SITUATION:
A global nonprofit with more than 200 employees wanted to create a more equitable and transparent approach to compensation across its organization. With employees working across different geographic markets, leadership needed a structure that could account for cost-of-labor differences while still supporting consistent pay decisions across regions.
The organization wanted more than market data—it needed a clear framework that could guide how jobs were evaluated, leveled, and compensated moving forward.
SOLUTION:
Exude Human Capital conducted a comprehensive review of the organization’s jobs, partnering closely with an internal team to understand the responsibilities, scope, and organizational context of each unique role.
We benchmarked positions against relevant market data, including highly specialized roles where a direct market match was not available. In those cases, Exude used weighted combinations of multiple benchmarks to develop appropriate and defensible market comparisons.
From there, we developed a level-based job architecture with clear criteria for each level, established salary ranges, and designed a geographic adjustment approach that balanced organization-wide consistency with the flexibility needed across different labor markets.
Throughout the engagement, we collaborated closely with the client to review findings, refine job alignment, and build the internal team’s understanding of compensation practices and decision-making.
RESULTS:
The organization successfully implemented the new compensation structure and has continued using it to guide job and pay decisions across the organization.
Beyond the new salary ranges and job architecture, the engagement strengthened the leadership team’s understanding of compensation fundamentals. Leaders reported greater confidence in evaluating jobs and making pay decisions with more rigor, consistency, and clarity.
The result was not simply a new pay structure, but a sustainable framework the organization could continue using as its workforce and compensation needs evolved.
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