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Cognita, a global leader in independent education, is seeking a Reward Specialist to drive the effective delivery of reward processes across 100+ schools. This full-time role involves analysing pay and benefits data, collaborating with HR teams, and implementing strategic improvements till August 2026.
About Cognita
Cognita is a global leader in independent education. Founded in 2004, we are a growing community of 100+ schools in 17 countries - in Europe, North America, Latin America, Asia and the Middle East - serving more than 85,000 students. Each of our schools are proudly unique, however our collective purpose is to create an environment where everyone can, ‘Thrive in a rapidly evolving world’.
About the role
We are looking for a Reward Specialist to support the Senior Reward Manager, Europe & USA, in the effective delivery of annual reward processes and projects. This role involves analysing data and providing clearly articulated insights and guidance to drive better decision-making on pay and benefits. You will manage the implementation of the EU Pay Directive, including reviewing job structures, creating pay scales and pay bands, job evaluation, and pay and benefit benchmarking.
What you will be doing:
• Providing pragmatic advice and guidance on a range of Reward & Benefits policies to support understanding and ensure effective communication of good practice.
• Designing and implementing Reward KPIs to ensure Reward decisions are fair across the business and aligned with the business strategy.
• Monitoring and analysing legislative and regulatory changes that impact compensation and benefit plans.
• Collaborating with wider HR teams, including payroll, to ensure consistency of communication, policy, and practice, and sharing of information.
• Collating and analysing data to support the annual pay budget process, salary changes, and benefit design.
Level jobs and recommend compensation levels, considering internal and external benchmarking.
•Leading on the participation of reward surveys and analyse against internal data to ensure market competitiveness.
•Leading on gender pay gap reporting activities, both the legislative requirement in the UK and the global internal project, working with Exec stakeholders to deliver analysis and narratives to help achieve ESG goals.
• Managing the annual renewal processes and propose improvements to the benefit offering, ensuring recommendations align with our employee value proposition & owning the relationship with benefit brokers and providers to ensure service level agreements are met.
To view our detailed Candidate Pack, pleaseclick here .
Please note this is a full-time temporary FTC until August 2026.
Who we're looking for:
Experience:•Proven project management experience.
•Substantial experience in a Reward, Compensation, and Benefits role.
•Experience working with multiple countries.Skills:•Strong communication skills with the ability to engage and influence at all levels.
•High levels of organisation, prioritisation, and multi-tasking skills, with an ability to meet deadlines.
•Analytical skills and experience, including proficiency with modelling and data analysis, with the ability to present insightful recommendations on what the data shows (advanced Excel skills).
Attributes:
•Hands-on approach and willingness to be involved with both strategic development and tactical implementation.
•Solutions-focused with a simple and pragmatic approach when executing.
•Flexible to adapt to the needs of the business and results-oriented to deliver objectives and continuous improvement.
•High degree of personal integrity and honesty.
•Proactive with self-development by keeping up to date with case law and best practices.
•Self-motivated with the ability to work remotely, with minimal supervision and guidance.
Benefits at Cognita
• Competitive salary depending upon qualifications and experience
• AvivaPension
• 25 Days Holiday + Bank Holidays
• Life Assurance
• Employee Assistance Programme
• MyStaffShop Discounts
• Private Medical Insurance
• Healthcare Cash Plan
• Professional Development
How to Apply
Please submit your CV via the Cognita Applicant Tracking System.
Closing Date for all Applications is Sunday 8th June 2025.
At Cognita Schools, we are fully committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people. We expect all staff, volunteers, and third parties to share this commitment. As part of our safer recruitment practices, pre-employment background checks will be conducted before any appointment is confirmed.
At Cognita, diversity, equity, and inclusion are at the heart of everything we do. As a global community spanning over 94 nationalities, we know that our strength lies in our diversity. It’s what drives our success and makes Cognita a place where everyone can thrive.