EU Rewards Manager

AESC Spain; Sunderland; Hybrid; GBP 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

AESC Spain, a world-leading battery technology company, seeks an EU Rewards Manager to design and govern compensation and benefits across Europe, including Spain, France and the UK. You will partner with HR and business leaders to align total rewards with growth, competitiveness and employee engagement.

You will lead base pay design, incentives, and recognition programs, oversee benefits and job architecture, and drive annual compensation cycles with rigorous analytics and market benchmarking.

Qualifications

• Minimum 10 years of experience in Compensation & Benefits / Total Rewards.
• Proven experience managing reward programs across multi-country European operations.
• Strong analytical, data modeling, and benchmarking skills.
• Excellent understanding of UK and EU employment legislation.
• Demonstrated ability to influence senior stakeholders and drive strategic projects.
• Advanced proficiency in Excel and HRIS tools (e.g., SAP, SuccessFactors).

Responsibilities

• Develop and implement the EU-wide total rewards strategy aligned with global frameworks and local business needs.
• Lead the design, review, and benchmarking of base pay, incentives, and recognition programs across European entities.
• Oversee benefit programs (health, pension, insurance, wellbeing, etc.) ensuring compliance with UK and EU legislation.
• Manage job architecture, leveling frameworks, and salary structures to ensure consistency and transparency.
• Lead the annual compensation review, bonus cycles, and salary surveys.
• Provide data-driven insights on pay competitiveness, pay equity, and reward effectiveness.
• Partner with HR Business Partners, Finance, and Global Rewards teams to ensure seamless program delivery.
• Ensure reward practices adhere to GDPR, equal pay, and employment regulations across EU regions.

Skills

Strategic leadership

Stakeholder management

Analytical thinking

Cross-functional collaboration

Tools

SAP

SuccessFactors

Job description

AESC is a world-leading battery technology company dedicated to advancing sustainable mobility through innovation in lithium-ion battery design, manufacturing, and energy management. With a strong commitment to environmental responsibility and continuous improvement, AESC powers the global transition to clean energy.

Role Overview

As the EU Rewards Manager, you will lead the design, implementation, and governance of compensation and benefits programs across AESC’s European operations, including the flagship gigafactory's across Spain, France and UK. You will act as a strategic partner to HR and business leaders, ensuring total rewards programs support organizational growth, competitiveness, and employee engagement.

Key Responsibilities

• Strategic Leadership:
• Develop and implement the EU-wide total rewards strategy aligned with global frameworks and local business needs.
• Compensation Design & Governance:
• Lead the design, review, and benchmarking of base pay, incentives, and recognition programs across European entities.
• Benefits Management:
• Oversee benefit programs (health, pension, insurance, wellbeing, etc.) ensuring compliance with UK and EU legislation.
• Job Evaluation & Grading:
• Manage job architecture, leveling frameworks, and salary structures to ensure consistency and transparency.
• Annual Processes:
• Lead the annual compensation review, bonus cycles, and salary surveys.
• Analytics & Insights:
• Provide data-driven insights on pay competitiveness, pay equity, and reward effectiveness.
• Stakeholder Collaboration:
• Partner with HR Business Partners, Finance, and Global Rewards teams to ensure seamless program delivery.
• Compliance & Risk Management:
• Ensure reward practices adhere to GDPR, equal pay, and employment regulations across EU regions.

Qualifications & Experience

• Minimum 10 years of experience in Compensation & Benefits / Total Rewards, ideally within manufacturing, engineering, or technology sectors.
• Proven experience managing reward programs across multi-country European operations.
• Strong analytical, data modeling, and benchmarking skills.
• Excellent understanding of UK and EU employment legislation.
• Demonstrated ability to influence senior stakeholders and drive strategic projects.
• Advanced proficiency in Excel and HRIS tools (e.g., SAP, SuccessFactors).