Reward and Benefits Partner - Manchester

Debenhams Group; Manchester; Hybrid; GBP 42,000 - 56,000; Full time

Job summary

Debenhams Group is seeking a Reward and Benefits Partner to shape our reward strategy across the brand portfolio. You’ll own core pay, bonus and recognition cycles, champion the Benefits Hub on SharePoint, and bring operational excellence, data capability and people focus to the role.

Based onsite in Manchester, five days a week, you’ll deliver accurate benefits administration, payroll data, reporting and first-line guidance to employees and managers, while collaborating with HR, payroll,

Qualifications

• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with close attention to detail.
• Clear written and verbal communication, able to provide practical first-line guidance.
• Experience interpreting, validating and presenting HR data and management information.
• Working knowledge of reward, pay, pensions and benefits practices.

Responsibilities

• Process and manage benefits, pensions, pay and recognition data and activity.
• Maintain HR, payroll and provider records and reconcile deductions.
• Prepare files, reconcile membership and invoices; correct routine errors.
• Support enrolment and renewal cycles with data validation and reporting.
• Respond to routine benefits questions and escalate complex matters.
• Partner with local business teams to administer local benefits and drive improvements.
• Support engagement activities to improve awareness and uptake of benefits.

Skills

Analytical skills

Attention to detail

Communication

Stakeholder management

Data interpretation

Job description

The Role

Are you ready to shape the future of reward and benefits at Debenhams Group? As our Reward and Benefits Partner, you’ll be at the heart of delivering a high-impact, modern employee experience across our iconic brand portfolio. From driving core pay, bonus, and recognition cycles to championing our newly launched internal Benefits Hub on SharePoint, this is a fast-paced, highly visible opportunity where your operational expertise, data capability, and passion for people will directly influence how we recognise and reward our talent!

This role is based onsite in Manchester, 5 days per week.

The Role

The Reward and Benefits Partner delivers accurate, timely operational support across benefits, pensions, pay and recognition. The role maintains employee and provider data, completes routine processing, reconciliations and reporting, and provides first-line guidance to employees and managers.

What you'll be doing

Benefits and pensions administration

• Process new starter, enrolment, change, opt-out and leaver activity across pension, medical, insurance, dental and other benefit arrangements.
• Maintain accurate HR, payroll and provider records, including membership, contributions, salary sacrifice and payroll deductions.
• Prepare provider and pension files; reconcile membership, invoices and payroll deductions; correct routine errors and escalates material discrepancies.
• Support enrolment and renewal cycles through data validation, approved communications, completion tracking and uptake reporting.
• Respond to routine benefits and pension queries, escalating claims, compliance and technical matters appropriately.
• Partner with local business teams to administer local benefits and identify practical improvements to the employee offer.
• Support engagement activity that improves awareness, understanding and take-up of benefits.

Data, reporting and employee support

• Run standard reports and dashboards covering benefit membership, pension deductions, recognition spend and agreed reward measures.
• Audit reward data, maintain operational trackers and produce accurate, pre-agreed reporting.
• Manage first-line inbox or ticket queries and provide approved communications, guidance and benefits content for new-hire induction.
• Escalate complex policy, compliance, payroll, claims or employee-relations matters promptly.

Pay, bonus and recognition cycles

• Prepare HR system and spreadsheet extracts, manager packs and approved templates for pay review and bonus cycles.
• Complete routine data checks, track submissions and support completion reporting across pay, bonus and recognition cycles.
• Respond to routine process queries and escalates anomalies, exceptions and policy questions.

Operational cadence

• Daily / ongoing: manage routine queries, process forms, update records and trackers, and escalates exceptions.
• Weekly: review starter and leaver changes, prepare standard files and complete data checks.
• Monthly: run provider uploads and reports, reconcile invoices and deductions, and flag discrepancies.
• Annual / cyclical: support enrolment, renewal, pay, bonus, recognition and pension cycles through files, communications and completion tracking.

What we're looking for

• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with close attention to detail.
• Clear written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to provide practical first-line guidance.
• Confidence working with stakeholders across HR, payroll, finance, providers and local business teams.
• Experience interpreting, validating and presenting data and management information.
• Working knowledge of reward, pay, pensions, benefits or related HR practices.
• Ability to manage competing priorities and recurring deadlines in a fast-paced environment.

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