Volunteer (Non-Paid) Position - Salary Commission
Portland, OR, USA · Manhattan, New York, NY, USA
The Position
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APPLY HERE: 2026 Salary Commission Application
Do you expect Portland to make transparent, fair, and fiscally responsible decisions about paying its elected officials? Would you like to apply your professional human resources expertise to help determine the compensation of City of Portland elected officials? If the answer is yes, please apply to the City of Portland Salary Commission.
The City needs community help to assess whether the pay for the City’s elected officials, including – the Mayor, the City Auditor, and City Councilors – is appropriate for their service to the community. As required by section 2 of the City Charter, pay determined by the next Salary Commission will take effect July 1, 2027. Salary Commission results are expected to be completed within the first few months of 2027, to align with the City’s budget process for fiscal year 2027-2028.
Commission activities include:
- Attending meetings by phone, virtually, or in person
- Providing expertise around best practices in compensation
- Identifying, reviewing, and analyzing compensation data
- Determining annual salaries for elected officials
- Documenting how pay was determination
Total number of advisory seats: 5
Number of seats available: 5
To Qualify
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Who Can Apply:
City residents who are human resource professionals with compensation experience.
Commission seats cannot be filled by elected or appointed City officials and employees, and candidates for elected City office who have filed and been qualified to the ballot by the City Elections Office.
What We Look For
We want people from all over Portland with a human resources background to share their knowledge and expertise on this committee. If you want to serve your community and support transparency in local government, then we want to see your application. The attributes listed below will guide our selection process. It is helpful if you are specific in your answers. We do not expect you to be or have everything listed.
- You are ready to use your human resources background to determine the future pay of City of Portland elected officials.
- You have professional experience in compensation practices.
- You support the City’s core values of anti-racism, equity, transparency, communication, collaboration, and fiscal responsibility.
- You are willing to commit to serving at least 6 months, from October 2026 to March 2027 to align with the City's annual budget process.
- You are available to attend meetings and participate in the discussions.
- You believe government is better when community is involved.
- You have a passion for civic engagement and how the City of Portland works.
- You are a member of or have worked effectively with traditionally underserved communities.
Time Commitment
- Monthly meetings will take place on weekdays, at a time most optimal for Salary Commission members to complete their work. Meetings may occur virtually, by telephone, in person, or in a hybrid format. In-person meetings will take place at The Portland Building – 1120 SW Fifth Avenue, Portland, Oregon 97204.
- Members should expect to spend between 6 and 8 hours per month preparing for meetings on their own time. The amount of preparation may vary depending on the items the Commission is considering.
- Commission members may choose to meet more regularly as a full commission or in subcommittees.
- Members will be appointed for at least 6 months, from October 2026 to March 2027 to align with the City's annual budget process.
Volunteer Ethics
People who join this Commission will become what we call “Public Officials,” which means that while you serve you must behave in a manner that is fair and ethical. We will provide training on this once you are accepted. Part of following Public Officials Ethics laws means you must tell the group when you or a relative may financially benefit (avoid fees) by your recommendations. This is called a "conflict of interest." If you tell us about potential conflicts of interest, that does not necessarily mean that you cannot serve. It means that any potential conflicts of interest will be evaluated and addressed to ensure a fair and ethical process is maintained. We appreciate your ethical inclusion of actual or possible conflicts of interest on the form included in the application.
The Recruitment Process
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APPLY HERE: 2026 Salary Commission Application
Applications are due no later than 5:00 PM on Monday, August 31, 2026.
Applications will be compiled as they are received and reviewed beginning in August 2026. Applications will be reviewed by the City Administrator and members of the City Council. If the City Administrator or Council feels that interviews are necessary, applicants will be notified.
Online submission is the preferred, fastest method to get the application into the hands of the selection committee. We suggest you pre-write and save your answers in a separate document to keep your own copy and to prevent loss of your work from internet disruptions. You may request to submit a Word version of the application. Email AdvisoryBodies@portlandoregon.gov to request a Word version.
To receive assistance completing the application, please email AdvisoryBodies@Portlandoregon.gov.
Voluntary & Confidential Demographic Information
We encourage you to provide voluntary demographic information on the application. The City uses this information to ensure that advisory body appointments represent a broad cross section of community. Your individual information will not be used during the recruitment nor the selection process. State and federal law prohibit the use of this information to discriminate against you. Questions about this may be sent to AdvisoryBodies@portlandoregon.gov.
General Questions
For general questions about the Advisory Bodies program, the volunteer recruitment process, or other upcoming advisory body opportunities please email AdvisoryBodies@Portlandoregon.gov.
We Encourage You to Apply
We welcome you to browse our website to learn more about the work of the Charter Commission or the recruitment of the
Do you have questions or need more information? Email risa.williams@portlandoregon.gov.
