Compensation Lead

EFA Engineering Ltd; Reading; Hybrid; GBP 80,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

EFA Engineering Ltd is seeking a Compensation lead to support a public sector client in Reading, with hybrid office attendance (2–3 days). The role covers the full compensation function, including pay, allowances, incentives, and mobility processes.

You will deliver the reward strategy, oversee mobility enablement, and manage analysts while ensuring compliance, governance and regular benchmarking to stay competitive. This is Inside IR35.

Qualifications

• Maintains pay ranges, allowances and incentive structures.
• Advises on pay agreements across the business.
• Provides compensation data and KPIs for decision making.
• Lines management of mobility enablement and analysts/coordinators.

Responsibilities

• Maintain and communicate pay ranges, allowances, and variable pay arrangements.
• Through a Mobility Enablement role, ensure the communication and maintenance of a mobility framework, policy and process.
• Produce statutory reports, including gender pay gap analysis, with compensation insights and commentary.
• Advise on pay agreements across the business, acting as a subject matter expert and supporting the Industrial Relations lead in Trade Union discussions or negotiations.
• Generate and provide compensation-related data, including key performance indicators.
• Liaise with HR to ensure effective and compliant compensation uploads into payroll, offering oversight and guidance.
• Act as the focal point for all compensation-related internal and external audits, conducting internal checks and monitoring to proactively resolve issues.
• Line manage reward professionals providing professional development and holding to account for delivery.
• Provide professional guidance and share knowledge with reward colleagues.

Skills

Compensation strategy

Mobility management

Data analysis

Stakeholder engagement

Payroll systems

Tools

Payroll systems

Job description

We are looking for a Compensation lead to support our client, a public sector organisation.

The successful candidate will be responsible for delivering the compensation components of the reward strategy, including overseeing the provision of a mobility service. It will also manage the operational delivery of compensation, including pay, allowance and incentive structures and communications.

This role will include direct line management of a mobility enablement position and task management of up to two analysts or coordinators to support effective delivery.

Location: Reading - 2 to 3 days per week in the office

Engagement type: Inside IR35

CV submission deadline: 26th August 2026 by 12.

Key Responsibilities:

• Maintain and communicate pay ranges, allowances, and variable pay arrangements.
• Through a Mobility Enablement role, ensuring the communication and maintenance of a mobility framework, policy and process.
• Produce statutory reports, including gender pay gap analysis, with compensation insights and commentary.
• Advise on pay agreements across the business, acting as a subject matter expert and supporting the Industrial Relations lead in Trade Union discussions or negotiations.
• Generate and provide compensation-related data, including key performance indicators.
• Liaise with HR to ensure effective and compliant compensation uploads into payroll, offering oversight and guidance.
• Act as the focal point for all compensation-related internal and external audits, conducting internal checks and monitoring to proactively resolve issues.
• Line manage reward professionals providing professional development and holding to account for delivery
• Provide professional guidance and share knowledge with reward colleagues.

Reporting to the Head of Reward:

Key Accountabilities:

• Maintaining all compensation frameworks, including base pay, allowances, and incentives.
• Monitoring and evaluating the effectiveness of compensation programmes, with recommendations based on business input, professional insight, and data.
• Ensuring the delivery of a domestic and international mobility service that supports business needs whilst remaining appropriately competitive and benchmarked with other public sector defence bodies.
• Conducting regular benchmarking and market analysis to ensure competitive compensation offerings.
• Collaborating with HR and management to ensure compensation programmes are well-communicated and understood.
• Ensuring compliance with relevant laws, regulations, and any delegated authority or pay freedoms granted by the government.
• Meeting all internal and external audit requirements related to compensation.
• Providing expert advice and support to managers on compensation-related matters.
• Managing the annual pay review process and staff incentive distribution.
• The successful deployment of employees to overseas or domestic locations as required by the business.
• Offering professional guidance, leadership, and direction to reward professionals assigned to or reporting within this area.
• Monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of compensation programmes and make recommendations for change based upon business input, professional insight, knowledge and data

Please note: Despite working conditions and location agreed above, the successful candidate will need to attend site for their induction and kit retrieval. There will also be a requirement for all candidates to attend site for a medical appointment.