Responsible for managing the University’s expanding Reward team and the delivery of its total reward strategy to effectively address a wide range of pay, benefits and reward needs, ensuring alignment with the University’s future goals. Support and contribute to the implementation of recommendations arising from the Vice Chancellors’ Pay & Conditions review, leading on specific workstreams or initiatives where necessary. Provide leadership and guidance on the continuous improvement of operational activities and the delivery of a comprehensive reward program that supports the University’s strategic objectives.

• Daily operational management of the Reward team that supports pay, benefits and reward across the University, setting the vision and objectives and managing the balance of workload across the team and individual performance so that it provides a comprehensive and efficient service.
• Lead and manage the Reward team, including onboarding and induction of new joiners and improving collaborative ways of working through embedding additional support in the divisions.
• Work collaboratively with the wider People Department and HR colleagues across the university in support of the University’s People Strategy.
• Lead the development and implementation of reward strategy, policy and procedures, and manage reward-related projects in line with overall reward and People Strategy.
• Manage, contribute and/or support current ongoing and future reward projects and initiatives as requested by the Director of Talent & Deputy HR Director.
• Support the Director of Talent & Deputy HR Director to analyse, interpret, and summarise complex data on reward-related matters in papers for People Committee, making recommendations for action.
• Manage the University’s equal pay and gender pay gap reporting, analysing data and devising and implementing action plans, including commentaries to be published, and other sensitive material.
• Ensure reward governance arrangements for senior staff are operating effectively, aligned to reward strategy and compliant with regulatory codes.
• Accountable for the University’s salary and grading structures, managing the non-systems implementation of pay uplifts and ensuring the integrity of the structures are maintained.
• Have oversight of post management processes in Core and the University’s grading processes, ensuring consistency of gradings and the delivery of an efficient and effective service.
• Provide specialist advice and support on a broad range of reward-related issues, solving complex reward problems.
• Advise on the grading and remuneration of senior posts, ensuring the Director of Talent & Deputy HR Director is briefed as necessary.
• Review requests for market pay and the use of non-standard pay elements.
• Responsible for leading the design and delivery of reward-related briefings and training for a variety of audiences, including divisional staff, departmental administrators, and departmental HR staff.
• Participate in networks both internal and external to the University, including the HR Systems Evaluation Group, the Russell Group Reward Managers Network and Hay Reward network.
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Essential

• Ability to act as the institutional reward expert to use this expertise to develop and manage the reward strategy and policies in support of the University’s People strategy.
• Experience of reward policy development and management of reward processes, procedures and projects.
• Wide experience of advising line managers on reward, having a professional and proactive approach to enabling such managers to achieve their objectives, and ensuring that advice is proper, persuasive, and effective.
• A thorough and up-to-date knowledge of employment law and good practice, particularly equal pay and associated legislation.
• Experience of staff management and a proven ability to motivate and develop staff to deliver an effective service.
• Proven skills and achievements in supporting policy development, displaying analytical thinking, innovation, and problem-solving ability equivalent to those derived from holding a good honours degree, membership of the CIPD, and wide professional experience.
• The ability to retain information on a wide range of complex procedures and policies and to operate in a flexible and sensitive manner.
• The ability to communicate effectively in writing as well as orally, and to influence others.
• Excellent organisational skills and the ability to prioritise and progress a high volume of complex issues.

Desirable

• Proven experience in managing and leading on benefits provisions and taking a Total Reward approach.
• Experience of managing reward in either the public or private sector, a start-up would be ideal.