Strategic Reward Partner

Are you a senior reward professional who can hit the ground running and make a real impact fast? We're working exclusively with a high profile UK institution to find an Interim Reward Partner for an initial contract of up to 6 months. This is a key role supporting the People & Culture team during a pivotal time, helping to shape and deliver a modern, inclusive Total Rewards offer. It's ideal for someone who enjoys working in a complex, unionised environment and can confidently influence senior stakeholders while managing reward operations at pace.

You'll report to the Head of Organisation Development and Reward and play a lead role in delivering a joined up Total Rewards strategy - covering pay, benefits, recognition, job evaluation, wellbeing, and more. You'll work closely with OD, HR Business Partners, and leadership teams to align reward initiatives with wider people and organisational goals. It's a hands on, strategic role that blends day to day delivery with big picture thinking.

• Lead the delivery and development of reward strategy across pay, benefits, recognition, wellbeing, and career pathways
• Run key reward processes, including pay reviews, academic progression, and recognition schemes
• Use data and analytics to advise on pay modelling, benchmarking, and reward effectiveness
• Maintain and update job architecture and evaluation frameworks
• Provide expert advice to senior leaders and governance groups
• Support union consultations and pay negotiations in a clear, constructive way
• Partner with HR teams and managers to embed practical, people first reward solutions
• Champion non financial recognition aligned with values and culture

You'll be an experienced reward specialist who's comfortable working at both strategic and operational levels. You'll know how to navigate a unionised environment and enjoy bringing data, insight, and clarity to complex reward challenges.

You'll Need To Have:

• A strong background in reward leadership within a large, complex organisation
• Experience working in unionised settings
• Confident stakeholder skills - you can influence at senior levels and communicate clearly
• Solid grasp of job evaluation, benchmarking, pay modelling, and reward policy
• Strong data skills - able to translate analytics into clear recommendations

Nice To Have:

• Experience with Korn Ferry Hay job evaluation
• Exposure to HR tech and AI in compensation
• Familiarity with matrixed or multi stakeholder environments

• Contract: Up to 6 months (with possible extension)
• Start: ASAP
• Location: Hybrid - some on site time expected

If this sounds like your kind of challenge, we'd love to hear from you. Reach out to Emma Hall at VANRATH on or for a confidential chat.