Compensation & Reward Lead

Experis - ManpowerGroup; Reading; On-site; GBP 6,199,000 - 8,266,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

SC clearance preferred

Job summary

Experis - ManpowerGroup is seeking a Compensation & Reward Lead in Reading for a 12-month contract with hybrid work (2-3 days onsite). You will lead compensation activities, oversee mobility services, and ensure reward governance aligns with regulatory requirements and business objectives.

The ideal candidate has extensive experience in base pay, allowances, incentive programmes, benchmarking, and reporting, with strong stakeholder engagement and audit readiness. SC clearance is preferred.

Qualifications

• Experience delivering compensation programmes and reward governance.
• Strong ability to benchmark, analyse data and provide pay guidance.

Responsibilities

• Maintain and develop compensation frameworks, including base pay structures, allowances, and incentive programmes.
• Monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of compensation arrangements, making recommendations based on market insight and data analysis.
• Lead the delivery of mobility services domestically and internationally, ensuring policies remain competitive.
• Conduct regular market benchmarking and compensation analysis to support reward strategy.
• Manage annual pay review processes and staff incentive distributions.
• Collaborate with HR to communicate programmes effectively across the organisation.
• Provide expert compensation advice to managers and senior stakeholders.
• Produce compensation-related reporting including gender pay gap analysis.
• Analyse reward metrics and KPIs to support strategic decisions.
• Ensure processes comply with legislative, regulatory, and governance requirements.
• Act as focal point for internal and external audits on compensation.
• Oversee payroll-related compensation activities and data submissions.
• Support employee mobility requirements, overseas and domestic assignments.
• Contribute to pay discussions with trade unions.
• Line manage reward professionals and foster development.
• Share best practices across the reward function.

Skills

Compensation

Mobility management

Benchmarking

Reward governance

Stakeholder management

Job description

Compensation & Reward Lead

Key Points

• Location: Hybrid (2-3 days per week onsite in Reading)
• Contract Length: 12 Months
• Rate: Competitive Hourly Rate (UMB, Inside IR35)
• Security Clearance: Candidates with active SC Clearance are preferred. Lapsed SC clearance within the last 12 months will also be considered.

Overview

We are seeking an experienced Compensation & Reward Lead to support the delivery and evolution of a complex reward strategy within a highly regulated environment. This role will be responsible for leading compensation activities, maintaining reward frameworks, overseeing mobility services, and ensuring the effective operational delivery of pay, allowances and incentive programmes.

This is an excellent opportunity for an experienced reward professional with a strong background in compensation, mobility, benchmarking, and reward governance. The successful candidate will work closely with HR and business leadership to ensure reward programmes remain competitive, compliant, and aligned to organisational objectives.

Key Responsibilities

• Maintain and develop compensation frameworks, including base pay structures, allowances, and incentive programmes.
• Monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of compensation arrangements, making recommendations based on business requirements, market insight, and data analysis.
• Lead the delivery of domestic and international mobility services, ensuring policies remain competitive and aligned to business needs.
• Conduct regular market benchmarking and compensation analysis to support reward strategy and decision-making.
• Manage annual pay review processes and staff incentive distributions.
• Collaborate with HR and stakeholders to ensure compensation programmes are effectively communicated and understood across the organisation.
• Provide expert compensation advice and guidance to managers and senior stakeholders.
• Produce compensation-related reporting, including statutory requirements such as gender pay gap analysis.
• Generate and analyse reward metrics, KPIs, and management information to support strategic decision-making.
• Ensure compensation processes remain compliant with legislative, regulatory, and governance requirements.
• Act as the focal point for compensation-related internal and external audits, ensuring all requirements are met.
• Oversee payroll-related compensation activities, providing guidance and quality assurance for reward data submissions.
• Support business requirements relating to employee mobility, including overseas and domestic assignments.
• Contribute to trade union discussions and negotiations by providing compensation expertise and pay-related insights.
• Line manage reward professionals, supporting development and ensuring delivery against objectives.
• Foster knowledge sharing and best practice across the wider reward function.