Freelance Consultant – EU Pay Transparency & Reward Governance

Lifted (an Upwork Company); Portugal; Remote; EUR 72,000 - 120,000; Part time

Job summary

Lifted (an Upwork Company) is seeking an experienced Freelance Consultant in EU Pay Transparency and Reward Governance to support implementation across its Portugal operations. Based in Portugal, the consultant will help establish a structured, compliant remuneration governance program, job architecture, pay equity, and employee-facing transparency.

The role involves assessing current practices, identifying gaps, developing policies and methodologies, and collaborating with HR and Legal to

Qualifications

• Experience implementing EU Pay Transparency Directive or equivalent pay equity initiatives.
• Ability to translate regulatory requirements into practical processes.
• Proven track record in reward governance and job architecture design.

Responsibilities

• Assess existing compensation and pay transparency practices.
• Develop and implement a pay transparency framework.
• Review and refine remuneration policies and salary structures.
• Design job architecture, evaluation methodologies, and grading systems.
• Conduct gender pay gap analyses and establish ongoing monitoring.

Skills

Pay transparency

Remuneration governance

Gender pay gap analysis

Regulatory compliance

Stakeholder management

Policy development

Tools

HRIS

Compensation analytics tools

Mercer methodologies

Job description

• Assess existing compensation and reward practices against EU Pay Transparency Directive requirements and applicable national legislation.


• Develop and implement a comprehensive pay transparency framework aligned with organizational needs and regulatory requirements.


• Review and develop remuneration policies, salary structures, and pay governance processes.


• Design or refine job architecture, job evaluation methodologies, and job classification frameworks to support consistent and objective pay decisions.


• Conduct gender pay gap analysis, identify potential areas of concern, and establish a framework for ongoing monitoring and reporting.


• Develop transparent salary progression frameworks and guidelines for determining remuneration, including objective and gender-neutral pay criteria.


• Review recruitment and hiring practices to ensure compliance with pay transparency requirements, and prepare employee‑facing documentation explaining remuneration policies, pay structures, and employee rights related to pay transparency.


• Establish governance procedures, responsibilities, and documentation requirements to support consistent implementation, including processes for handling employee requests for pay‑related information and disclosure obligations.


• Conduct a gap assessment of current policies and practices, identify compliance risks, and develop a clear implementation roadmap with priorities, milestones, and corrective actions.


• Collaborate with HR, Compensation & Benefits, Legal, and other stakeholders to translate regulatory requirements into workable business processes.


• Provide independent expert advice and hands‑on support throughout implementation, ensuring deliverables are practical, well documented, and ready for use.


• Proven experience implementing the EU Pay Transparency Directive or delivering comparable pay transparency, equal pay, or pay equity initiatives.


• Strong background in Compensation & Benefits, reward strategy, remuneration governance, or HR transformation.


• Hands‑on experience designing or reviewing job architecture, job evaluation methodologies, job grading, and salary structures.


• Demonstrated experience conducting gender pay gap analysis, interpreting results, and developing reporting frameworks and remediation recommendations.


• Strong understanding of EU employment and pay transparency requirements, with knowledge of Portuguese legislation and its implications for employers.


• Experience developing remuneration policies, salary progression frameworks, recruitment guidelines, and employee‑facing pay transparency documentation.


• Ability to conduct compliance gap assessments, identify risks, and translate findings into a structured implementation roadmap.


• Strong analytical, documentation, and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to turn complex regulatory requirements into clear, actionable recommendations.


• Fluent in both English and Portuguese, with the ability to prepare professional documentation and communicate effectively in both languages.


• Experience with multinational organizations, established job evaluation methodologies (Mercer, WTW, Korn Ferry/Hay, Radford), HRIS platforms, or compensation analytics tools is preferred.


• Based in Portugal and available to commit more than 30 hours per week for an estimated 3–6 month engagement; able to work independently with minimal supervision.

An enterprise client is seeking an experienced Freelance Consultant in EU Pay Transparency and Reward Governance to support the implementation of pay transparency requirements across its organization. Based in Portugal, the consultant will help establish a structured, compliant, and practical approach to remuneration governance, job architecture, pay equity, and employee‑facing transparency. The consultant will work closely with HR and other relevant stakeholders to assess current practices, identify gaps, and develop the policies, methodologies, and processes needed to support compliance with the EU Pay Transparency Directive and applicable national legislation, particularly in Portugal.