Head of Reward

Global University Systems; Greater London; Hybrid; GBP 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

25 days annual leave

Hybrid working

Contributory pension scheme

Private medical insurance

Season ticket loan

Eye care vouchers

Training & development opportunities

Staff discount scheme

Employee assistance programme

Refer a friend scheme

Job summary

Global University Systems (GUS) is seeking a senior reward expert to lead executive compensation, incentive design and RemCo projects across the UK. This role covers benefits, pensions and MIPs within a fast-moving, acquisitive group.

The successful candidate will partner with the C-suite, own UK rewards strategy and manage external broker relationships, with exposure to PE-backed environments and a strong commercial focus.

Qualifications

• Experience across reward, compensation and benefits.
• Experience of executive compensation and incentive design.
• Exposure to RemCo and senior executive stakeholders.
• Experience within privately owned, PE-backed, acquisitive or entrepreneurial environments is valuable.
• Experience managing UK benefits and external broker relationships.
• Knowledge of UK pensions and auto-enrolment requirements.

Responsibilities

• Partner with the C-suite and senior stakeholders, providing trusted reward advice.
• Lead executive compensation projects, benchmarking and incentive design.
• Support the Remuneration Committee with papers, analysis and recommendations.
• Design and develop MIPs and PE-style incentive arrangements within an acquisitive, value-creation environment.
• Own UK-wide benefits offering and manage the benefits broker relationship.
• Manage and develop the reward and benefits platform to drive engagement and experience.
• Oversee UK pensions and auto-enrolment compliance with providers and stakeholders.
• Lead annual reward activities including salary reviews, benchmarking and bonuses.
• Deliver reward solutions balancing commercial priorities with governance.

Skills

Executive compensation

Incentive design

RemCo exposure

Benefits management

Pensions knowledge

Job description

Global University Systems (GUS) is an international education group that empowers students to transform their lives through education. We believe education drives careers, lives, and society forward, enabling a brighter and more sustainable future for all. Our institutions offer the broadest range of industry-relevant skills through inclusive, accessible and digital-first learning. We offer a choice of career-enhancing certificates, degrees and postgraduate level qualifications, equipping our thriving multi-national community of students for lifelong success. Our world-leading network and state-of-the-art institutions power the upskilling of our students worldwide.

Summary Of Role

• We're looking for an experienced reward specialist to join us in a highly visible role with significant exposure to our C-suite and senior leadership.
• If you're looking for a career with challenge, pace, international exposure, genuine ownership and the opportunity to be part of a successful global organisation that's continuing to grow, we'd love to hear from you.
• This isn't a traditional, highly structured reward role built purely around annual cycles. We operate in a fast-moving, entrepreneurial and acquisitive environment, so we're looking for someone who enjoys variety, can pivot quickly as priorities change and is comfortable finding pragmatic solutions to complex reward challenges.
• You'll act as our stand-alone senior reward expert across the UK, with the opportunity to work on everything from executive compensation and RemCo projects to PE-style incentives and management incentive plans (MIPs), alongside ownership of our wider benefits and pensions agenda. This is both a strategic focussed and operational position, which requires you to be flexible and agile with your time management.

What You'll Be Doing

• Partnering closely with the C-suite and senior stakeholders, providing trusted, commercially focused reward advice.
• Leading executive compensation projects, benchmarking and incentive design.
• Supporting the Remuneration Committee, including preparing papers, analysis and recommendations.
• Designing and developing MIPs and PE-style incentive arrangements within an acquisitive, value-creation-focused environment.
• Owning our UK-wide benefits offering and managing our benefits broker relationship.
• Managing and developing our reward and benefits platform, driving engagement and improving the employee experience.
• Overseeing UK pensions and auto-enrolment compliance, working closely with providers and internal stakeholders.
• Leading annual reward activities including salary reviews, benchmarking, bonuses and compensation planning.
• Responding to evolving business needs and delivering reward solutions that balance commercial priorities with appropriate governance.

We're Looking For

You'll be an experienced senior Reward professional who is as comfortable discussing executive compensation with the C-suite as you are getting into the detail of benefits, pensions or a new reward project.

You’ll Ideally Bring

• Strong experience across reward, compensation and benefits.
• Experience of executive compensation and incentive design.
• Exposure to RemCo and senior executive stakeholders.
• Experience within a privately owned, PE-backed, acquisitive or similarly entrepreneurial environment would be particularly valuable.
• Experience managing UK benefits and external broker relationships.
• Knowledge of UK pensions and auto-enrolment requirements.
• Strong commercial judgement and the ability to navigate ambiguity.
• The agility to move quickly between changing priorities without needing a highly structured environment around you.

There's no team management with this position. Instead, it's an opportunity to operate as a senior individual contributor with real visibility, influence and ownership.

If you're a Reward leader who enjoys pace, variety and solving complex problems, we'd love to hear from you.

What We Offer

• 25 days annual leave plus bank holidays - time to rest, recharge, and balance life beyond work.
• Hybrid working - most roles offer hybrid or flexible arrangements to support work-life balance.
• Contributory Pension Scheme - 5% personal contribution & 3% Company contribution, so you can build long-term financial security with additional benefits of the company contributions.
• Private Medical Insurance (T&C's apply) - prioritising your wellbeing with speedy access to healthcare whenever you need support.
• Season Ticket Loan (T&C's apply) - spread the cost of your commute with an interest-free travel loan.
• Eye Care Vouchers - support for regular eye tests and essential eyewear.
• Training & Development opportunities (T&C's apply) - access to short courses via FutureLearn and Group-wide professional development programmes.
• Staff Discount Scheme - via My Rewards Hub, from various retailers - Fashion, Grocery, Health & Beauty, Travel, Automotive, Furniture, Dining, Sports and Leisure, Electronics, etc
• Employee Assistance Programme - confidential support for your wellbeing, whenever you need it.
• Refer a Friend Scheme for staff members (T&C's apply) - earn rewards for helping us bring great talent into the team