Remuneration Lead - Wellington

Kumara Vine; Wellington; Hybrid; NZD 120,000 - 146,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

KiwiSaver

Job summary

Ministry of Education NZ in Wellington is seeking a Remuneration Lead to shape remuneration and reward strategies, and to provide expert advice to senior leaders on job evaluation and benchmarking. This role focuses on data-driven decision-making and aligning pay with organisational goals.

The position emphasizes leadership in remuneration frameworks, analytics and performance-related rewards, with allowance for collaborative work across senior teams and stakeholders to ensure equity and

Qualifications

• Significant experience in remuneration, reward strategy and workforce analytics.
• Proven expertise in benchmarking, job evaluation and market analysis.
• Ability to design and implement remuneration frameworks and systems.
• Strong analytical and communication skills; experience influencing senior stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Lead the development and continuous improvement of remuneration strategies, frameworks and policies.
• Provide expert remuneration, reward and job evaluation advice to senior leaders.
• Design and manage remuneration systems and frameworks supporting organisational goals.
• Develop remuneration analytics and reporting to inform decision-making.

Skills

Remuneration strategy

Workforce analytics

Benchmarking

Job evaluation

Stakeholder influence

Job description

Permanent, full-time hours, Wellington based

Help shape how we attract, reward and retain talent across Aotearoa

Help shape the future of Education

We work to shape an education system that delivers equitable and excellent outcomes

Our organisation is made up of talented and committed people around Aotearoa, from a wide range of backgrounds and cultures. While we work in different groups and on different things, we all strive every day to make the biggest difference we can for our students in our education system.

As the Remuneration Lead, you will lead the design, development, maintenance and implementation of the Ministry's remuneration and reward strategy, frameworks and policies. You will work closely with senior leaders and HR colleagues to ensure remuneration practices are fair, transparent, market-informed and aligned with organisational objectives.

You will bring expert knowledge and thought leadership across remuneration, rewards, job evaluation, performance management and strategic position management, helping the Ministry make evidence-based decisions that support our people and our future workforce.

On a day-to-day basis you can expect to:

Lead the development and continuous improvement of remuneration and reward strategies, frameworks and policies

Provide expert remuneration, reward and job evaluation advice to business leaders and HR colleagues

Design, implement and manage remuneration systems and frameworks that support organisational goals

Deliver robust job evaluation processes, including maintaining accurate and reliable position data

Monitor remuneration market trends, benchmarking and emerging reward practices

Partner with senior leaders to provide strategic insights and recommendations on remuneration matters

Support remuneration review and performance management processes, ensuring effective alignment between systems

Develop remuneration analytics and reporting that inform organisational decision-making

Contribute to bargaining strategies and collective negotiation planning through data analysis, market intelligence, and problem solving approaches

Identify risks, recommend solutions and ensure equitable and consistent remuneration practices across the Ministry

Build capability in others through coaching, mentoring and sharing specialist knowledge

This is an exciting opportunity for an experienced remuneration professional to lead the development of remuneration and reward frameworks, provide expert advice to senior leaders, and use data-driven insights to influence strategic workforce decisions across the Ministry.

Salary range: $120,171 - $145.560 per annumplus KiwiSaver. The successful candidate will be appointed at a salary which reflects individual skills and experience.

As our Remuneration Lead, you will play a critical role in ensuring our remuneration and reward strategies support organisational performance, workforce sustainability, and a high-performing culture.

You are a strategic thinker who enjoys working with complexity and using evidence to guide decision-making. You balance big-picture thinking with attention to detail and are confident engaging with senior leaders on sensitive and complex remuneration matters.

You bring credibility, curiosity and sound judgement, along with a commitment to creating fair, sustainable and future-focused remuneration practices.

To be successful in this role, you'll have:

Significant experience in remuneration, reward strategy and workforce analytics

Proven expertise in remuneration benchmarking, job evaluation and market analysis

Experience designing and implementing remuneration and reward frameworks and systems

Strong knowledge of performance management and reward practices

Experience using recognised job evaluation methodologies, preferably Korn Ferry Hay

A practical understanding of employment relations and industrial relations within the public sector

Experience working in large, complex organisations and influencing a range of stakeholders

Strong analytical capability, with the ability to translate data into meaningful business insights

Excellent verbal and written communication skills, including preparing reports and recommendations for senior leaders

Demonstrated ability to build trusted relationships and achieve outcomes through collaboration and influence

A track record of coaching, mentoring and developing capability in others

At Te Tāhuhu o te Mātauranga, you'll have the opportunity to contribute to meaningful work that supports better outcomes for learners across New Zealand.

We operate in a collaborative and values-driven environment where your expertise will directly influence organisational capability, culture and performance.

Applications close at 11.59pm on Thursday, 05 November 2026

We want our people to feel valued for their unique qualities and have a sense of belonging. If you require assistance or adjustments to fully participate in the recruitment process, please let us know.