[aeonik]

HR is definitely in charge of pay structure , at least where I have managed. You could argue with them, but it was a monumental effort to get them to do a market study, and they still wouldn't drop degree requirements for some of our best candidates.

I only had a tiny bit of freedom within a pay band.

[bluGill]

Sure, but you can jump to a different pay band. If they want to keep you they will do it.

Management is in charge of this, if it is hard to jump bands it is because management wants it to be hard.