Reward Business Partner

Opportunity: Reward Specialist (Fixed-Term Maternity Cover) at the University of Surrey

Are you a seasoned Reward professional looking for a dynamic and impactful 12-month contract opportunity? The University of Surrey's HR Services is seeking a confident and collaborative Reward Specialist to play a pivotal role in shaping and delivering their comprehensive reward, recognition, and benefits strategy. This position offers a unique chance to contribute strategically and consultatively, supporting the University's goals in attraction, retention, and engagement.

Advantages for Potential Candidates:

• Strategic Influence: This role provides an excellent platform to influence university-wide reward strategy. You'll have the opportunity to shape initiatives that directly impact employee experience and the University's competitive standing.
• Impactful Project Leadership: You will lead key reward initiatives and visible, impactful projects over the 12-month period, allowing you to demonstrate your project management and execution skills.
• Expert Advisory Role: You will act as an expert advisor to senior leaders and HR colleagues, leveraging your knowledge to guide critical decisions related to pay, benefits, and reward practices.
• Comprehensive Benefits Management: The role involves the procurement and management of employee benefits, ensuring they are market-competitive and cost-effective, offering valuable experience in strategic vendor management.
• Flexibility and Hybrid Working: The University is committed to offering flexible arrangements, including hybrid working, with an expectation of approximately three days per week in their Guildford office. This provides a healthy work-life balance while maintaining in-person collaboration.
• Professional Development: Working within a supportive and collegiate HR team will provide ample opportunities for learning and development. You'll gain exposure to diverse aspects of reward management within a large, complex organization.
• Varied Workload: The role encompasses a broad spectrum of reward activities, from expert advice and initiative design to compliance management (including IR35 and global mobility) and job evaluation.
• Flexible Working Hours: The University is open to applications at various FTE levels (0.8 to 1.0 FTE), with the exact hours to be agreed upon, catering to individual preferences and availability.

Key Considerations for Your Career Path:

• Fixed-Term Contract: This is a 12-month fixed-term position covering maternity leave. Candidates should be seeking a contract role and be prepared for the scope and timeframe of this engagement.
• Strategic vs. Operational Balance: While strategic influence is a key component, the role also involves hands-on management of compliance, procurement, and advisory tasks. Candidates should be comfortable with this blend.
• Stakeholder Engagement: Success in this role hinges on strong stakeholder engagement skills. You'll need to effectively communicate and collaborate with leaders, HR colleagues, payroll, legal, and finance teams.
• Compliance and Governance: A solid understanding of reward compliance, including IR35 and global mobility, is essential. Candidates should be adept at navigating legislative requirements and governance frameworks.
• Location: While hybrid working is offered, candidates should be able to commit to approximately three days per week at the Guildford office.
• Salary Banding: The salary range for this position is £58,225 to £69,488. Candidates should align their expectations with this banding.

This Reward Specialist role presents a compelling opportunity for an experienced professional to make a significant contribution to a prestigious university. It’s an ideal position for someone looking to broaden their experience in reward strategy and execution within a supportive and flexible environment.