actions and related troubleshooting activities.

          Role of University and Academic Professional employees  
          Employees are expected to understand the basics of the VCU Job Structure, and the general basis and rationale for employee compensation as a University and Academic Professional.